Wonder Grottole

Italian with Michela – The best way to immerse yourself in a community is by speaking the local language. That is why Michela decided to offer Italian lessons, with a twist. You won’t be sitting in a boring classroom poring over verb conjugations, instead you’ll be wandering around the village, ordering breakfast at the local café and buying lunch at the baker’s, led by Michela, who besides being the project cofounder is also an experienced Italian teacher.

At the end of the tour, you’ll be left with a list of Italian words and expressions, and with a challenge – asking a local to invite you to their home for a coffee, and you’ll have to prove it with a selfie!

Wine and lunch with Silvio – There’s one thing that can’t be missing from the table in Grottole, regardless of whether it’s lunch or dinner – wine! You won’t find large wine making companies in Grottole. Most local families produce wine for their own consumption, and to share with visiting family and friends.

Silvio, another Wonder Grottole cofounder, offers a unique activity introducing visitors to the world of winemaking in Grottole. You’ll start with a walk among vineyards, where you’ll learn about the local terroir and grape varieties. Then, the experience continues with an explanation of the winemaking process, before heading to Silvio’s own cantina, a cellar dug in the limestone centuries ago.

These rock-cut cellars offer ideal wine-storing conditions, with constant temperature throughout the year. That’s where the best part of the experience will begin – wine tasting, accompanied by a selection of locally-made products!

Bees with Rocco – A few years ago, Grottole’s barber Rocco received a beehive as a present from his wife. This sparked the beginning of a true, deep-rooted passion – nowadays, Rocco isn’t just known as Grottole’s barber, but also his resident apicoltore (beekeeper).

If you want to know more about the wonderful world of bees, Rocco will be happy to show you the tricks of the trade. You’ll be starting with a visit of his laboratory, where he stores all his machinery and equipment. Rocco will introduce you to the wonderful world of bees, and to the various roles bees play during their life.

Then, you’ll continue a few steps away to his garden, where he keeps a few hives. If you’re up for it, Rocco has some protective equipment so that you can help with hive maintenance. And yes, in case you were wondering, you’ll definitely get to taste his delicious, award-winning honey!

Olio Evo with Vincenzo – Together with wine, extra virgin olive oil is always found on Grottole family tables. More often than not, it’s locally made – Grottole is surrounded by olive trees, and there are two olive presses, working round the clock at harvest time to produce this unique ‘liquid gold’.

One of these two presses is owned by Vincenzo, a fourth-generation olive oil producer, and his family. You can join Vincenzo on a half-day tour to discover the secrets of olive oil production, learning to savor and appreciate this wonderful ingredient.

Vincenzo will start the activity with a short walk among the olive trees just outside Grottole, revealing the secrets of olive farming and the ‘Five S’, the main elements that come into play. Then, you’ll be visiting his own olive mill, to see the equipment first-hand and understand how olives become olive oil.

Finally, it’s time to taste! As you sit under the trees, looking at Grottole on a hilltop nearby, Vincenzo will drizzle copious amounts of olive oil on freshly-toasted bread, with a sprinkle of salt on top. There’s truly no better snack than this – after having tasted it, I’m sure you’ll agree!

Bosco Coste – On hot, sunny days, or whenever they feel like a bit of nature, Grottole locals head to Bosco Coste, a protected forest a few kilometers from the village.

At Bosco Coste you’ll find a picnic area with a restaurant, and paths crossing the forest, including scenic lookouts over nearby San Giuliano Lake and opportunities to get close to local flora and fauna (if you’re lucky!)

Paolo, the restaurant owner, offers nature walks around the forest, together with his two cute donkeys. Depending on how much time you have, you can opt for one of three loop-shaped trails, varying in distance between 2 and 5 km.

Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy a relaxing walk surrounded by trees and by the aromatic scents of the macchia mediterranea. The donkeys come along to remind you to enjoy nature slowly, stopping to appreciate small details like a wildflower, or a white butterfly flittering between the tree branches.

Aperitivo al tramonto – Regardless of whether you spend one day or one month in Wonder Grottole, this activity is perfect to round up your experience in this remarkable village.

You’ll be taken to the Belvedere, a scenic location on a hilltop not far from Grottole, offering a scenic view of the village. Your hosts will lay out a picnic-style aperitivo, including a host of Grottole specialties – fresh bread, olives, tomatoes, homemade cheese, and naturally lots of wine and olive oil.

As the sun slowly sets, and the village stonewalls are bathed in a golden light, you’ll be looking Grottole under a new, transformed light – it’s not a dying village but a village reborn, thanks to the power of creativity and community.