Perhaps you are finding it difficult to make a final choice. Perhaps you don't have the time to search through all of the properties and make a decision. Whatever the reason, let us help you in any way we can...
Relax Puglia Limited values its beneficial alliance with home owners, suppliers, support staff and personnel. Together, through our holiday rental management services, we inspire travellers, like us, from around the world, to the southernmost region of Italy, in Puglia, because it is magical, fascinating and unforgettable.
Relax Puglia Limited, operational offices in Cisternino, Puglia (Apulia), has been welcoming visitors to this magical and richly colourful region of Italy and providing Puglia vacation rentals since 2010; providing travellers with an authentic and memorable experience of the local life as well as offering a showcase of holiday villas to rent in Puglia.
"We have had a wonderful time here in Puglia and have especially loved our stay at Villa Perego which is absolutely perfect, we cannot fault it in any way at all. We could quite easily stay here for another week or 2 but unfortunately I didn’t bring enough books 😟
Thanks again for all of your help, we will definitely be recommending Villa Perego.
Oh and we absolutely loved Locorotondo 💕
Enjoy the rest of your Summer x
Peter - Villa Perego (August 2025)"
Relax Puglia provides a range of additional services to make your stay more relaxed, comfortable and enjoyable. On your arrival, we can arrange for a food basket to be waiting for you. Why not spoil yourselves with your own, in-house local chef, or a luxurious massage in the comfort of your villa. We have a wide range of tours and activities to choose from and we can provide transfers and taxis to help you get around.
The Dolce Vita is from coast to coast; from the Adriatic to the Ionian, between Otranto and Gallipoli. If you wish to discover the key to local artisan excellence, include a stopover in one or more of the hamlets and villages that trip along the coastline, topple on the summits of hilltops or make a splash in to the small bays and lagoons.
A selection of articles that explore the region of Puglia: its wonderful countryside and coastline, its rich history, its fascinating culture, its delicious food and wine and, of course, its warm and welcoming people...
A masseria is a stone country house traditional to southern Italy, but especially prevalent in Puglia. While most masserie remain dotted over the Mediterranean region, as well as Sicily and Campania, the majority have now been converted to modern lodgings.
The name originates from the word masserizie, meaning ‘furniture and furnishings’. Although the masserie date as far back as the 7th - 8th century, in Italy’s Magna Graecia period, in the 16th century they served the role of fortified farmhouses. As agricultural tools increased in number, they were used to store farm tools in addition to food, grains and other bits and bobs.
At the height of the Roman Empire, Roman settlers decided to build regular rest stops along the coastline’s ancient roads. Stone estates were thus erected, offering the benefit of providing useful hubs for food, shelter and trade depots. Dotted over beautiful walkways, springs and rustic settings, the masserie also became a popular choice for religious housing and temporary accommodation for travellers and invaders. Although the region changed hands various times after the fall of the Roman Empire, the masserie remained in use.
Around the turn of the 16th century, as wealthy farmers started to purchase Puglia’s uninhabited land, the masserie became highly sought-after. Some of the masserie were adapted or built upon, often with a fortification for protection.
As more wealth entered the area landowners built masserie to resemble villas or small castles, surrounded by prosperous agriculture. Some of the masserie had two floors with the ground floor typically for the farmers or workers, with the landowner on the first floor. These estates also featured barns, stables and storage houses.
Eventually, due to conflicts and colonisation, many of the masserie became abandoned. Once the landowners vacated, so too did residents of the surrounding areas. The lands around these former prosperous stone dwellings became bereft and the masserie were forgotten about.
However, with the masserie located some distance out of town, surrounded by vineyards, coast and countryside, they would not remain out of the Puglian peoples’ minds for long.
Nowadays, the masseria is a source of fascination for tourists and Italians alike, eager to explore these unique historic dwellings. Since the rise of agritourism in the 1980s, visiting a masseria has become even more popular as southern Italians become attracted to learning about the history of their land and ancestors.
A lot of the former stone houses have been converted into B&Bs, restaurants, apartments and luxury resorts. The exterior is generally unmodified with visitors attracted by their rustic charm. However, some have been heavily altered with some original features lost. On the inside, you’ll often find a very modern design with Ionian influence or chic minimalism. Spas and swimming pools and restaurant tables have appeared in the places farmers would have enjoyed their modest dinners.
Even though the purpose of a masseria has dramatically changed, people are happy to enjoy an important part of agricultural history. Who knows, maybe the role of a masseria will again change in future centuries.
Relax Puglia Limited - Company Number: 10537981 - Registered Office address: Derwent Dale Cottage, York Road, Stamford Bridge, York YO41 1AH
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Relax Puglia accepts payment through Stripe
Relax Puglia Limited, through co-founder Francesco Lanzilotta, is a licensed Real Estate Agent in Italy, License no. 1753, released by the Chamber of Commerce in Bari, Italy. (CCIAA di Bari)
Chamber of Commerce Registered office address, 5, Piazza Eroi del Mare, Cisternino, Brindisi.
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