Villa Jolanda, a design home for rent in Puglia, Italy

Radical Geometry by the Adriatic

Originally famous for mid-century dance parties, this villa was reimagined to celebrate a cosmos of color. The design centers on the Memphis Group’s playful irreverence, mixing vintage Aprea aesthetics with contemporary lighting. Every room is a deliberate composition, balancing the structured history of the 19th-century staircase with the fluid, postmodern vibrance of Italian design icons.

The interiors feature Sottsass’s Ultrafragola mirror and Nathalie du Pasquier’s graphic carpets, Gio Ponti and Pier Giulio Magistretti chairs, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s lighting, as well as Martino Gamper and Osvaldo Borsani pieces, and a striking Campana brothers’ headboard.

The gardens transition from structured 19th-century terraces to lush, walled privacy. A grand staircase descends toward the coast, while the signature blue majolica rotunda offers a cinematic vantage point for sunset cocktails on Ico Parisi’s rocking chairs (with custom Bauhaus cushions). The swimming pool is tucked away for seclusion, surrounded by Mediterranean flora that contrasts with the villa’s bright red and turquoise exterior accents.

What we love

We love how the wild, primary colors of the Memphis Group furniture pop against the classic stone of this 19th-century villa. Living with icons like the Ultrafragola mirror makes the whole place feel like a playful, private gallery. Our favorite spot is definitely the blue-tiled rotunda, it’s the coolest place to grab a drink and watch the sea.

Layout

This vacation home for rent in Castro Marina sleeps up to eight guests. It features four bedrooms: three doubles and one twin, each boasting an en-suite bathroom. The flow emphasizes the connection between the central gallery-like salons and the shaded terraces, ensuring that even with a full house, there is ample space.

Experiences

Guests gain exclusive access to a vintage Cantieri Aprea gozzo for private coastal expeditions. Follow the route of Aeneas to the Zinzulusa and Green Grottos, or swim in the emerald waters beneath the Ponte del Cielo, all organized by the villa's concierge.

Good to know

A minimum stay of one week is required. There is easy pedestrian access to the town center and the shoreline.

Amenities & services

The property is fully managed, with daily cleaning and breakfast included. Each stay includes daily cleaning service and a midweek linen change. Service staff are in residence and present during check-in, breakfast service, and morning room cleaning (four hours per day). Additional hours are available upon request, quoted separately. A private chef is available upon request for evening meals.

There is air conditioning in all bedrooms.

Salt-sterilized swimming pool (10 x 4 x 1.4m, no chlorine), terrace, outdoor dining area, garden, parking, wifi

Around

Castro Marina is a vertical town carved into the Salento cliffs, known for its deep, crystalline waters and ancient Roman history. The villa is located a short walk from the bustling port and the Piazza Perotti, where the local cultural scene thrives in the summer. A car is recommended for exploring the wider Puglia region—Otranto is 30 minutes north, while the baroque splendor of Lecce is less than an hour away. The surrounding landscape is a mix of dramatic limestone formations and olive groves, offering some of the most scenic driving routes along the Adriatic.