What’s your biggest weakness when you go to Italy? I bet it’s gelato. Travelers often have joked to me that their favorite “meals” in Italy have been gelato.
When I rented an apartment by myself for 3 weeks in Lecce (region of Puglia, Italy’s “heel”) this past spring, I didn’t have anyone showing me around the city and suggesting the best gelato near me. Before I looked any reviews online, I came upon a Gelateria called Crem.
It was late afternoon and I had been hiking across the city trying to find a nail salon. Needing an energy boost I entered the large modern gelateria.
With ebullient smiles, the guy and girl behind the counter answered my questions.
“You see, the gelato is covered, with stainless steel covers that keep in the freshness. Gelato shouldn’t be displayed, that’s just to grab attention.” They told me.
I highly recommend their yogurt gelato with honey and walnut, and their specialty Mandorlacchio– a mix of almond and pistacchio.
Both flavors are creamy, and wholeseome, and not overly sweet.
Crem has lots of outdoor seating, and is also a pasticeria, with enticing cakes, spumoni (molded gelato in layers with whipped cream and candied fruit) and mattonelle, (another kind of gelato cake.) Crem also offers coffee, a rarity for a gelateria. If you go for a coffee, don’t miss combining it with a pasticciotto (Lecce’s signature cream pastry.)
Later into my stay I learned that a gelateria called Natale is considered the “temple of gelato” by locals, and Lonely Planet calls it Lecce’s best ice-cream parlor. It is packed at night, so I recommend going in the day if you want to be able to get into the shop. Like Crem it is also a pasticceria with good-looking cakes. But unlike Crem, the gelato is on display and not covered.
Another gelateria of note, just down the street from Natale, is Settimo Cielo. They are famous for yogurt gelato and their small shop, with a limited variety of flavors, offers options for those who are gluten free and vegan. The quality is top-notch.
I enjoyed the gelato I tried at both these places, but they were not better than Crem. Did I have have a soft spot in my heart for Crem, since it was my first love in Lecce? Or is it truly Lecce’s best? You’ll have to go and try for yourself.
Crem, Viale Marconi, open 24 hours
Natale, Via Salvatore Trinchese, open 8:45am to 1:00am
Settimo Cielo, Via XXV Luglio, open 9:00am to 2:00am
Super photos! I’ve not been to Lecce. Will have to look up where precisely it is as I love Tuscany. And I love gelato. Would love to visit Lecce and taste all that gelato.
Hi Doreen, it’s in the region of Puglia (Italy’s heel.)
I love Gelato ice creams. We have them / branches of them in my home town. the flavours are great.
I like gelato but prefer cream to gelato. Stainless steel containers probably are better to store.
The one you are holding in hand is very tempting!
Yes, it was soooo good. Those nut flavors are amazing. They grow a lot of almonds and pistacchios in southern Italy so you see those flavors a lot there.
Don’t need any more convincing, they look delicious in the photos! We have gelatos here but probably can’t be compared to its place of origin-Italy!
Whyyyy! I’m like, stuck here and sooo craving for a gelato!
Ha ha, where are you stuck?
Italy is THE place for gelatos and pizzas. We really enjoyed some authentic Italian gelato when we were in Rome and Venice. Gelatos of Italy are enough to draw us back to the country.
Absolultely Vyjay. At home I don’t do sweets much but when I’m in Italy, it feels criminal not to have gelato 😉
Wow, I’ve never heard of a 24hr Gelateria!
Talk about indulgence (are these trading hours year round?)
Oddly, I think the best gelato I’ve ever had has been outside of Italy, but I’m seeing the need for further research 😉
It is the best kind of research!
This is a quest that is truly worth undertaking. I have a serious weakness for ice cream, and Italy has some of the best!
yes, it sure does!
Oh my goodness…gelato is without a doubt a weakness of mine. Plus, my husband took us for gelato during our first date…so it’s that much more special to me. 🙂
Chandi, I was in Lecce in October and loved the area. Am thinking of returning for a month to investigate more of the area that I missed in October and would like to know the apartment you stayed in. Can you give me a name of person or business torrent from?
Thanking you in advance,
Mary
Oops,that last sentence was…”you rented from” …not “torrent”….nosy IPad!
Hi Mary,
I rented an apartment from Alessandra Ripa.
Her email is: lacortedeglialessandri at gmail dot com
Please tell her that I passed you to her.
The apartment is in the historic center. It is on the bottom floor which means it’s a bit dark. I noticed once I was there (and looking at real estate) that all apartments on the bottom floor seemed particularly dark in Lecce’s historic center. The bathroom is quite far from the bedroom and requires doing down stairs at night. It does not have a washing machine. I washed clothes by hand or Alessandra’s mom did a laundry here and there for me at her house. It has a nice little courtyard and has a TV and a couch and a desk and a decent kitchen. It felt safe and the location was convenient. If I were to do an apartment rental again in Lecce I’d try for one on a higher floor, and I’d prefer one with a bathroom next to the bedroom.