Who could resist this 17th-century homestead on 40ha of rolling farmland at the end of a kilometre-long driveway that winds its way gently through the Nero di Troia vineyard? This dramatic approach revealed a main house, or cumersa (meaning ‘gabled house’), built around 1750 and in need of a loving restoration. Set on the cooler slopes of the scenic Valley of Canale di Pirro, in Puglia’s Valle d’Itria region, its visionary owners could immediately see its potential.
It took several years to sensitively restore and establish this extraordinary oasis. Today, guests staying at this 10-bedroomed masseria have access to a pool, an orangery, three hectares of private walled gardens around the house, as well as 40ha of vineyards, woods and olive groves. Experienced local architects, Simone and Musa, worked together with London-based Tully Filmer and interior designers Thurstan Design to complete the meticulous restoration – a labour of love, given that the original building has many beautiful vaulted ceilings and interesting heritage features.
Today, the cumersa has four generous en-suite bedrooms and there are three kitchens, large living and dining spaces plus a wine room. Adjacent are three gorgeous en-suite bedrooms in the triplet of trulli, each one with its own distinctive conical roof. These were previously used as stables for the farm horses. The Pagliaro bedroom is in the original grain storage room and interconnects to another bedroom, ideal for children. The Garden Cottage Master bedroom is a romantic ground floor suite leading to its own secluded dining terrace overlooking the peaceful garden. It has its own living room with a generous hearth and a walk-in dressing room. The cumersa has two spacious master bedrooms upstairs, both vaulted and rather dramatic, with stone rolltop baths and expansive views through deep-set arched windows. All of the bathrooms are heavenly retreats and three have private outdoor showers.
Food is a highlight at Masseria Pistola: expect freshly baked bread, organic muesli and estate honey for breakfast, often enjoyed on the covered terrace overlooking the pool. Seasonal fruits and veggies are harvested fresh from the kitchen garden daily and delicious desserts are chef’s specialty… but he’s equally good at teaching you the secrets of making pasta! Evening meals are often enjoyed under starry skies outdoors in two protected courtyards lit with lanterns, or in the Mangatore dining room that comfortably seats 22 and is open-plan to the living room and kitchen. Picnics and lunch can be set up anywhere in the garden too, if you’re not out enjoying wine tastings at some of the many award-winning wineries in the valley or exploring the famous hilltop towns nearby.
Masseria Pistola is set a bit further inland from the coast than its sister property Masseria Petrarolo, but there’s so much to do on the farm: you can walk for miles and play tennis (new astroturf court due in summer 2024) or discover the four-hectare Giardini Pistola. Once you’ve explored these immaculate terraced gardens, enjoy surrounding meadows of wild flowers in the spring or discover the aqueduct or acquadotto, which is anincredible feat of engineering and one of the reasons the south of Italy could prosper once it was built and why this area remains one of the most interesting to explore today. Masseria Pistola is the perfect base for families to explore, especially the World Heritage Site of Alberobello nearby, with its 1400 whitewashed trulli made of stacked stones. Stay a week, and you’ll wish you’d booked two!
What we love!
• Masseria Pistola has its own chef, concierge and housekeeping teams, so you can relax completely and enjoy a real holiday. Cookery courses can be arranged – ask when you book.
• Tenuta Pistola produces its own wine and visits to the family-run vineyard and a tasting can be arranged.
• Location: Alberobello is just seven-minutes’ drive away (visit early morning or off-peak, if you can) and the beaches of Savalettri are only 15 minutes’ drive. The coastal town of Monopoli is a 25-minute drive, and it’s 30 minutes from Puglia’s characterful hilltop towns Ostuni and Martina Franca, both definitely worth a visit.
• Day trips to the cliffside town of Matera (west) and the historic city of Lecce (south) are only 1h15 by car, making this an ideal base from which to explore. Matera was used as a location in the latest James Bond movie and Lecce is a favourite with art and architecture lovers – often affectionately called ‘the Florence of the south’.
What you need to know ….
• It’s a 50-minute drive from both Brindisi and Bari Airport (Bari is great for connecting from Rome or the rest of Europe, and can accommodate private jets). Private road transfers may be booked.
• The Estate uses air-source, energy efficient heat pumps for hot water and pools but there is an additional charge for heating the pool (except in July and August).
• An 11th bedroom may be created for a family: the living room attached to the Pagliaro suite has a sofa bed.
Reviewed by Michelle Snaddon