{"id":63253,"date":"2017-07-26T14:29:14","date_gmt":"2017-07-26T12:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/?p=63253"},"modified":"2017-08-24T15:51:04","modified_gmt":"2017-08-24T13:51:04","slug":"incentive-pouilles-barocco-paradiso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/incentive-pouilles-barocco-paradiso","title":{"rendered":"Southern Italy: barocco paradiso"},"content":{"rendered":"

Report Serge Barret ;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Photos<\/span>\u00a0Alain Parinet.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\u00a0As you drive through the Apulian countryside, you'll see that there's no shortage of masseria...<\/em>says Caroline Groszer, a Swiss-born hotelier who has been based in the south of Italy for almost ten years. In the past, they were fortified farms; some against invaders, but more generally against organised gangs. Today, some are in ruins, others still function as farms, but above all, many have been transformed into country houses, bed and breakfasts or small hotels of varying sophistication. Come and have a look at mine: I've turned it into a boutique hotel, and I've really put my heart into it!<\/em>\".<\/p>\n

With all her heart, to say the least. Because, if you were expecting to come across an old farmhouse still in its original state<\/strong>If you could imagine rediscovering everything that made up the vocabulary of a South Italy that was once rural to the core, in this case the poor Puglia of the early twentieth century, then you'd have been right.e<\/sup> If you'd imagined all that, then you're in for a big disappointment. The Masseria Alchimia is to a fortified farm what the Ch\u00e2teau de Versailles is to a block of flats.<\/p>\n

\"Emblematic<\/a>
Emblematic of the rural habitat since the 16th century, most masserie have abandoned their agricultural function to become charming guesthouses (here, the Masseria Alchemia).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More and more jet set<\/h2>\n

Of course, the old basic structure is still there, a square tower topped by a surviving machicolation. But for the rest, and under the original vaults, almost everything has been recomposed, reinterpreted and, of course, painted in the traditional whitewash. The recessed volumes are reminiscent of a design by Le Corbusier, while the minimalist decor favours Arte Povera sculptures and contemporary art canvases. The whole place is set in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by three hundred-year-old olive trees, giant cacti, fragrant bunches of rosemary and low dry stone walls built along paths that gently follow the contours of the land. All in all, it's the epitome of the Italian south, which is fast becoming one of the world's most fashionable destinations. Madonna, who stayed at the region's classy Borgo Egnazia resort last summer, made no mistake; the England's glamorous royal family<\/strong>who was in the same hotel in the spring, either.<\/p>\n

The opposite would be surprising. For the region, nestled in the heel of Italy's boot, has just about everything that makes up contemporary top-of-the-range tourism, both leisure and corporate: a rich culture<\/strong>The region's unique vernacular architecture, medieval and baroque towns, delicate countryside landscapes, white sandy beaches, secluded coves and superb cuisine. Not to mention the safety and proximity criteria that are essential today, particularly for business customers.<\/p>\n

Masseria Alchimia is located in the countryside surrounding Fasano. Not that the town is one of the most beautiful in the area, even if a few Baroque buildings liven up the historic centre nicely, but Fasano's appeal lies in its strategic position: all the cities, towns, ports and remarkable villages - at least fifteen of them - are an hour's drive from its central square. The maximum. So, in true Italian style, or in other words, piano piano, you have to take it easy, leaving yourself plenty of time for peace and quiet, coffee breaks and restaurant stops that are inevitably punctuated by a parade of dishes. oh, the number of dishes, oh, the antipasti!<\/strong> - showcasing the very best the region has to offer.<\/p>\n

In fact, the whole stay will be marked by exceptional gastronomy<\/strong>The region is one of the richest in the peninsula. And while we're at it, we'll get down to business first thing in the morning in Polignano a Mare - an all-white village, perched almost overhanging a cliff whipped up by the sea - with a cappuccino or caff\u00e8, as the Italians like it, accompanied by pasticciotti di Lecce, regional pastries to die for. Then there are the first narrow streets, the first piazzas, the first chapels, the first craftsmen, including a very contemporary master glassmaker, Peppino Campanella, and an incredible beach tucked away at the bottom of a natural ravine right in the centre of town.<\/p>\n

Baroque and rococo<\/h2>\n

Then, passing back through Fasano, a little further inland and infinitely more spectacular, we come to white Ostuni, the 'citt\u00e0 bianca' (white town) on a knoll overlooking the olive-grove-covered plain down to the sea. Wandering through the city - whose winding streets are reminiscent of ancient oriental cities - is also an opportunity to grasp a little of its turbulent history. Its own in particular, and that of Puglia in general. Towers, forts, high walls, arcades, ogives, Romanesque-Gothic in the cathedral, Rococo in the churches and Baroque on the front of the houses... but above all, above all, a luminous harmony<\/strong> despite countless successive occupations by Greeks, Romans, Lombards, Saracens, Byzantines, Normans, Aragonese and Bourbons...

  • \"Sheltered<\/li>\n
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