Not your typical masseria, and not your typical Valle d’Itria. If you’re looking for a place untouched by the crowds and still in its cool-kid infancy, head to Putignano, in the countryside surrounding Bari, where on April 6th Casina Cinquepozzi opens its doors. This 18th-century manor, nestled within a 16,000-hectare estate, is the vision of Nigerian jewellery designer Thelma West and Neapolitan entrepreneur Stefano Liotti. Enchanted by this lesser-known corner of glamorous Puglia, they bought the property to create a meeting point of art, design, and tradition.

“I remember the moment I laid eyes on this land—it wasn’t just the building that spoke to me, it was its soul,” Thelma recalls. “At the end of a dirt path, I just knew we had found the right place. This house had stood for centuries, guarding stories in its stone. Our job wasn’t to change it, but to honour it while breathing in new life.”

The retreat is deeply rooted in collaboration with local artisans, from Peppino Campanella’s sculptural glass and stone lamps to Deni Bianco’s papier-mâché objects, handmade textiles by Le Costantine, and beautiful ceramics by Enzo Fasano. “Thanks to these people, Casina Cinquepozzi truly belongs to Puglia,” says Thelma. Every element was custom-designed to bridge the historical with the contemporary, where even the most modern pieces feel as though they’ve always been there.

After two years of restoration work carried out by the couple themselves, Casina Cinquepozzi now welcomes guests into its spacious grounds: 55 rooms, ten of which are bedrooms, an outdoor pool, and a Pilates area.

Sustainability is central to their ethos. The estate champions ecological balance, harnessing renewable energy, upcycled materials, and the regeneration of vineyards, olive groves, and citrus orchards. Zero-kilometre ingredients are the soul of the kitchen—homemade pasta, estate-produced extra virgin olive oil, and house-bottled rosé all tell the story of the land.

Their vision includes an artist-in-residence programme, inviting chefs, makers, and creatives from across the globe to immerse themselves in Apulian culture, where art becomes a language for dialogue and exchange.