La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso

The Baroque city of Lecce, on the outer reaches of the Salentine Peninsula, is one of the most picturesque places in Puglia, and perhaps all of southern Italy. It’s here, in a city-center palazzo that dates back to 1775, that siblings Antonia and Giacomo-Fouad Filali established a luxury boutique hotel that showcases not just Lecce’s architectural history but the family’s extensive art-world connections as well. La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso is named for the Fiermonte branch of the family; one of its ten suites is named for Lady Astor, to whom Enzo Fiermonte was married. In brief it’s a luxe little gem that combines historical architecture, modern design, and contemporary art in a manner that is inimitably Italian. The Fernand Léger suite is full of works by the French modernist painter, and the John & Yoko Wellness suite is similarly dedicated to its namesakes. A small but lovely spa extends the wellness program, and yoga classes are held on the building’s rooftop. Breakfast is the extent of the kitchen’s offerings, but the location in the heart of old Lecce means a wealth of options lie within a few minutes’ walk from the hotel’s front door.