Regions of Italy

fabulous farmsteads Such is the legacy of fortified farmsteads that no matter where you travel in Puglia you will always have a wonderful choice of beautifully modernised accommodation to make your luxurious countryside retreat. A 16th-century fortified farmhouse transformed into a sophisticated hotel offering just 10 bedrooms with an excellent restaurant specialising in cucina povera (peasant cooking). A choice of six walled gardens are dotted with colourful hammocks, a serene pool, firepit and croquet lawn (floppy sunhats are available). Inside, four-poster beds, patterned rugs and huge outdoor bathtubs complete the elegant look. Masseria Trapana is all about barefoot luxury; relaxed, unstuffy and seemingly effortless but with Australian owner Rob Potter-Sanders’s heart and soul poured into it. Its charm lies in its simplicity and authenticity, much like Puglia itself. Masseria Trapana Near Lecce, Puglia Nestled in Puglia's idyllic landscape, and host to millennia-old olive trees, the Masseria San Domenico bridges the beauties of its past with its luxurious present. Like the largely unexplored region itself, the hotel is full of hidden wonders, most notably the caves beneath the property which were home to Apulian monks fleeing Moorish attackers during the Middle Ages. The largest cave (now next to the outdoor swimming pool) was used to store olive oil, and the pressing equipment is on display today. The hotel still produces fine oils, which the chef uses in the cuisine served in San Domenico restaurant. Deeper underground, a natural hot spring provides the mineral-rich water for the hotel’s Thalassotherapy spa, a centre dedicated to relaxation, as befits the unspoiled surroundings. 40 rooms and suites. Masseria San Domenico Savelletri di Fasano, Puglia 36