Castello di Ugento

Worth getting out of bed for

All the dominion-seeking groups who invaded, razed, rebuilt and ruled the small, sleepy town of Ugento and wider Salento region have left a memento or two behind (Messapian dolmens, Roman amphitheatres, Angevin castles…). But, Castello di Ugento – first built in Roman times, and whose oldest tower dates back to the Normans – has by and large survived it all, and thrived during the 17th century when Don Pietro Giacomo d’Amore bought the whole town and moved in. Centuries later, the d’Amore family are still careful custodians, so much so that one wing of the Castello is now a museum of their past, where you’ll see spectacularly restored frescoes rich in family lore and Grecian mythology, and learn about the Marquis of Ugento and ancestors who established libraries, received private oratories with the pope, or medals of valour and a knighthood during the Second World War. And, as forward-thinking custodians of the castle, the owners have made the first-floor apartments in this wing an exhibition space for contemporary art. And, you don’t make a dynasty without cracking a few eggs, then mixing with flour and rolling out some pasta – centuries of culinary excellence come to a head at the world-class Culinary Centre in the former storehouses. Here you can simply learn how to make a four-course meal using pickings from the kitchen garden (or the iintensive 15-week programme if you come over all Masterchef). Alternatively, take your taste buds on the road for tastings at centuries-old olive-oil mills and wineries; if you’ve arrived in late summer, you can help out with the harvest too. Go fishing with the locals in traditional gozzi; or spend a day grotto-hopping on a self-helmed or skippered vintage sailboat. The ‘basso Salento’ gives you easy access to the golden beaches and turquoise waters of the Ionian, and the dramatic cliffs, watchtowers and nature reserves of the Adriatic, so you’re set for snorkelling, diving, kitesurfing and kayaking (the hotel can arrange instructors). Or explore on land by foot, bike, horseback or classic car, zipping past the famous trulli or trekking through the Regional National Park of Otranto. And see the region’s crafty side, with visits to the studios and ateliers of sculptors, ceramicists, textile-makers, stone-masons and metal-workers.

Local restaurants

Castello di Ugento is home to a very highly regarded culinary school, and in various ways it’s been top-dog round these parts for a while, so unsurprisingly, it has one of Ugento’s best eateries. But, there are other feted darlings in the surroundings, say L’Acchiatura (a 15-minute drive away on 12 Via Marzani). In its stone-vaulted setting, dishes are solidly simple and tasty: tagliatelle tossed with anchovies or cuttlefish, mussels carbonara, pepper-crusted tuna… In Ruffano’s main piazza, there’s Farmacia dei Sani, with avant-garde platings for the likes of spaghetti con la colatura di alici (spaghetti with fish sauce, pistachio and lemon), and white chocolate and capers for dessert. They also make their own spirits and the gin goes down very easy.