Il Giardino Grande

Style

Narrative arches

Setting

Pearl of Parabita

A labour of love for two Apulian siblings, Il Giardino Grande is a made-over masseria deep in the hinterlands of Salento. Dating back to the 19th-century, this stone-washed palazzo was originally used as a summer home by an aristocratic Parabitian family, and now you can too… It’s flanked by palms and lush green gardens, a pin-drop oasis just an olive’s throw away from Gallipoli’s best beaches. Inside, original features like local stone, symmetrical arches and vaulted ceilings are modernised by cool-and-colourful custom furniture and upcycled mid-century pieces. Curl up with a coffee in the chapel-turned-reading-room, stroll the colonnades of the ornamental garden, or put la dolce far niente (essentially, doing sweet nothing) into practice, slurping spritzes from a poolside lounger.

Facilities

Rooms

Seven, including one suite.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm.

More Details

Rates a continental buffet breakfast.

Also

Unfortunately, Il Giardino Grande is not suitable for those with limited mobility.

Hotel Closed

The hotel is open from May to the end of October.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Pool

At the Hotel

Gardens, gym, laundry (at a charge), free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, minibar, free bottled water, and Essentia Puglia bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

All rooms are individually decorated, each with their own distinct character, though it’s Fico that steals our heart with its traditional sloped cane ceiling, custom furnishings and freestanding Antonio Lupi bath tub.

Poolside

You’ll find the pool just outside the main house, surrounded by loungers, young olive trees and a pretty, poolside pergola for mid-afternoon aperitivi.

Spa

There’s no spa, but a local massage therapist can be arranged for in-room treatments, on request.

Packing Tips

Oversized sunnies and a classic costume for afternoon dips in the pool. Save some space in your suitcase for some Apulian ceramics and a bottle or two of Salento’s top-tier extra-virgin.

Also

The hotel’s name refers to a novel written in the house by a local author, the plot of which is suspiciously similar to Milanese writer Alessandro Manzoni’s romanzo storico The Betrothed.

Children

Only over-12s are welcome.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Make a beeline for the pool bar pergola for an Aperol spritz sundowner, Salento style.

Dress Code

Keep it casual with airy cover-ups, straw hats and a generous layer of SPF30.

Hotel Restaurant

There’s no restaurant, but if you’re feeling peckish, the Bar by the Pool can rustle-up light bites like paninis, salads, salumi and cheeses.

Hotel Bar

Set beneath a shaded seating area, the Bar by the Pool is a laidback alfresco spot where you can enjoy your morning cappuccino, or come afternoon, a chilled glass of local wine.

Last Orders

The Bar by the Pool is open from noon to 7pm.

Planes

Brindisi Airport is closest to the hotel, just one hour away by car. Transfers can be arranged for €150 each way. Alternatively, Bari’s Karol Wojtyla hub is a two-hour drive from the hotel. From here, transfers will set you back €250.

Trains

Lecce Railway station is around a 40-minute drive from the hotel with direct links to Bari, Rome, Milan, Bologna, Venice, and Turin. Il Giardino Grande can arrange transfers from here for €100 one way.

Automobiles

Public transport is notoriously slow at this end of the boot, so wheels will allow you to speed things up when day-tripping, and with a cluster of picturesque Puglian towns to choose from in the area, you won’t want to miss out. There’s a covered carpark 100 metres from the hotel, which is free for guests, and two electric charging stations, too.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Puglia’s sun-kissed peninsula has more than its fair share of pretty little towns, and Il Giardino Grande is perfectly placed to explore them. Parabita and Matino are closest, where you can watch slow, southern life unfold from your perch outside the local cafè. Gallipoli and its many beaches are a 10-minute drive from the hotel, too; book a sun-bed on Baia Verde or grab a gelato for a stroll around the centro storico. The hotel can arrange bikes to borrow should you fancy riding there (through old country roads, no less) instead. Next, swing by Nardò, where Baroque arches, ornate balconies, neoclassical colonnades and Rococo portals crowd round the central piazza. Here, you’ll find Chiesa di San Trifone, a 19th-century church, built in gratitude to the titular martyr, revered for saving the peninsula from a plague of – wait for it – caterpillars. Hey, not all heroes wear capes… And then there’s Chiesa di San Domenico, Nardò’s architectural jewel which is adorned, inside and out, with Baroque decoration. And, if you like that, you’ll love Lecce, the ‘Florence of the South’, for its stupefying architectural medley of honey-hued churches and dizzying columns. A stop at Basilica di Santa Croce will exceed your cherub quota for the year, while a sampling of the local delicacies like pasticciotto Leccese – a small pastry filled with ricotta or egg custard – will make a generous contribution to your weekly calorie quota, too. The wider province has a rugged kind of beauty, full of wild beaches, turquoise waters and acres of olive trees. Head to Porto Selvaggio to catch a glimpse of it in full swing; this protected oasis consists of a coastal enclave where you can bathe in crystal-clear waters (often in total privacy), miles of pinewood parkland sprinkled with archeological ruins, three ancient towers (Torre dell’Alto, Torre dell’Inserraglio, Torre Uluzzo), and well-preserved fortified farms.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .