Around us
Nature, history, customs, flavours, atmosfpheres
The Masseria is in Apulia, in northern Salento, at the foot of the Murge plateau. It lies on an imaginary line that marks the beginning of the “heel of the boot”, one of the extremities of the Italian peninsula.
In the surroundings there are locations of great artistic, historical, and naturalistic interest.
Just a few kilometers away from the Masseria, one can find the Santuario della Madonna Mutata (visit by appointment only), paved with splendid ornamental tiles (majolica tiles).
A bit further away lies Grottaglie (10 km), with its “quartiere delle ceramiche” (ceramics district) and its gravine (ravines). Taranto, its MARTA (Archeological Museum), and its Aragonese Castle are just 30 kilometers away.
15 kilometers north-east of the Masseria there is Martina Franca, centre of the Val d’Itria, renowned for its famous trulli (traditional Apulian houses).
To the east, not too far away, one can find small distinctive towns such as Ceglie Messapica. The latter, together with its typical Apulian architecture, its ancient white stone houses, its narrow streets and sudden widenings decorated with flowers and plants, offers great opportunities for those interested in tasting the local cuisine.
Almost equidistant from the Masseria are Lecce (96 km)—the capital of the Apulian Baroque—, Bari, the regional administrative centre (between 91 km and 108 km, depending on the chosen route), and Matera (108 km), designated Capital of Culture for 2019.
The wind and the sea
According to tradition, those who reside in the hinterland choose beaches according to the direction of the wind. When the warm Scirocco, a southerly wind, blows the Adriatic coast is the preferred choice. Here one can find plenty of beaches and places of breathtaking beauty.
If the wind blows instead from the north, the Ionian sea is preferred.
The Masseria is just a 30 minutes drive away from the seaside resorts on both shores.
The gravine (ravines) deserve separate consideration. Below you can find a wonderful example of them (follow the link).
Gravina di Riggio
All you need to know for a unique excursion