The Itria Valley, between charm, enchantment and poetry: staying in the Masseria.

In the heel of the Italian boot, between the two Seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian, with a naturalistic landscape so beautiful and unspoiled as to be compared to that of the Maldives, there are some addresses to discover to spend a summer, between Baroque art and contemporary design, relaxed atmospheres and minimalist luxury.

Starting from the Gargano National Park, famous for climbing and bird watching, passing through the Zagare bay, between the arch of Diomede and the Finestrella dei Dreams, large cliff rocks, surrounded on the horizon by the marine protected area of ​​the islands Tremiti, unique in the world for uncontaminated nature and crystal clear water, and home of Lucio Dalla's heart, going south to a place where charm and poetry come together in one thing: the Itria Valley.

The magic that emanates from this part of land that extends between Bari, Brindisi and Taranto, is now known to all for its imposing and ancient trulli, the cities as white as snow, the red earth that surrounds them in a warm contrast, the infinite expanses of green olive trees and vineyards that run in all its splendid length.

In this area, between Alberobello, Ceglie Messapica, Cisternino, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Fasano and Ostuni, it is possible to experience an eco-sustainable holiday by staying in some of the most fascinating structures in the world.

Renowned for its beaches, Puglia presents a perfect balance between the blue of its sea and all the warm colors of its land. Moving from the coast towards the countryside, in fact, like a treasure chest, this region hides many small rural treasures renovated and used as rural-chic farmhouses, where you can experience the most authentic Puglia, which with their White facades express all the rustic charm of the past, but always in the name of luxury.

Very ancient structures, dating back to the eighteenth century, in the past residences of the "farmer" who had the task of managing the work in the fields, today they have been used as farms or exclusive relais.

Being able to comfortably use the nearby Brindisi airport, reaching these enchanting places is simple, thanks to the comfortable private jet rental service made available today by the business aviation sector.

Staying at some of the Apulian farms allows you to travel with your mind, explore and experience an authentic itinerary, through which you can get excited in knowing extraordinary places and exceptional stories.

The Masserie, places of charm, lost in the countryside of the Itria Valley, groups of white houses overlooking the sea, solitary trulli that with their cone-shaped roof point towards the clear sky, and eco-resorts blossomed along the green spot of the most famous heel in Europe.

Between farms and boutique hotels, the Itria Valley is a land rich in traditions and design, a modern soul with original architecture. There are many structures to be discovered.

MASSERIA CAPECE

Masseria Capece is a rural residence dating back to the 17th century, with an exceptional view over the plain of monumental olive trees and the coast. Its original nucleus is a small cult building in stone and red earth blocks dated 1739. The structure develops around a central courtyard, on which the ancient oil mill, dating back to 1846, the main apartment, the luxuriant citrus grove, the cistern, the wood oven, the stables and the warehouses, now used as enchanting suites. The structure is completed by a raised stone yard with a suggestive view, surrounded by 35 hectares of olive groves. In the 19th century Luigi Amati di Cisternino bought the farm from the Capece family of Naples. Masseria Capece, now pet-friendly, focuses on eco-sustainability with thermal solar panels and charging station for electric cars. The large oil mill, built in 1846, and in use until the 1960s, still maintains its original features today. Not far from the inhabited center of the Masseria there is an area with an ancient quarry cultivation of "red fillet" of Fasano, opened in the early 1900s and no longer active today. The millenary olive grove, which boasts plants that are said to have been planted by veterans of the Punic wars, more than 2000 years ago, has remained in its original sixth, without any modification or thickening, and extends over an immense area on horseback. between the municipalities of Cisternino and Fasano. Located in a beautiful foothills area, it is a destination for pleasant excursions on foot and by bicycle, as it offers an exceptional view of the Piana degli Ulivi and the coast.

The citrus grove has many varieties of fruit trees: lemon, orange, mandarin, grapefruit, cedar, bergamot, Spanish silt, apricot, pear, lotus, quince, rowan, medlar, mulberry, fig, pomegranate, cherry, kumquat, chinotto and grapes. Behind the large citrus grove there is an almond grove and, scattered along the dry stone walls, wonderful prickly pears and carob trees. The Masseria has apartments all characterized by beautiful star and barrel vaults. The recent restoration has sought to combine the needs of hospitality, the materials and functions of historic architecture, environmental sustainability, refined architectural simplicity, and a personal touch of elegance and contemporaneity. Perfect for enjoying a relaxing holiday, surrounded by nature, enjoying local flavors in a sophisticated and unique environment.

MASSERIA NARDUCCI

An ancient country house, a classic Apulian masseria in Speziale di Fasano. With rural but sophisticated décor, enriched with some boho-chic details, the property features rooms equipped with all comforts and the opportunity to dine and have lunch in the Masseria's restaurant, which offers traditional dishes prepared with ingredients and garden products. A real treat for lovers of relaxation, greenery and organic products.

