Olive Oil & Masseria Experience, Ostuni

Masseria Il Frantoio runs this olive oil and farm-lunch experience at its nineteenth-century working estate on the SS16 coast road below Ostuni, the whitewashed hill town of northern Salento in Apulia. Over about four hours, guests tour the historic masseria and its surrounding olive grove, where centuries-old gnarled trees — some among the monumental olives protected across the Apulian countryside — are still cultivated and pressed. The visit includes the estate's olive mill, where the guide explains both the traditional stone-crushing method and the modern cold-press process used to produce extra-virgin oil. A guided tasting of up to six olive oils follows, centred on the robust, peppery Coratina cultivar that dominates the region, with notes on how to judge bitterness, pungency, and fruitiness in a quality oil. The experience culminates in a farm-fresh lunch featuring the masseria's celebrated antipasto vegetariano — a procession of around twenty small vegetable plates drawn from the estate gardens — alongside fresh bread, local cheeses, and the estate's own oils and preserves. The fee covers the grove and mill tour, the olive oil tasting, the Coratina presentation, and the multi-course lunch; wine and personal purchases of estate products are additional. October and November offer the chance to witness the olive harvest and fresh pressing, while April to September showcases the masseria gardens and grounds at their fullest. The pace is gentle and largely seated for the tasting and lunch, with a short walk through the grove. Given the strongly vegetable-based menu, the experience suits vegetarians particularly well, and dietary requirements can usually be met when noted at booking. Closed comfortable shoes are recommended for the grove walk, and sun protection is advisable in the warmer months when the southern Apulian heat is at its peak.