“Pozzo Volito” is a rural estate, located in the Protected Area of ‘Canale di Volito’.  The area is renowned for its beautiful scenery (lush vegetation, imposing rocky ridges and picturesque views), its source of fresh water,  after which ‘lu pòzzu’ is named, and the  ‘Sentiero di Verèto’, the old Messapian road between the mountainous region of Verètum and the natural port of Torre San Gregorio.

Our story is simple: it was love at first sight.

I had always dreamt of finding a piece of untamed land far from the hustle and bustle of Milan. I first learnt about the area on a Friday morning in 2006, while talking to the owner, who was selling the property. Although the area was uncultivated, infested with weeds and brambles and had been abandoned for more than 20 years, intuitively I knew that there was a natural gem of unspoilt nature behind its neglected appearance. I returned twice that afternoon to explore it on my own. On the following morning, I went to the owner’s house and signed the preliminary contract.

Although the land surrounding ‘Pozzo Volito’ could only be accessed  via a few bramble-free paths (in local dialect, brambles are known as ‘scarace’), I made a number of exciting discoveries. The olive trees showed signs of owls and tawny owls, you could see a fox’s lair hidden among the rocks (on one occasion, on the bottom of one of them, we saw a litter of newly born cubs), at sunset we sometimes came across a pair of badgers, or a solitary hedgehog, the air was filled with birdsong, and eagles could be seen flying high in the sky.

Every season had something special to offer. In spring, we witnessed the ongoing blooming of numerous wild flowers and Mediterranean scrub, or almond and pear blossoms, and you could pick wild fennel and asparagus. In summer, there were capers, and apricot and fig trees laden with fruit, while autumn gifted us with myrtle, grapes and olives. While out walking, you could admire the elegant, functional architecture of the peasant huts. There were pajàre, liàme, incurtatùri, millstones and palùni dug out by hand in the hard rock, dry walls and stone terraces. There was a perfect feeling of harmony, as though nothing had managed to spoil the natural beauty of this landscape and its ecosystem. This is how it all began.

Thanks to the invaluable help of Rocco “Scarèna”, Stefano “Baròne”, Vincenzo “Paparùsso”, Tonino, Rocco and Massimo “Reginèlla”, Rocco “Ceriòlo”, Vito “Zucchino”, Donato “Mèsciu Pòvulu”, Michele “Mamàia”, Cosimino “Pulisino”, Cosimino “Culiàncu”, Salvatore “Padreterno”, Claudio “Rocco Piccìnnu”, Pasquale “Cicogna”, Biagio “Cùia”, Rocco “Zùmpa”, Andrea and Antonio “Turìcchio”, Vito “Malèfico”, Franco “Malòto”, Cosimino “Tricasino” and Massimo ” Piccolo Fiore”,   , our ‘Rural Ecosystem with Homes’ was finally ready, after 12 years of passionate, skilled work reclaiming the land.

We then began to create our logo, looking for an image that embodied all the characteristics of ‘Pozzo Volito’. After much deliberation, it seemed that an olive tree, an ancient plant imbued with tradition, was most suitable; a plant of few needs, renowned for its strength, resistance, harmony and generosity. We didn’t choose just any olive tree, but the one that Nonna Emma loved best, an enormous centuries-old tree located in the eastern branch of the ‘Canale di Volito’, just a short distance from the grotto. The logo was designed and created by her grandson Mauro.

Our dream had finally come true.