Masseria Il Frantoio

These are the sandy dunes that are to be found just south of Torre Canne, some kilometres away from the Farm "Il Frantoio".  This beach which is well equipped with all types of facilities, This is a calm place even in peak season. The sea at Ostuni is considered one of the cleanest in all of Italy and the natural sand dunes teem with wild mediterranean flora and its characteristic scents. For those persons, romantically inclined, and those of you who love the sea and the bright but clear colours of winter, a walk through here is a must.
 

Masseria Il Frantoio is also equipped with stables and a big riding school. The riding school is an integral part of the property and is located on slightly higher ground, only a few metres away from the Host farm itslef. It is an absolutely quiet site, with a lovely view of the sea and surrounded by olive groves. The grounds surrounding our property are interesting and ideal for a ride,  and with  a good guide you can follow the paths  through  the fields  to  get  to  the beach.
 

You should not miss visiting the old oil mill. It is one of the most fascinating places of the farm.  In this natural underground cave olive oil was produced. Almost all the fortified farmhouses of Salento were built on or close to a big underground cave, which was subsequently adapted, according to the necessities of the farm. The grinding stones, the presses and the cisterns were placed in these caves.
The machinery that actioned the grinding stones with its series of belts and pulleys, goes back to the beginning of 1900s. The presses, on the other hand, were powered by steam. It is evident that all this machinery belongs to industrial archaeology, even if in their present good condition they all seem as if they were still functioning until yesterday.
 

At the Masseria you will be able to try and buy products from it. The farm and its property extends to over seventy hectares  fertile red earth  which is an ideal habitat for the olive trees! The monumental secular olive trees have been growing here for more than five hundred years. They are among the most veteran Italian olive trees and their fruit gives a blonde coloured sweet olive oil. From these ancient trees the oil is produced. They are  different from each other, and each one has its history, there’s one folded by the wind, the other “mutilate” from the lightning, the knots of a tree seems to have a smiling face, while another one reveals a frowning expression. In a world which pursues the uniformity, thanks to the olive-trees the diversity here exists.
The different types of extravirgin olive oil that are produced at the Masseria:
Organic extravirgin olive oil "Meridiano" - It is the most "Classic" oil of our production.
Extravirgin DOP olive oil Collina di Brindisi "Trecolline" -produced with  "ogliarola salentina", the sweetest variety of olive trees in the whole world.
Monovariety extravirgin olive oil "Leccina" - Ten years ago we had to make a choice among all existing varieties of olive trees, and we opted for the Leccina: luckily the Leccina variety has turned out to be the most appropriate and adapt olive tree for the climatic conditions present in the area.
Extravirgin olive oil organically cultivated from the monovariety Ogliarola Salentina "Olio delle Pendici" - In October, when the olive groves are prepared for the imminent harvesting of the olives, all the olives are picked by hand from the boughs "the 'pendici'" which hang out on the roads above the rubble walls that mark the boundaries and where it would be impossible to spread the nets. This first oil which is pressed in October is normally exclusively for home use and never sold to third parties.
Also produced:
The Jams of Masseria Il Frantoio
To make our jams we choose the best fruit from the citrus tree garden, the "secret garden" of Frantoio. The care of these fruit trees is entrusted to the expert and worthy hands of Abele the gardener. Oranges, lemons, mandarines and citrons must be picked between October and March, at the right time of ripeness so that the fruit has not only the necessary quantity of sugar, the right aroma and taste but also a firm and light peel.
The Rosolios of the Frantoio
Rosolio di foglie d'olivo
Rosolio di mirto
Rosolio di foglie d'agrumi

Puglia is a region of very old traditions and has a vast historical and cultural heritage. Far from being a monotonous region this area boasts some of the most beautiful panoramas. There is a lot to see and to discover both in the countryside and in the towns and cities, a great number of famous monuments and others, maybe less known but just as interesting. But above all Puglia is ideal for both the lazy person and for those who are always on the go.
In the surroundings of the Masseria, this corner of the world is rich in its simple and profound charm. Distances are short, the landscape very varied and everything is within reach. Cisternino, Fasano, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Alberobello, Castellana Grotte are the most significant towns of the area. These neighbouring towns, regardless of their vicinity, are all very different from one another. There are numerous things to see as you'll discover from the guidebooks.
And if you should take a stroll through the countryside, perhaps in winter, you will discover how the landscape here is always a carpet of multicoloured flowers. Wandering through the olive groves, neatly kept like gardens, or if you visit the many farmhouses, the poor ones where the common people work, the rich ones which are noble residences, this is perhaps the best way to find out what simplicity, the beauty of small things really mean. It is not a coincidence that these areas have for many years been haunted by many for long holidays, spots where one can finally escape from the city.
Ostuni is the nearest town from Masseria Il Frantoio. It is situated on three hills and enjoys an excellent panorama. At the foot of Ostuni the green silvery sea of olive groves merges with the blue of the Adriatic. It is an ancient, noble and famous town, known especially for its whitewashed houses that contrast with the pinkish brown stone of the monuments. If you walk through its narrow alleyways you will discover many an architectural feature at times hidden under the innumerable layers of white chalk.