Villaggio Resta between Arneo and rural history

Between Arneo and rural history

Villaggio Resta is located on the Strada Provinciale 112, also known as the “Strada Tarantina”. This road connects Gallipoli and Avetrana and does not pass through the built-up centre of Nardò. On the provincial road between Gallipoli and Porto Cesareo, Villaggio Resta is considered a “worthwhile stop”. Its position along the road connects the village with an extensive landscape and the rural themes of the Arneo.

Villaggio Resta emerged around the 1950s as the headquarters of a significant agricultural enterprise owned by the Resta family. Marcello Resta acquired the Masseria Corsari and established there the village known as Starace. This settlement included a resident settler community, as well as homes and shared facilities. Anyone interested in the rural history of Salento encounters here the development of an agriculturally oriented village.

Arneo: flat landscape and agriculture

The Arneo is an extensive, predominantly flat area that has changed over time. In 2013, Villaggio Resta was subject under the PUTT/p to a fauna protection restriction, classified as an area with social management. Agricultural businesses in the Arneo grow vegetables, pulses and fruit all year round. Landscape, land management and regional produce are therefore among the concrete themes that shape the character of the surrounding area.

Agrodolce Arneo: villages, farms and routes

Villaggio Resta is connected with Nardò’s Agrodolce Arneo themed itinerary and is one of its rural villages. The themed itinerary includes visits to masserias and agricultural businesses, cycling routes, as well as tasting and flavour workshops. This opens up several perspectives on the same area for your travel planning: you can focus on its agricultural history, the flat landscape, regional products or the connection between the village and agricultural land management.

Agriculture and accommodation on site

A specific example of this connection is Masseria Vico in Villaggio Resta, Località Corsari. It dates from the 19th century, is still an agricultural business and combines this function with accommodation. Anyone looking for accommodation in Villaggio Resta can therefore consider whether its integration into the rural history and the themes of the Arneo fits their own travel plans.

Salento cuisine as a travel experience

One example of the village’s culinary side was the planned guided tasting “Il gusto delle essenze”. For this example, the plan was to prepare recipes from traditional Salento cuisine in the park there. Together with the themed itinerary’s tasting and flavour workshops, the tasting points to the connection between agriculture, produce and regional cuisine on site.

For further travel planning, you can also explore San Cesario Di Lecce, Seclì, Marina di Marittima, Surano, Tiggiano, Borgagne, Porto Cesareo and Rivabella.

To the main travel overview: Lecce.