Farm holidays Salento

Location

Tenuta Monacelli & Masseria Giampaolo are located in Apulia, in the land of the Salento, in the heart of a extraordinary land of ancient olive trees, just one kilometer (0.62 miles) away from the white fine-sand beaches of Casalabate -where the coastline features crystal sea water and ancient watchtowers historically used to ward off pirates and Saracens- and 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away from the gorgeous baroque city of Lecce. The estate is one of the most elegant agritourism facilities around Lecce as well as one of the most traditional manor farms of the Salento.
The site of the Tenuta Monacelli & Masseria Giampaolo and its surrounding areas are the most authentic setting to experience the genuine land of the Salento. Olive groves, rock walls, villages, Greek and Norman outposts, knights and crusaders, barons and viceroys, ancient abbeys of the sacred keepers of christian art and faith, uncontaminated nature and unique landscapes protected and safeguarded by natural parks: you will find all these wonderful sites within easy reach of the manor farm, along one of most beautiful coastlines in Italy and in all of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Beach
The beach is located one kilometer (0.62 miles) away from the hotel, where the sea of Salento features a rocky and sandy coastline. As historical dwellings of Apulia, Tenuta Monacelli & Masseria Giampaolo, has the rare privilege of providing its guests with a private beach equipped with cots and sun umbrellas to spend days relaxing, sunbathing, and playing at the beach. Along the coast and around the coastal lands, you will enjoy the view of the 16th-century watchtowers built by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V to ward off pirates and Saracens. Their presence adds myth and legend to the already naturally suggestive territory. Among these, torre Venere, torre Rinalda and torre Chianca lead the way to pleasant tiny beaches and quaint seaside communities.

The Cities
Located in the heart of the Salento, the Baroque city of Lecce will strike you as a surprisingly crade of history and civilization and a glamorfously baroque setting. Tenuta Monacelli & Masseria Giampaolo is among those hotels conveniently located near Lecce and near the manor farms of the Salento. The city limits are only 10 km/6.2 miles away from the estate. Yet, the hotel is surrounded by tranquil countryside, the perfect place to get some rest after a wonderful day of touring and sightseeing. The city of Lecce is a living testament to baroque architecture, featuring a 25,000-seat Roman amphitheatre dating back to the 2nd century AC, statues, little angels, grotesque masks, and plaster details visible throughout the city's buildings and on the Cathedral of piazza del Duomo. Via Libertini is an ancient street featuring the exhuberantly rich façades of churches such as Saint Theresa's, Saint Ann's, the church of the Rosary, the church of the Holy Cross, as well as that of Palazzo dei Celestini. At night, Lecce boasts a lively scene of local and trendy clubs, theatres, and independent movie theatres.

The Abbeys
The Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate is a jewel of medieval architecture of the Salento and a place of great charm and atmosphere, located just a few kilometers away from Tenuta Monacelli & Masseria Giampaolo. Commissioned in the 12th century by Norman king Tancredi, count of Lecce, the abbey is a Byzantine masterpiece revisited and revised through the ages, as witnessed by its Gothic-style portico, its majestic rose window and its precious fresco decorations. After years of abandon and decay, Santa Maria di Cerrate has been marvelously restored and, today, it hosts the extremely interesting Museum of popular art and tradition in the Salento.

Nature Preserves
Immerse yourself in sand dunes, Mediterranean scrub, kermes oaks and salt lakes, where storks, kingfishers, and cranes live between sea and that land of wild orchids and ipomoeas known as the Nature Preserve of Le Cesine, which, together with the Nature Preserve of San Cataldo and the Regional Nature Park of the Rauccio, make up the most vivid examples of beautiful nature in the Salento. These parks are just a short car ride from Tenuta Monacelli & Masseria Giampaolo.