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The weather was just right for my outfit: baggy shorts and a blush pink floral lace bodysuit. It was cute and comfy.
Alessandro arrived and drove us to La Masseria Farm on the Sorrento Peninsula, just 15 minutes from the hotel. The sight of houses built into the hillsides, something I’d seen in movies but never dreamed I’d experience in person, was mesmerizing. As we walked through a narrow path, the farm came into view.
It was my first time on a real farm, and the excitement bubbled within me. Eugenio, the farm’s owner, greeted us and gave us an introduction.
He shared the farm’s history, explaining that it had been in his family for four generations. He studied accounting and economics at Naples University but chose to help his family run the farm and started hosting farm tours for visitors in 2010. Despite his humble apology for his English, Dillon and I reassured him that he was doing just fine.
We moved on to the animal holdings, where I couldn’t contain my joy. I’d seen animals in movies and real life but had never experienced interacting with them. The animals on this farm included pigs, chickens, ducks, goats, horses, and more. They were friendly and approachable, and we even had the chance to feed piglets with milk from bottles. It was an extraordinary experience.
Moving away from the animals, he led us to the 100-year-old olive grove, where I was in awe of the large, juicy olives. This was a heavenly sight, and the quality of these olives surpassed any I’d ever seen. I was happy when we entered a shed and learned how they extracted oil from the olives.
Dillon and I actively participated, wearing the gloves, and even got a chance to smash the provided olives with pestles.
This city is really the most magical place in the world.
The next step involved cleaning the olives in salt water to remove dirt and pesticides. Afterward, we moved to the pressing machine, where the raw oil extraction would take place. We got to keep our own bottles of olive oil. This felt surreal, and I couldn’t believe we’d made our own olive oil.
We then moved on to the lemon grove, which I was especially excited about. Dillon and I both loved lemons, and this part of the tour was tailor-made for us. We learned about the twist, tilt, and snap method of lemon picking, and although it seemed easy, it took me a few tries to get it right. Dillon, on the other hand, did it effortlessly.
He does everything effortlessly.
“Can’t wait to get my hands on some of your lemon baked goodies,” Dillon said. I smiled at him and climbed down from the ladder.
I had a basket full of big, juicy yellow lemons, and they’d be put to good use in our kitchen.
Eugenio took our baskets and explained that they would wash and package the lemons for us. Then, we headed to the pergolas, larger than gazebos, used for climbing plants like vines. Along the way, Eugenio pointed out the wild chestnut forest, even though we couldn’t visit due to the presence of bees.
As our walking tour neared its end, Eugenio mentioned that there were still three more stops to make. We arrived at a gorgeous wooden structure, the ancient family winery, where we learned about their wine-making process and meat curing. “That’s actually interesting,” Dillon said as he walked around examining the place. The expression on his face told me that he was planning his next business venture idea as if owning half of the world isn’t good enough.
I smacked him gently on the arm to pull his attention from this thoughts. “No thinking about work while we’re on our vacation,” I scolded.
“Sorry,” he mumbled and held my hand.
I know him all too well.
We concluded our visit to the La Masseria Farm with a tasting in the designated room. We sampled a delightful array of fresh farm products, including homemade lemonade, sliced lemons with sugar, fresh-pressed olive oils on homemade bread, citrus marmalades, local cheese, and honey. Everything was delicious, but the homemade bread was my personal favorite, while Dillon couldn’t get enough of the marmalades.
Lunch followed, and we dined with Eugenio’s family. His mother, despite her limited English, was a wonderful cook. Her seasoning skills were impeccable, and I couldn’t help but admire her. The traditional meal featured seasonal products and a lemon dessert, accompanied by Limoncello, which was an otherworldly experience. I had about four glasses before mama told me to watch out or I’d get drunk. This place is definitely laced with something and this was a 100 out of 10 experience.
Checklist of the day
? La Masseria Farm Experience
Rating: 100/10
Duration: 9 am to 12:45 pm!
Notes: Would love to be back <3
Dillon collected our goodies, and after a chat with Eugenio, mostly in Italian, we said our goodbyes, taking photos with the welcoming family members. This truly felt like a dream come true, and I eagerly anticipated our next adventure.
Our next tour started in central Sorrento, where we met our second guide, Maricella. She introduced us to the city‘s culinary scene, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of Italy.
Our stop at “Mario’s” was a highlight, where we enjoyed sfogliatelle (shell-shaped pasta), hot-pressed sandwiches, pali’e riso (rice balls), creamy buffalo mozzarella, and cured meats. The process of meat curing was a bit off-putting, but the flavor made it all worthwhile and the food tour ended with samples of Italian gelato at a local gelateria.
? Sorrento Food Tours
Rating: 9.82/10
