Italy, Apulia (Puglia) - Land of the Masseria

The six Masserie visited by photographer Giovanni Simeone offer all something different.

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Photo: Giovanni Simeone  

The people of the Fasano district of Apulia, on the heel of Italy's boot, have long practised the art of self-sufficiency. They built the conical roofed 'Trulli' dwellings using dry stone techniques to avoid paying tax on cement and mortar. And in the 16th and 17th centuries fortified farmhouses, or masserie, were constructed from which to protect the huge estates of absentee landowners. Many of these masserie have now been converted into luxury hotels but the spirit of self-sufficiency remains.
The six Masserie visited by photographer Giovanni Simeone in this feature all pride themselves on offering high quality menus with zero food miles. Produce is sourced locally and fruit and vegetables, olive oil, wine and bread are all produced on the premises. These family owned hotels are run with great sensitivity to history, authenticity and the natural environment of the region. For men such as Vittorio Muolo and Alessandro Amati running a masseria is not so much a business as a vocation.
Our six masserie all offer something different: luxury (Torre Maizza), romance (Torre Coccaro), aristocratic style (Borgo san Marco), chic simplicity (Alchimia), serenity (Melograno) and rustic charm (Maccarone).
Fasano is an ideal base for exploring the unique attractions of Apulia. To the south you find the baroque splendour of Lecce and Martina Franca; to the west the Trulli valley and the ceramic centre of Grottaglie; to the north Bari and the fishing villages of Monopoli and Polignano a Mare; and around Fasano itself a beautiful sandy coastline and the white village of Ostuni.

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