Masseria Montenapoleone

Lush nature meets careful building preservation (on top of an ancient cave settlement) and wonderfully eccentric design. At every turn: recycled bric-a-brac and old farm pieces; beautiful Lecce stone floors and whitewashed tufo limestone; mood lighting, hidden gardens, secret pathways… It’s a family affair: the Monteneves live on the estate, where craftsmen also ply their trades, and son Giuliano is your dynamic host.

Cool, individual bedrooms – handmade furniture, hand-stitched lace, billowing drapes, white fireplaces, generous armchairs – are to each side of the imposing main villa with doors straight to the garden and paths to the grand, oval salt water pool, the sea beyond. Food is taken seriously and is mainly organic; breakfasts are sublime, as are the wines made on the estate.

Breakfasts are a superb spread and the dinner experience in the vineyard is not to be missed – with their own red and rosé wines. Head to the Herbarium for a mind/body experience second to none. This is a very spoiling place.