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 In a little known corner of Italy, once part of Magna Graecia, rich in history and architecture and blessed with a tradition of fine cuisine, you will find Il Melograno: a 16th century "Masseria" or fortified farmhousebuilt originally as a difence against Saracens and Byzantine invaders. Today, after an impeccable restoration it is a luxurious five star Relais & Chateaux hotel, nestled in a sea of olive trees bent by breezes from the Adriatic and gnarled by the passing centuries. |
 Il Melograno offers surroundings of comfort and elegance for those who wish to relax, to enjoy gourmet Mediterranean cuisine and take advantage of a vast cultural heritage that ranges from the Swabian castle of Frederic II to the mysterious conical trulli of Alberobello. Perhaps your idea of relaxation is to wander through the bustling market of an old city in search of the ultimate fresh mozzarella; perhaps you would rather seek out the perfect open air cafè to enjoy a cappuccino and then explore Byzantine ruins or baroque cathedrals. |
 Possibly you prefer to relax in the sun by a pool bordered by prickly pears almond and citrus trees which provided the fresh juice and marmalade of your breakfast. Whatever your choice the Il Melograno is an ideal destination: Offering the complete comfort of a five star hotel, Il Melograno yet retains the warmth and charme of a family run estabilishment. |
 "What is the 'Melograno'": "Melograno" is Italian for Pomegranate (Punica granatum). The plant has traditionally been considered a symbol of beauty and fertility. Persephone, daughter of Ceres, the Goddess of growth and abundance, was forced to spend four months of each year in the underworld, because she had eaten four seeds of the pomegranate, when she was held captive by Pluto. |
 Its large scarlet flowers, red-gold fruit, and glossy green leaves have inspired countless allusions in literature and art. According to the Bible, King Solomon boasted an orchard of pomegranate trees, and when the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, they remembered longingly the cooling pomegranates of Egypt. |
 The ancients say that there is a door through which a man may return to life, to love the woman to whom he gave the pomegranate. Furthermore, that as the God that ate of the seeds of the pomegranate is destined to mortality, the man that tastes them while loving and believing in love, will himself become immortal. |
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