MASSERIA MOROSETA

Five hectares of olive trees, fragrant gardens and a view that is lost on the horizon to the city of Ostuni: Masseria Moroseta is like a lotus flower sprouting in the middle of the Apulian countryside. Traits that distinguish it are certainly design and use of natural Lecce stone, with authentic architecture and the use of traditional materials, attention to detail and lots of greenery. Crossing the country roads, surrounded by spectacular olive trees, you reach this white stone farmhouse that stands proudly on the ridge, with full sea views.

Entering the continuous chiaroscuro of light and shadow of the trees on the roadside, the noises of the city of Ostuni fade more and more, to leave room for the silence of a nature that envelops with its scents and colors. Built with local materials and traditional techniques, modern architecture is influenced by the Masserie of the past and immersed in five hectares of organically-run centuries-old olive groves, the Masseria is an enclave of relaxation and rural simplicity. Dry stone walls, cacti and Mediterranean scrub bushes surround the entire building.

Masseria Moroseta carries within it all the tradition of the shapes and spaces of the most typical Apulian farmhouses: the blinding white, the sheltered courtyards, the arches, the cement tiles, and the stone. All this is accompanied by respect and love for the environment, thanks to the energy of the sun and the modern green building techniques used.

Masseria Moroseta is the ideal place to switch off and recover contact with nature. There is also an outdoor swimming pool, an area dedicated to wellness with various treatments based on local herbs, and yoga classes. For the tireless who always want to stay active on vacation, the structure also offers the possibility of requesting tailor-made cooking lessons, an excellent opportunity to discover the many flavors of Puglia.

MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO

Masseria Torre Coccaro is one of the most famous in Savelletri di Fasano. Characterized by a rural-chic design, it is also known to the natives for its immense swimming pool, for the highly anticipated evenings with DJ sets, for the private beach, a place of enchantment and magic, for the presence of its elite restaurant and for the its small spa. Masseria Coccaro offers its guests a memorable stay in an ancient masseria, characterized by an elegant yet familiar environment, where the past relives in every detail. The reference to an ancient past is present in every aspect of the structure starting from the seventeenth-century fortified tower, built by the Knights of Malta to protect themselves from the Saracen invasion, from which it is possible to get lost while admiring the sea and the warm African sunsets. Located in a large estate a few steps from the sea whose origins date back to the sixteenth century, surrounded by an immense cultivation of olive, almond and carob trees, this tower, once a place of defense against the raids of the Saracens, is now an elegant resort 5-star hotel that wants to keep intact the ability to enjoy the simple and refined pleasures of rural life.

Strolling in the courtyard, stands the ancient chapel dating back to 1730, still consecrated, where the inhabitants of the nearby fishing village of Savelletri used to go in procession to honor the patron saints of the area and then pass inside a tufara, the quarry where the tuffs were cut to build the farm, which today has become the vegetable garden.

BORGO EGNAZIA

“Borgo Egnazia, you can't be anywhere else”, is how one of the most famous hotels in Italy and one of the most loved by celebrities visiting Puglia presents itself on the website. Those lucky enough to stay at this luxurious property at least once in their life will be able to confirm the veracity of the ambitious slogan of this exclusive place. Sophisticated and glamorous, this enchanting place is appreciated by all, without distinction, and is renowned for its elegant surroundings, attention to detail and the absolute beauty of the area in which the venue is set.

Borgo Egnazia: a wonderful place, freely inspired in shapes, materials and colors to a typical Apulian village. Here uniqueness and authenticity come together to create something new and special, unobtainable elsewhere, which manages to combine the most genuine local traditions with top-level services. A real world that contains homemade breakfasts prepared with love by the Housewives, the gourmet proposals and the typical flavors inspired by the Mediterranean diet, its poetic Spa, in balance between tradition and innovation, two beautiful private beaches, Cala Masciola and La Fonte, and the spectacular San Domenico Golf, where you play among millenary olive trees, with a view that sweeps up to the intense blue of the surrounding sea.

Every day of the year, in all seasons, Borgo Egnazia offers a different concept of hospitality and well-being, based on local and authentic experiences, immersed in the incomparable beauty of the Apulian countryside.

Received various awards since 2010, the year of opening, Borgo Egnazia from 2018, ranks first in the Top Italian Resort category, fourth in the Top 10 European Resort Hotels category and is among the Top 100 hotels worldwide.

MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA

Inspired by the sensational landscapes of Puglia and the ethics of Rocco Forte Hotels, Masseria Torre Maizza exquisitely blends local heritage with contemporary luxury and unparalleled service.

Surrounded by centuries-old olive groves, the renovated 16th-century farmhouse is full of design accents and details designed to create a unique sense of place, from the beautiful rooms and suites designed by Olga Polizzi to the romantic sunset rooftop bar and elegant restaurant with a view on the pool. The resort also features a 9-hole executive golf course, a private beach club and an exclusive spa. Among the most prestigious farms in Puglia, Masseria Torre Maizza is the ideal location for a luxury holiday without forgetting the beauty of local traditions.

MASSERIA SAN FRANCESCO

A place where you can lose track of time, almost as if you want to immortalize an unforgettable moment of life.

A place where there is only the warmth of the earth, the white of the lime, the embrace of the sky to the ancient olive trees that dominate the scene.

