Masseria Cinque Santi - VERNOLE

We were fortunate enough to be directed to Lina at CinqueSanti. She and her mother were so kind to allow us a cheese tasting. I have never seen so many different kinds of cheeses in one place before! We tried 5 or 6 kinds and because Lina can ship to the USA we purchased a number of the cheeses we sampled. None of the cheeses we purchased can we buy in our home state. We are so incredibly happy to have had the chance to meet Lina, amazingly warm and friendly and her mother, Nonna Anna. What an amazing experience! Apparently there are also tours available. We also got to sample some truly delicious olive oil, bought some of that too! If you stay in Lecce or nearby don't miss this incredible experience, incredible people!

This was our first trip to Puglia and to be honest, it was the food and wine that brought us here. Masseria Cinque Santi was one of the highlights of our two-week foodie adventure through southern Italy. We took part in a sumptuous olive oil and cheese tasting that was as delicious as it was educational, hosted by one of the family members who owns and runs the masseria, the delightful Rena. (And we also got to meet Rena's mother, the brilliant artist behind all the cheese-making! There was so much, dare I say, LOVE in this place? And you could taste it in their offerings. After our tasting, we strolled out back to see their happy and well-cared for sheep, goats and cows and then stocked up on olive oil and cheese for the long plane ride back home. But our time in this special place will be a memory to last a lifetime. Don't miss it!

Amazing day olive oil tasting at this great farm. Antonio was super knowledgeable, passionate about his job, kind and a great educator! Thank you for a fantastic day for us and the children.

Incredible experience! Greeted by the owner, Lena and our tour associate, Antonio with such hospitality! The variety of cheeses were incredibly impressive. The olive oil was delicious and had a very organic and delicious flavor. The facility and property were spotless and very authentic. The cows, goats, sheeps, and donkeys were very well cared for and obviously produce fine cheeses. The entire experience was delightful. We learned a lot about how they produce the olive oil and cheese. It was an interesting tour. Definitely worth doing. Lena and Antonio are so proud of their products and it showed in everything that was shown to us! This Masseria was started by Lena’s mother! Such a legacy! Bravo!

We are foodies and Tuscany and Sicily have nothing on this Masseria. We would call it a plantation in the U.S. A beautiful setting to sample so many cheeses and fantastic olive oil. We shipped cheese and olive oil home after Lina presented tastings of each. We have just received it and can't wait to use our oil to drizzle over their cheeses and relive the experience. We utilize a driver and translator, who is also a wine and olive oil sommelier. What a wonderful experience! The store, and Nonna (Lina's mother) are absolutely precious.