Villa Ashyana, a villa rental in Italy

Secreted among the Groves

Set in a grove of ancient olive trees in the Apulian countryside near the white village of Ostuni, this luxury villa in Italy is an architecturally inspired summer retreat combining practical design with subtle touches of luxury.

Designed entirely in white limestone with an abstract oblong shape and geometric lines, the stark architecture of the building is softened by traditional tufa stone walls and the unique indoor-outdoor composition.

The open-plan living space includes lounge and dining areas and a fully-equipped modern kitchen, with slide-away glass that opens out to the terraces, gardens, and pool, with peaceful uninterrupted rural views.

Calming colors and ample natural light provide a sense of tranquility. Leading off the living area is a passage lit by shafts of light from the oblong windows from where you'll access the two double bedrooms and bathrooms. Each has a spacious feel with sliding glass doors giving direct access to the pool area from the master and space for up to four guests.

The property has plenty of spots among the olive trees to find shade, relax on the veranda, and a barbecue that guests can move around when cooking outside. Up a floating stairway is the rooftop terrace, a private sanctuary for sunset dining and night time stargazing. And there's a seating pergola outdoors for added rest and relaxation.

Around

Located at the midpoint of Italy’s boot heel, between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, the region offers 800 kilometers of stunning coastline along both seas, with white sandy beaches, hidden coves, and a multitude of swimming pools of turquoise to navy-blue waters. Snorkelers and those seeking stunning seafront isolation will love Baia di Porto Selvaggio beach, part of a natural reserve that's accessible on foot through a forested swath. Backed by pines, olives and eucalyptus trees, the beach features low cliffs offering optimum landing spots for sunbathers and offshore rocks that guarantee snorkeling here is a visual feast.

The port town of Brindisi (a final stop along the famed Appian Way) lies just a half-hour southeast, while the stunning Baroque city of Lecce, known as the Florence of the South, is within an hour’s drive. The lovely UNESCO port town of Otranto and the Ionian seaside town of Gallipoli are worth a day trip. Ostuni, Martina Franca, Alberobello and the Valle d’Itria are all within an hour's driving distance, Alberobello also a UNESCO classified site of thousands of trulli, the dry-stacked, conical structures that have become the region's symbol.