Located in Savelletri, in Fasano, Masseria San Francesco is one of the most exclusive and sought after destinations. Equipped with beautiful and airy rooms, furnished in neutral tones, from sand to vanilla, with geometric majolica to break the simplicity of the pure white of the stone, the structure exudes a unique warmth like the welcoming earth that hosts it.

Masseria San Francesco is integrated into this nature, respecting its rhythms.

Maximum attention to guests and the tranquility of the location allow those who stay in this unique charm to immerse themselves in an enchanted atmosphere, rediscovering ancient traditions. In a discreet silence, between centuries-old walls that tell of a past story.

MASSERIA SAN DOMENICO

Masseria San Domenico is a 5-star hotel that since 1996 welcomes its guests in a splendid 14th century farmhouse. The Masseria par excellence, the one that coined the idea of ​​the countryside resort in Puglia in the collective imagination and a term of comparison for those who enter the hospitality sector. Its beauty shines in the middle of hectares and hectares of centuries-old olive trees, real sculptures en plein air. The structure is characterized by a white fortified tower with a courtyard in the center and large spaces surrounding it where you can take refuge, retreat or simply find yourself. Its huge pool of brackish water is surrounded by natural rocks and has been the set of several highly successful arthouse films. Symbol of luxury hospitality in Puglia, the structure has an ancient 15th-century watchtower that stands out between the blue of the sky and the blue of the Adriatic Sea.

The Tower still intact with its machicolations and smokestacks stands proud of its historic role at the center of the residential agglomeration that was gradually being transformed until the 18th century becoming one of the most important fortified farmhouses in the area. Some of the centuries-old olive trees are reflected with all their grandeur in the spectacular swimming pool among the rocks which is the flagship of the current hotel destination of the structure.

The careful restoration, carried out in full respect of the ancient forms and original materials, has transformed this ancient farmhouse into an elegant and exclusive hotel, whose magical atmosphere recalls the history of Puglia, a meeting place between the East and the Mediterranean. 

MASSERIA DON LUIGI

A large swimming pool surrounded by gardens of olive trees and lavender plants, bright rooms with a classic and elegant design, fragrant and simple rooms, tastefully decorated and with all the comforts available. These are some of the main peculiarities of a structure that reflects the perfect combination of tradition and comfort: Masseria Don Luigi.

The property offers a new idea of hospitality, born from the careful combination of respect for traditions and high standards of comfort and relaxation, to guarantee its guests a unique holiday in a land rich in atmospheres, colors and flavors.

Built in 1800 in Savelletri di Fasano, on the outskirts of Salento, the ancient farmhouse has the distinctive features of Apulian architecture, from the squared lines of the thick lime walls, to the furnishings with original poor art furniture.

Elegance and minimalism are the founding elements of the furniture, which incorporates the colors and essence of typical rural architecture. Transformed, with the renovation, into an elegant relais with a sober and refined style, its light colors blend with the white of the exterior, in a play of colors that enhances its charm from dawn to dusk.

Recently renovated, the Masseria Don Luigi has been able to preserve all its ancient charm and the peculiarities of the original architecture, creating a perfect balance between Apulian tradition and modern comfort such as to make the stay at the property a unique and unforgettable experience.

Outside the estate is equipped with large green areas such as the suggestive citrus grove, with the 'chianche' floor, the garden of centuries-old olive trees and the large swimming pool with the hydromassage corner where you can enjoy the greenery and the surrounding environment, complete relaxation and in contact with nature, between “dry” stone walls, olive groves and vast uncontaminated fields. 

MASSERIA CERVAROLO

A perfect union between a real Masseria and a set of characteristic Trulli, Masseria Cervarolo offers accommodation for all needs, as well as a swimming pool, sun terrace and garden. Elevated in the sixteenth century, on a hill of 250 m, overlooking a vast and fertile plain 6 km from Ostuni, like many Apulian farms, the buildings were born and changed over the centuries according to the cultivation and production practices. The toponym 'Cervarolo' originates from the presence of deer on the last offshoots of the Murgia when they were covered by dense wooded areas.

Attached to the farm, dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows, there is a small church with a splendid polychromatic Baroque altar and numerous frescoes. The church was a very important place of worship and this is testified by the discovery of numerous ex-votos. Legends are linked to Masseria Cervarolo which have made it a place of pilgrimage for those who are in search of serenity. It is also said that, in the area surrounding the farm, spring arrives a few weeks in advance and that the surrounding farmers regulate agricultural activities by virtue of this "phenomenon".

The restoration work, which lasted more than five years, was carried out in absolute respect of the original architecture using materials recovered from the farm itself: chianche, chiancarelle, and limestone blocks. Masseria Cervarolo is a country residence of discreet elegance but with a strong personality. A must see!

ANTICA MASSERIA BRANCATI

In the Brancati district, inside the Coastal Dune Park, near Ostuni, stands the homonymous Antica Masseria Brancati, a fascinating former fortress in a truly uncontaminated landscape. A place with very ancient roots, it still retains the old watchtower and the oil mill from 1880, today a small museum of peasant civilization. After six generations, this farm has made olive oil its flagship, so much so that Alberto Angela has dedicated an entire episode of Ulysses to the structure.