Masseria Cimino
Puglia, Italy[view map]
Local restaurants
Puglia is the home of olive oil, orecchiette pasta, and an abundance of sun-ripened vegetables, so expect delicious rustic dishes pretty much everywhere you go. For excellent examples of the typical fare, wend your way through alleys of Ostuni, ‘the white city’, to Osterio Del Tempo Perso (www.osteriadeltempoperso.com), aka ‘the Inn of Lost Time’. Da Tuccino (+39 080 424 1560) in Polignano takes advantage of the region’s coastal seat by serving up innovative reinventions of classic fish and seafood recipes; the raw tuna is a must-try. In Salvelletri itself, La Marea (+39 080 482 9415) has a simple ambience and does excellent seafood, including oysters and sea urchins. Try the gilthead in a salt crust. Set in a mediaevalesque stone-walled dining room, Il Poeta Contadino (www.ilpoetacontadino.it) in Alberobello has a Michelin star.
For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Puglia, check out our Puglia eating & drinking guide
Worth getting out of bed for
Lecce – Puglia’s most beautiful city – is an hour away by car and makes for an ideal day trip. Stay until the evening to enjoy the passegiata (the traditional dusk sociable stroll) and admire the up-lit golden-stone baroque architecture. The coast is flat and the low stone walls of most buildings ensure uninterrupted views – ideal for exploring by bike; Masseria Cimino can provide one free. The hotel can also arrange horse riding, go-karting or diving expeditions and can organise boat rental if you fancy sailing around the shoreline. Puglia produces the bulk of Italy’s wine – and tastings are easy to arrange, either through the hotel, or try www.stilemediterraneo.it.
For a full list of recommended activities in Puglia, check out our Puglia destination guide
