The Masseria Palombara Grande was built in 1776 above an ancient underground oil-mill, at the heart of a centuries-old olive grove in the Marina of Ostuni, the magnificent territory sloping from Ostuni hills to the Adriatic Sea. Its name comes from the Apulian word palombaia, dovecot, a small construction towering on the main building, where white doves nested in the ancient days and still nest nowadays.

The whole structure is made of rock and stone and is whitewashed as Ostuni, the "White Town": the view of the city from the Masseria is breathtaking, as the unexpected view of the sea glazing against the olive trees.

At the centre of the property, the estate owner's quarter, with the stables giving way to the oil mill and the little rural church built in 1789. The surrounding 30 hectares of land is mainly dedicated to olive cultivation, yet lentisco, blueberry bushes and Mediterranean maquis shrubs luxuriantly dot the scenery with their heady smells.

In the ancient days the sharecrop farmer - massaio - lived all year round in the Masseria to cultivate its land and oversee the care and breeding of all types of cattle popular in that period.

Still now, the entire domain expresses the authenticity and the original features of the few Apulian masserie left unspoiled.