Italy / Torre Coccaro Masseria

The masserias of Puglia are fast becoming the destination of choice for aficionados of Italian holidaymaking. Rustic and charming, Torre Coccaro exudes traditional Apulian charm and gives an authentic taste of life on a working farm – being part of an extensive estate overlooking the sea.

Torre Coccaro boasts its own private spa and heated outdoor pool with access to two private sandy beach clubs, restaurant and bar facilities and a mini club for children. At the centre of the estate lie an organic farm and a fruit orchard that’s perfect for tranquil escape, its ancient colonnade hung with grapes that can be picked as you pass. Diverse recreations include the Coccaro Beach Club, where a lengthy stretch of enticing shoreline and dunes is interspersed with an array of facilities, including a pizzeria, a renowned sushi restaurant, and spa treatments right on the beachfront. Golf on the estate’s own course, or learn to cook up local delicacies when attending cookery lessons featuring visits to local markets.

The tower which gives the masseria its name, was once part of a defensive shield against marauding Saracens. It dominates this retreat where individual accommodation ranges from rooms with a private garden to rustic suites including those in the tower itself and the Orange Suite, tucked away in a white-painted cave with its own private heated pool. In the old stables, the restaurant Egnathia serves meals alfresco under a pergola laden with bougainvillea and jasmine, while special summer events include the Village Feast, Pizza Night, Open Fire Grill and Dinner Jazz Concerts. Don’t miss the weekly yoga lessons during the summer months, and sumptuous olive oil therapies in the spa; a beautiful outdoor pool among the olive groves has its own restaurant cabana.