Yet for all the vernacular minutiae that have gone into the building’s construction, the design is utterly modern with clean lines and simple geometric volumes arranged around a central pebbled courtyard. The rooms, three on either side of the courtyard, open out to private terraces or gardens that look out towards the surrounding fields, whereas the living quarters in the middle, consisting of sitting and dining areas as well as a veranda with an outdoor kitchen and bbq, promote a communal way of living attuned with the farmhouse spirit. True to this, the guests have the opportunity to gather around the dining table and enjoy home-cooked meals by Carmen, the house chef, prepared with fresh produce from the farm such as organically grown fruits and vegetables, eggs and olive oil—the making of which the guests can experience firsthand during the harvest season in October. With a 200 year-old stone oven at her disposal to prepare freshly baked bread in the morning and succulent roasts in the evening, the culinary experience at Masseria Moroseta is authentically Puglian, and a genuine taste of cucina povera (peasant cooking).

The Masseria is ideally located near the town of Ostuni in the heart of Puglia, a region jam-packed with castelli, cattedrali and palazzi as well as a magnificent countryside that includes nature reserves, subterranean caves and a wild coastline of intimate coves. From Alberobello in the north, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring clusters of trulli, the traditional Apulian dry stone conical huts, to Lecce in the south, a treasure trove of baroque architecture, guests have a plethora of destinations to discover. It’s therefore quite a tribute to the owner’s vision that guests often opt to stay put in order to soak in the Mediterranean sun by the pool, peacefully unwind in their private garden, relax at the spa or take advantage of the roof-terrace to enjoy the sun setting over sweeping views of olive groves. Masseria Moroseta may very well be a retreat of rural simplicity, without wanting however, for any contemporary comforts.