Masseria Donna Menga

Why it’s on the Edit

Masseria Donna Menga is a 15th-century masseria in the countryside of Nardò, restored as a five-star hotel with 21 rooms. The first documents that mention it date from 1493 and list it among the holdings of the Mensa Vescovile di Nardò, the bishop’s estate.

Its tower carries machicolations, the projecting openings for dropping stones on attackers, on every side, because farms here had to defend themselves against Saracen raids. The hotel says the name comes from a young woman whose story it calls the most mysterious of all, and it leaves the mystery alone.

It is on the Edit for the official five-star category in the Regione Puglia register for 2026, for a restaurant supplied largely by its own garden and for the beach of Porto Cesareo, which the hotel places a few minutes away. It is a seasonal hotel, open from April to early November.

The rooms

There are 21 rooms in several categories, with 21 bathrooms in the regional register. The hotel describes them as rooms that look carved out of Lecce stone, bright and wide, with natural materials throughout and contemporary design pieces set beside the old forms. The design was made to measure for the hotel by local master craftsmen.

The Superior Double measures 26 to 30 square meters. The Deluxe rooms come with an outdoor patio. One suite has a private terrace with a whirlpool tub. The Junior Suite has a whirlpool tub, a private terrace, a king-size bed and a view over the inner garden.

The Two Bedroom suite, 81 square meters with a terrace and a patio, is the one the hotel suggests for families. Sizes for the other categories are not confirmed here, so ask for the square meters of the room you are offered. The register lists air conditioning and heating controlled in each room, soundproofing, satellite TV, a minibar, a safe and a kettle or microwave.

Eating and drinking

Radici is the restaurant. Most of its ingredients come from the organic vegetable garden and the orchard around the masseria, and the rest from local suppliers. There is an indoor dining room and a patio that opens onto the garden, with separate lunch and dinner menus.

The regional register describes the cooking as typical, Italian, Mediterranean and gourmet, and lists a bar and room service. Breakfast is included: the hotel describes sweet and savory dishes, cakes, seasonal fruit and vegetables, eggs and fresh bread.

For a private event the masseria offers gala menus built on local, seasonal produce. Among the bookable experiences there is a wine and olive oil tasting.

The setting

The masseria stands in 12 hectares of olive groves, orchards and an organic garden, and the hotel says the sea can be seen from its terraces. The pool is set among Mediterranean plants, with garden paths and outdoor sitting areas around it.

Nardò itself has a center of baroque buildings, and Italy’s official tourism site notes that masserie and olive groves shape the countryside around it. Part of Nardò’s territory lies within the Parco di Portoselvaggio e Palude del Capitano. Toward Porto Cesareo, the coast is known for golden beaches, and the marine protected area there runs along the shores of both Porto Cesareo and Nardò.

The hotel lists experiences to book: guided visits, a baroque walk, horse riding, ceramics classes, a classic car outing, stone working and one it calls Become a Farmer. Ask which run in your month.

Good to know

• Category: five stars in the Regione Puglia register, 2026.
• Size: 21 rooms and 44 beds in the same register.
• Open April 1 to November 5, 2026.
• Check-in from 2:30 p.m., check-out by 11 a.m., continental breakfast included.
• Free covered and guarded parking, free Wi-Fi.
• A lift, rooms or facilities for disabled guests, 24-hour reception, laundry and porter service are registered.
• Languages listed: Italian, English, French and German.
• Partner beaches on the Salento coast: ask which ones, and about sunbeds and transport.
• Not confirmed here: spa, gym, pets and children’s facilities.
• Price band: 3 of 5 (estimated: no official rate found).

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Couples who want a five-star masseria with a garden-fed restaurant, and who are happy to drive to the beach, are the natural guests. Families have a real option in the Two Bedroom suite, and private event parties can work with the gala menus.

Winter travelers should book elsewhere, and so should anyone who wants to walk from the room to the sand or needs a confirmed spa. Masseria Corsano, also in Nardò, lists a wellness villa with a padel court and suites with private patios. Masseria Bernardini, an art resort near Nardò with suites and houses, suits travelers who would rather use their own kitchen or book a private dinner than eat in a restaurant.

Getting there

Brindisi airport is the nearer of the two Puglia airports. Bari is much farther away and only makes sense if the flight is a lot cheaper.

Do not aim for the center of Nardò: the masseria is on Strada Donna Domenica, in the northern part of Nardò’s territory toward Porto Cesareo, in the Gallipoli and the Ionian Salento area.

Rent a car at the airport. The beaches, the baroque towns of the Salento and the restaurants outside the hotel are all separate trips, and the hotel’s own directions assume you drive.

From Brindisi, the hotel’s directions take the SS613 state road toward Lecce and leave it at the Trepuzzi exit, then run through Campi Salentina, Salice Salentino and Veglie. After the Veglie ring road they continue on the SP113 and then follow the signs for Masseria Donna Menga. If you come by rail, the hotel names Lecce as the nearest station.