Puglia is home to Castello di Ugento, a 17^th-century castle with a history dating almost 900 years. Located in the town of Ugento in Salento, it’s both a culturally and historically important structure for the region. The owning family, together with the Ministry of Arts-Culture-Tourism, is currently bringing new life to the castle, transforming the magnificent structure into a luxury boutique hotel, which will also act as a cultural, gastronomic and oenological hub in Puglia. Guests and visitors alike will find art exhibits, historic tours and a professional, almost 3,000-square-foot culinary institute on the new hotel’s grounds, where chefs and guests can study the regional cuisine. In April 2016, the property will unveil nine designer suites, as well as a luxury spa and gourmet restaurant. Guestrooms are only a short walk from centuries-old gardens and orchards still in use today. Despite the pastoral setting, however, guests will still have access to the modern tech solutions they have come to expect from luxury properties. The small town of Ugento offers beautiful landscapes for those who choose to venture off the hotel’s grounds. Roman and Greek ruins, the Ionian Sea and remnants of fallen empires and the crusades are all easily reachable by bike. For updates on this new luxury property’s progress, you can easily sign up for its newsletter at the link above.