Tenuta Centoporte

What the property says

Tenuta Centoporte takes its name from Centoporte Abbey, dedicated to the holy martyrs Cosmas and Damian. The name comes from the many windows of the abbey, which was never fully completed but from the seventh century served as the nucleus of a monastic complex tied to the Hydruntine monastery of San Nicola de Casulis, a center of Italo-Greek culture, famous for a library the resort calls one of the most prestigious in Europe.

The resort itself sits on the ancient road that connects Otranto to Giurdignano, which it calls the ideal place for people who want tranquility and privacy without giving up the sea. It calls itself a four-star resort.

Where you sleep

Every room has a balcony, a small terrace or direct access to the garden, and sits on the ground or first floor with its own entrance. The count of rooms is not confirmed here.

Doubles on the ground floor have a large bathroom, a walk-in closet and a French door opening on the garden. First-floor rooms come with either a small balcony over the Lecce countryside or a private terrace over the garden.

The suites each have a living area. One is a bedroom and living room with a double balcony, one is a ground-floor suite on a private patio overlooking the rose garden, and one is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite with a large balcony and a terrace.

The Reserve is a separate private villa next to the main building, with a bedroom, a living area with two beds, a kitchen, a bathroom, a private garden with solarium and its own pool.

Eating and drinking

Breakfast is served on the terrace overlooking the garden, outdoors in the countryside or in the indoor dining rooms. It runs to freshly picked fruit, homemade cakes and tarts, Leccese pasticciotto (the custard pastry of Lecce), focaccia, cold meats and cheeses.

At lunchtime the à la carte Pool Bar opens daily, with cold dishes, snacks, cocktails and aperitifs.

The evening restaurant is Terrazza Centoporte, which serves typical Mediterranean dishes with a wine list that leans toward Apulian labels. On milder evenings you can eat outdoors on the terrace with a view of the pool.

The resort also runs tasting evenings in a traditional garden set against ancient sixteenth-century fortification walls, with capocollo di Martina Franca, caciocavallo podolico and two glasses from a list that includes Primitivo, Negroamaro and Nero di Troia.

The setting

There are two pools. The family pool is large, has salt water and a hydro-massage corner, and has a poolside bar. The adults-only pool is a secluded corner among greenery, kept for quiet.

The Secret Garden is a corner of aromatic plants and fragrant flowers where massages are offered, and the Private Spa has a Turkish bath, an experience shower and a private whirlpool bath, by appointment.

For outings, the resort lists a bike tour that starts in the Idro valley with an ancient Byzantine crypt, passes the megalithic garden of Giurdignano, among dolmens and menhirs, and stops at the Punta Palascia lighthouse and the bauxite lake on the way back. It also offers a Beekeeper for a Day experience guided by an expert beekeeper.

Good to know

• One of the two pools is for adults only.
• The Private Spa is by appointment.
• Parking is private and free, and there is an electric charging column.
• Small animals are welcome.
• Breakfast is served on the terrace over the garden, outdoors or in the indoor dining rooms.
• The resort hosts weddings and exclusive events, and the private villa called the Reserve sits next to the main building.
• The number of rooms, opening months and table bookings for non-guests are not confirmed here; ask the property.
• Price band: 2 of 5 (estimated: no official rate found).

Who it is for, and who should look elsewhere

Couples get an adults-only pool here, and the resort also has a family pool; whether children are welcome is not confirmed, so ask before you book. Wedding parties who want a place for the ceremony and rooms for guests, and travelers who like an abbey story behind the name, will find the fit here.

If a sea view from the room decides the trip, Le Capase Resort is built on a cliff above the water, though it takes only guests over 14. If a fuller spa is the point, Masseria Prosperi adds a heated indoor pool and an outdoor gym.

Getting there

The resort is in Giurdignano, in the Otranto area, on the provincial road that links it with Otranto.

A car is the practical way to get around this part of Salento, and parking at the resort is free. Airport transfers are not confirmed.

The address is on the S.P. 277, in the locality of Montibianchi, on the old road between Giurdignano and Otranto. Electric cars can charge at a column on site.