  We present new observations of Sextans and Leo I dwarf galaxies, that provide
new insight on their stellar populations. The large sample of stars measured in
Sextans allowed us to obtain a reliable estimate of the metal content of this
galaxy, to study the population spatial gradients, and to investigate the
nature of the large number of blue stragglers. In Leo I, we discovered a
significant population of RR Lyrae variables. The analysis of the pulsational
properties of the detected variables suggests that this galaxy is an Oosterhoff
intermediate object, similar to the LMC and to other dwarf galaxies in the
Local Group.

Astrophysics