09 CASTELLO DI UGENTO
After standing over the town of Ugento, in Salento in the southern tip of Puglia, Italy, for over a 1,000 years, the 17th-century castle-turned-palazzo Castello di Ugento is now a luxurious boutique hotel, the cutting-edge Puglia Culinary Teaching Centre – an exclusive partnership with the Culinary Institute of America – as well as over 1,000 sq m of exclusive exhibition space, adorned with fine baroque frescoes. There are only nine suites here, incorporating contemporary design and luxury without compromising the ancient walls or grounds, where there is a working 17th-century kitchen garden with over 100 kinds of herbs, fruit trees and vegetables. With the stunning beaches of the Ionian Sea just a stone’s throw away, Castello di Ugento offers an experience like few others.
