The New York Times voted Puglia as southern Italy’s most up-and-coming destinations and rightly so. Villa Santoro is located in the Valle d’Itria region, of Puglia with its rolling hills, meadows and ancient olive groves. Rebuilt by a Milanese and Austrian architect/designer duo, Bricchi-Marksteiner, this is a small masseria (farmhouse) that encompasses two trulli, witch-hat shaped buildings that look like something out of a fairytale. The combined trulli and masseria style typical and unique to the area have been retained along with internal original stonework and vaulted ceilings. The buildings are a wonderful combination of simple curves and straight lines, permeated by pale, tranquil minimalism. Big French windows allow light and air to flood through the space, even in summer, there’s usually a breeze.

Traditional and contemporary, glamorous and rustic, the gorgeous villa’s interior spaces are open and airy and have been sympathetically restored to give a clean minimal space with all the possible modern appliances and furnishings. The villa has the beautiful local Fasano limestone flooring throughout. The house is perched on a hillside with stunning views over valleys towards the hilltop towns of Cisternino and Locorotondo. The villa sits in its own 2-acre grounds dotted with olive and almond trees, lavender and shrubs as well as numerous fruit trees including apricot, fig, pear and pomegranate. The large natural lake-style swimming pool is situated just below the outside seating and kitchen area.