Best of est | Puglian Villas

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Best of est | Puglian Villas

PHOTOGRAPHY ABOVE

Salva López

WORDS

Holly Beadle

Megan Rawson

Lidia Boniwell Lombardero

Livia Toscano

architecture best of est Design Destinations Italian countryside italian design italy Puglia Puglia House Villa

Casa Soleto by Studio Andrew Trotter | Photography by Salva López

Described as “the green house of Italy” by architect and designer Andrew Trotter, Puglia is a place where tradition is not only preserved, but deeply felt. We journey through five idyllic Puglian villas that allow guests to authentically immerse themselves in the historic region.

Proudly supported by Elton Group

Casa Soleto by Studio Andrew Trotter

Situated in “the heel” of “the Italian boot”, Soleto is a sleepy village steeped in culture and history. “The town feels like it’s been lost in time, like a set from an old movie,” architect and designer Andrew Trotter says.

Built in the 1700s, the historic building—which Trotter stumbled across in September 2020—had all the charming characteristics of a baroque-period palazzo: brick cladding, high-vaulted ceilings, an outdoor courtyard and garden, and its own chapel. The building’s age, however, did present several challenges for Trotter and partner Marcelo Martinez. The walls in places were beginning to crack and erode, and some of the ceilings needed replacing, not to mention there was only one bathroom in the whole house. “It needed a lot of work before it could be lived in—more than we had initially predicted,” Trotter says.

As for the design itself, Trotter and Martinez wanted to maintain the building’s historic charm while bringing it into the present, which resulted in a delicate balance between restoration and modernisation. For furniture, the pair sourced antique pieces from around the village and paired them with several custom-made pieces.

Casa Soleto by Studio Andrew Trotter | Photography by Salva López

Ostuni by Niní and Francesca Bonavoglia

Puglia-born ceramicist and art collector Niní Bonavoglia’s parents first laid eyes on a tree-lined plot of land tucked at the end of a gravel sideroad by chance. “I fell in love with the location the minute I saw it,” Bonavoglia explains. “I loved the silence and the imminent sense of peace.” After three years of construction, the Valle d’Itria villa and unique hospitality experience was born and named ‘Amazigh’; Berber for ‘free man’, and a symbol for the olive tree.

Bonavoglia sought to create a place where guests could immerse themselves in Puglia’s culture and the slow way of life. Covering the vast area of central Puglia, Valle d’Itria is known for its bright red soil, olive groves and vineyards, narrow streets and traditional white buildings with cone rooves.

The two new buildings, with their white walls and rectilinear form, share a common language of earthy colours, tactile rattan and bamboo accents and antique furniture collected by Bonavoglia over the years. Artisanal objects and vintage Italian lighting contribute to the eclectic yet considered Mediterranean aesthetic. “When I’m here, I feel at peace and reconnect with myself, my passions, and all the little things that make me happy,” Bonavoglia reflects.

Ostuni by Niní and Francesca Bonavoglia | Photography by Cosimo Calabrese

Masseria Mangiamuso by Flore & Venezia Architects

Surrounded by an ancient olive grove on the coast of Puglia, Masseria Mangiamuso is a fortified Italian farmstead dating back to the 17th century. Left abandoned for more than fifty years, it was once the beating heart of an agricultural estate; today, it has been restored to its former glory with the help of its new owners and their trusted relationship with local architect Aldo Flore.

The main part of the Masseria is set across two levels. While the ground floor was destinated to the house of the ‘Massaro’, the first floor housed the owner and was considered as the manor house, encompassing a kitchen, living spaces, four bedrooms, and bathrooms, and is adorned with monastic coves, stone arches, vaulted ceilings, and balconies—typical of the noble architecture of the time.

The esteem of working on such a unique property comes with great responsibility. For Flore and his team, the scope of works was centred around retaining an equilibrium between the old and new to preserve the architectural history and honour the local culture so that guests to the Masseria feel a connection to the spirit of the locale. “We understood this was a special atmosphere,” Flore says, “In our philosophy, it’s very important to work with simplicity”.

Masseria Mangiamuso by Flore & Venezia Architects | Photography by Nathalie Krag and Claudio Palma

Villa Vipp Puglia

On the heel of Italy, the village of Ostuni in Puglia is celebrated as ‘i borghi più belli d’Italia’—one of Italy’s most beautiful towns. Here, Danish design brand Vipp, in collaboration with Dutch studio Studiotoff, opened a countryside guesthouse that overlooks the hilly Mediterranean landscape.

Ensuring Puglia’s distinctive whitewashed architecture was honoured, Studiotoff designed a modern, one-storey villa within the protected historic area. “Our projects combine sharp architecture with interiors that exude calmness and lightness,” Studiotoff founder Irene Nannenberg says. The villa comprises three double bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open living and kitchen area, featuring a fully equipped grey Vipp kitchen with olive oil harvested from the garden and wine produced from neighbouring fields.

Embracing the Italian phrase ‘Il dolce far niente’—the sweetness of doing nothing—the villa invites guests to slow down, with an infinity pool and veranda lounge that invites restful siestas after exploring the nearby ‘White Cities’ of Ostuni and Cisternino.

Villa Vipp Puglia designed by Studiotoff | Photography courtesy of Vipp

Palazzo Edmondo designed in collaboration with Studio Luca Baldazzi | Photography by Joe Clarke

Palazzo Edmondo by Matteo Schuerch and Studio Luca Baldazzi

Located within the quiet village of Monteroni di Lecce in the heart of Puglia, Palazzo Edmondo, previously abandoned for decades, is a testament to both architectural and cultural preservation.

Architects Studio Luca Baldazzi‘s vision for the 16th-century palazzo was for it to be soulful and grounded. Featuring vaulted ceilings that soar eight metres high, centuries-old doors, original chianche flooring, and handcrafted stone sinks, the palazzo embodies time, craft, and place through an honest material palette. Swiss entrepreneur Matteo Schuerch envisioned not a resort, but a quiet, lived-in reflection of Italian charm and authenticity. “I wasn’t drawn to the touristic version of Puglia,” he says. “I fell in love with the villages, their rhythm, their people,” he adds.

Beyond the limestone thresholds lies a secluded garden, complete with a colonnaded pool and shaded pergola. Landscape designer Rebediani Scaccabarozzi took cues from the botanical language of Rome’s Villa Livia, transforming the overgrown grounds into a living fresco of citrus groves, native flora and sculptural stonework.