If you have just recently decided that drawing while you travel is the way to go, or if you have been drawing forever need to restock, or if you simply need some paper and a writing stick so you can keep up on your travel journal, you’ll probably need to know where to find writing and art supplies. The following locations are specific to Lecce, but while in Italy in general, a libereria (bookstore), cartoleria (paper shop), or any shop advertising belle arti (fine arts) is what you’ll need to look for.
Bookstores
If you’re not overly particular about what you are using and only need some basic pens or colored pencils, and maybe a journal or sketchbook, check out one of the bookshops in the city center. Feltrinelli is a national chain of bookstores. In Lecce, there is one just a half a step away from Piazza St. Oronzo, that has a small but colorful section of pens/markers/colored pencils and several displays throughout the store of sketchbooks and journals.
La Feltrinelli Libreria, Lecce
Address: Via Templari, 9, 73100 Lecce LE
Website: lafeltrinelli.it
Cartoleria
Nerdy aside: “cart-” means “paper” in Italian… cartoleria = paper shop. Think pizzeria, gelateria… cartoleria!
These are sprinkled around the city and they often offer things like office supplies, scanning, printing, and copying services… and gift wrap. Anyway, a quick google search will come up with a plethora of locations. If you just need some writing sticks and some paper and don’t want to pay un occhio dalla testa (an arm and a leg — literally “An eye from your head”), start here. No judgement, by the way. One of my favorite drawing pens is a standard Bic pen. I get a lot of mileage out of it and the shading you can do with one is astounding.
Cartoleria Pantheon Di Carcarella Carmela
This is one location that calls itself a cartoleria, but is definitely not an every day office supply shop. It’s right around the corner from the Duomo, and has some very fine pens, sketch books, journals, gift wraps, and a huge selection of classic inks and pens for calligraphy. In addition, they have a section of leather goods, like wallets. All in all, it’s a choice place for browsing, and for drooling over the beautiful leather bound books. If you’re on a budget, there are some really pretty and simple journals as well, and it is worth a visit even if you’re not in the market for anything specific.
Cartoleria Pantheon Di Carcarella Carmela
Address: Via Giuseppe Libertini, 69, 73100 Lecce LE
Website: http://www.pantheon-lecce.com
Fine Arts Stores
Galleria Belle Arti Caiulo
Go here if you are serious and want top of the line, professional grade materials with professional grade advice from the shop keepers. I didn’t know what to expect when I went in (the little window outside is good at keeping secrets), and found the place absolutely stuffed with art supplies. It didn’t lend itself to browsing, exactly, since it was pretty tightly packed and not a lot that was clearly on display. Instead, because they asked me what I might be looking for before the door could even close behind me, we got straight to business. I knew what I wanted already: a set of watercolors, since I forgot mine at home. With expert precision, they led me to the watercolors they had (cakes, not tubes please) and advised me on a couple options, as well as opening up the color reference book to clarify what additional colors I needed (magenta and cyan are impossible to mix, so I add them separately). I’m not going to say I found the place intimidating – that might be going too far – but they were definitely no nonsense when you ask them for help.
Address: Via Ascanio Grandi, 7/9/11/14, 73100 Lecce LE
Artemia
This is a great little shop. They do framing and, from the outside, it looked like they might be a little more focused on hobby supplies. Inside, however, I was surprised to see a lot of paint options (oils, acrylics, watercolor), colored pencils and drawing pencils, paper, and such. I was on a mission to find some replacement pens (Micron, if you please), which they had. Since the shopkeeper was busy with other customers, I had a few minutes to poke around and found a really decent selection. I ended up impulse purchasing some paper — watercolor, which I could argue that I needed, and also a random tablet of brown paper that just looked fun to try. More accessible and browseable… and definitely less intimidating than Galleria Belle Arti.
Address: Via Adriatica, 85, 73100 Lecce LE
Website: https://www.artemiabellearti.it/