After living in Paris for ten years, we chose to live in Nardo as we had fallen in love with the city and its quality of life. We have invested in several palaces, the first was the the Mignano in 2011, then the former Monastery of Santa Teresa in 2015, both are located in the historic centre of Nardo. The idea was to create charming hotels in places rich in history. We then became interested in this palace whose facade we had long admired while strolling on the way to the Monastery of Santa Teresa. We chose it to live there with our family. As the palace had been uninhabited for years, we carried out some very important restoration works. It was brought back to life by preserving all its original elements such as the frescoes, vaults and exposed stone. The idea was then to share a part of this unique place with our guests as since we only occupy one part of this immense 1500m2 palace.
The main facade of the palace overlooking the street is neoclassical in style with a warm pink tone. The entrance leads directly to the courtyard which has kept all its period style with a fountain and beautiful bougainvillea vegetation on a colourful wall. You reach the medieval part to the left through a tunnel with exposed stones on the ground and arrive at two rooms which are different in style. One has a star vault, stone sculptures and capitals - it was the old chapel of the chateau. The bathroom has been fitted out in a space with unique medieval decorations carved in stone that frame the entire perimeter of the room in height. After the tunnel, a staircase leads to the splendid citrus garden and its antique roses with a direct view of the impressive Church of the Immaculate, it towers above and the stone walls enhance the garden. Further afield, we can also see the beautiful baroque facade of the church of Santa Teresa. The rooms feature several styles of vault - star, cradle and a stone or “cocciopesto” floor.
The palace was built on a part of the ruins of the city's Norman chateau which dates back to 1050. The ground floor was thus built during the medieval period and on a much older part which dates from Roman times. The garden formerly belonging to the chateau is classified. The first floor of the palace was built in a second phase during the Renaissance, as evidenced by the numerous wall frescoes and notable ceiling heights. A noble family of Nardo, the Manieri, lived here. After various successions, it was passed on to the Tafuri family and then to the Zuccaro family.
Just as we do for our customers who come to stay at Relais Monastero Santa Teresa or Relais Il Mignano, we offer a warm welcome and all the information needed for our guests to discover the region, such as suggestions for cycling routes to reach the sea, beautiful historic centres to visit among the countless villages in the vicinity, guided tours that can be organised to discover the eclectic villas of Nardo, a unique area of Salento or exceptional tours of private gardens. All the activities offered at the Santa Teresa Monastery, located 50 metres from the palace, are also available for people staying at the Manieri Zuccaro Palace - cooking classes, wine and olive oil tastings, yoga or pilates lessons, rental bikes and boats, etc.
We would recommend Art Nouveau, a restaurant by the sea side in Santa Maria al Bagno, just a few kilometres from Nardo. The fish-based cuisine is of a high standard and the terrace overlooks the beautiful Santa Maria beach where the sea showcases exceptional reflections in both summer and winter. Cheese lovers can get good fresh cheese at the Masseria Bellimento, located after Porto Selvaggio Park, along the coast on the road to Sant’Isidoro. A fabulous place for a cocktail directly on the water is the Beija Flor, a popular bar set on the rocks of Santa Caterina in a very relaxed atmosphere accompanied by relaxing music. The country roads are very beautiful for cycling through the olive trees and vineyards. Starting from the historic centres towards the sea, you arrive at the Porto Selvaggio regional natural park. The regional nature reserve of Saline dei Monaci is extraordinary and little known to the public, hidden behind the sand dunes on the coast after Porto Cesareo. Among the rich wildlife, you can spot flamingos if you are lucky enough to be there at the right time. A sandy beach where you can swim is located nearby. It is beautiful and uncrowded.
Two spacious suites, one with a kitchen, have direct access to the private swimming pool located in the former garden of the Norman chateau with a collection of beautiful citrus vegetation and a view of the facades of the churches. We will soon be opening a spa within the palace on the ground floor. The other two suites are located on the other side of the palace and can be rented as an apartment with a kitchen/ living room or rented separately. They also have optional access to the swimming pool via the courtyard. Palazzo Zuccaro is attached to our two other properties, the Relais Monastero Santa Teresa and the Relais Il Mignano, which are located 50 and 350 metres away respectively.
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