Casa Terralta

A Deeply Private Puglian Estate

A panoramic Puglian original, this historical estate hides behind soaring, old stone walls, a stately villa with its own independent trulli complex on site, offering stony sophistication and the hushed beauty of a stylishly spare country retreat only 10 kilometers from the sea.

Combining the refinement found in a vast, light-filled principal residence covering two levels, and the intimacy of a charmed cluster of traditional trulli, this estate is only five kilometers from the glinting White City of Ostuni. It spills across a lush country garden and small citrus grove, hidden behind soaring original gates, and melding old and new harmoniously. Far from stuffy or antiquated, the ecclesiastical retreat that once welcomed summering nuns was gently redesigned by local architects Studio Flore & Venezia, specialists in restoration, particularly of religious architecture. 

With distinctly new, angular outdoor pergolas, smooth, lime-based resin floors, reclaimed stone terracing, custom wood and concrete furnishings, and refinished vaulted ceilings with exposed stone reveals, the home offers historical architecture seen anew. The outdoor garden includes a dark-bottomed swimming pool and solarium as well as a stony outdoor dining and entertainment area equipped with a barbecue. And the jewel in the crown is a starkly serene pool under a massive, vaulted ceiling upstairs.

Around

Located outside of the White Village of Ostuni, an architectural treasure of a town set overlooking a carpet of olive groves, the estate offers a refined setting for unwinding or for exploring the region’s dizzying display of conical trulli, cobbled street villages, lively markets, and historical buildings. Beyond the mythical white villages of Ostuni and nearby Alberobello, the picturesque villages of Cisternino and Locorotondo also offer storybook trulli homes and historical architecture, along flower-filled streets and piazzas, brimming with lively artisans, cafes, and boutiques. 

The well-heeled port villages of Polignano a Mare and Monopoli are a quick drive away, and the closest beaches along the Adriatic Sea are some 10 kilometers away, while the Ionian Sea, set between Italy’s boot heel and toe are only a bit further afield. Swimmers will find unspoiled blue bays and clear waters for swimming and watersports, while sightseers to the region will delight in ornate Lecce, the “Florence of Southern Italy,” located about an hour away, or smaller Ceglie Messapica, surrounded by vineyards. Nearby Cisternino was designated one of Italy’s “most beautiful small towns,” and postcard pretty, neighboring village of Alberobello features more than 1,500 trulli homes that have made the town another of the region’s protected UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Location

Ostuni, Puglia, Italy. Nearest airport: Brindisi (30km); Bari (50km)

Best time to visit

April to October