La Fiermontina
Set in a walled olive grove and a haven for art lovers, the stunning La Fiermontina is an 18th-century masseria, filled with contemporary art, designer furnishings and sculptures. The hotel is in the old town of Lecce, one of Puglia’s most beautiful cities, and is no more than a 10-minute walk from most of the main tourist sights.
La Fiermontina is beautifully intimate, with just 19 rooms and suites, yet the property feels spacious with lovely gardens and a spacious outdoor pool. Rooms are minimalist in style, enhanced by vaulted ceilings and the distinctive honey colour of Lecce’s limestone. Three newer ‘suites à côté’ are more contemporary still, with customised furniture crafted in local wood and art and design pieces signed by prominent artists.
Art, in fact, is an overarching theme. Throughout the hotel is a collection of 20th-century artworks inspired by the muse, model and painter Antonia Fiermonte, grandmother of the current owners. While a couple of minutes away is the hotel’s private art gallery M.A.M.A (Museum of Modern Art Antonia), where the current owner, another Antonia, leads private tours for guests with aperitifs and canapes.
