Villa Marianna sits on a hilltop in the southernmost Salento subregion of Puglia (the "heel" of the Italian "boot") between the medieval towns of Ostuni and Ceglie Messapica. The property offers panoramic views taking in 3 ancient hilltop towns sweeping away to distant views of the Ionian Sea over a landscape of olive groves dotted with typical masserie (farmhouses) and trulli cones (a type of rustic conical stone building unique to this region and protected by UNESCO status).
The property is set at the center of two and a half acres of gardens with olive, fruit & nut trees, pine grove and stone walled terraces stepping down the hillside and despite its lofty position offers a good level of privacy.
With so many facilities and amenities it feels like a mini private resort.
Comprising a 3 bedroom villa and a 2-bedroom adjacent manor house (a converted barn) each with its own independent lounge, dining and kitchen areas and outdoor terraces. The two buildings make Villa Marianna ideal for multigenerational family groups or multiple families wishing to enjoy holidays together. The dual facilities provide a great deal of flexibility enabling a degree of privacy if required yet still offering multiple locations around the property and on the land where everyone can gather for fun, games and convivial meals.
Outside the hard-to-beat amenities include a large tiled swimming pool, shallow relax/splash pool, roof garden, sunken Moroccan style roof terrace with futons and mood lighting, large covered pool terrace for alfresco living with its own lounge, dining table, bar and cooking on a BBQ or large gas ring with huge pans for paella, risotto or pasta. This terrace has dimmable chandeliers for getting the atmosphere just right on those warm summer nights. On the trullo terrace there is a wood-fired pizza oven and BBQ, fire-pit and large dining table. The villa Courtyard has a further BBQ and dining table.
For the active there are volleyball/badminton and boules/bocce courts. an exercise platform with multiple bars, some weights, fitness straps and a punch bag. There is a round-the-clock, 5 hole mini golf course on the pine terrace, croquet ‘lawn’, darts and corn hole game.
Part way up the hill is a terrace facing the rising sun with a covered exercise/yoga platform (with mats).
The slope of the hill is terraced with drystone walls and the upper terraces have been left semi-wild and have several strategically placed, secluded relaxing areas with hammocks and loungers affording splendid views away to the coast.
Indoors you will find all bedrooms are en-suite and air conditioned with 4 of bedrooms opening directly onto terraces. The villa and the manor house each have their own well-equipped independent kitchens, lounges and dining areas. Both have full, speedy wifi coverage (as does the pool) and TVs with DVD, Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku.
Villa Marianna has well stocked libraries for books, CDs, DVDs, board games and card games. The house and pool terraces have hifi systems and villa a portable ‘beat box’ and for on the roof or out on the trullo terrace there is a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker which has an impressive sound.
The villa has a laundry room while the house kitchen has a dishwasher, blender, toaster, and pasta maker. For coffee lovers there are espresso machines, filter coffee makers, and French press.
Guests are welcome to help themselves to any of the herbs or fruits in the gardens that may be in season during their visit. Please note that we do not accept pets on the premises.
Parking is plentiful and secure behind lockable gates.
THINGS TO DO OFF-SITE
Local chefs offer pasta and pizza making lessons. A little further away there is 5-star golf course and boat rentals. There are 2 local bike hire companies to choose from. Organised group walks and cycle excursions take place through the Millenaria di Puglia organisation.
EATING OUT
There is a wide spectrum of excellent restaurants ranging from cheap and cheerful family cooking and lots of it to award-winning fine dining. There are also plenty of cafes and bars in the area and in adjacent towns. Ask to be mailed our restaurant list for more details.
EATING IN
There are 2 well-equipped kitchens with burners, oven, toaster, kettle, juicer, slow cooker, fridge, freezer, dishwasher etc. which gives groups of guests the opportunity to be flexible and independent or share the catering. Outside on the pool terrace there is a large gas BBQ and large gas ring for paella and risotto and large pan cooking . The villa Courtyard has a charcoal only grill and on the Trullo terrace is a wood-fired pizza oven. There are several outdoor seating areas around the pool, on the land , on the roof on the terraces in sun or shade as well as indoor dining areas in both buildings.
SHOPPING
FOOD
Masseria Fragnite about 2km away has a wider selection of cheeses including mozzarella. They also have homemade salami, ham and flour. You can buy fresh milk here if you ask for it in the cheese shop (take a bottle to put it in).
Macelleria Aziendale is a farm butcher is about a km down the road towards Antimo’s and you can get just about anything here from a whole goat to a beef burger. All excellent quality and reasonably priced. Every day except for Sunday there is a fornello pronto here where you can choose your meat and they BBQ it for you and you can eat it in the adjacent dining area with wine, water, beer, salad and bread or take it away.
Ceglie and Ostuni street market on Saturday morning are good for food, clothes and odd bits and pieces.
Both Ceglie and Ostuni have lots of specialist shops that you will find just by driving around: Pescheria-fish, Macelleria-butcher, Caesificio or fromaggeria-cheese, Panificio –bread, foccacia and cakes, Pastificeria-fresh pasta, Pasticceria- cakes, Gelateria-ice cream and frozen cakes, Frutti/vedure-fruit & vegetables, Cantina-wine, Enoteca-wine & olive oil.
SUPERMARKET: The closest (and best with the best range of goods) local supermarket is DOK (5 mins).
CLOTHES
The Saturday morning markets in Ostuni and Ceglie have reasonably priced fashionable clothes as does Grottaglie market on Thursday morning. There is a good selection of shops in the Shopping Malls (see below). The main street in Ostuni has a good selection of designer shops. Grottaglie market on Thursday morning is good for clothes. At the far end of the market there are tables of clothes, a bit like a jumble sale, and you can pick up some designer bargains here for just a few Euros. Wear a swimsuit and a brave face if you want to try things on as there are no changing rooms.
SOUVENIRS
More than you can shake a stick at in the trulli town of Alberobello and Centro Storico in Ostuni.
SHOPPING MALLS
There is an Auchan near Mesagne (30 mins drive) on the Brindisi to Taranto motorway and another mall just outside Brindisi (40 mins drive) on the same road. There is a good selection of shops at both.
FESTIVALS AND FAIRS (FESTA, SAGRA, FIERA)
All the local town have an abundance of these during the summer months and some nights you can stand on the roof terrace and watch a succession of distant firework displays from all directions. The events are not very well publicized and often only at short notice
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PLACES TO GO ( a small selection)
ON THE COAST
North Coast
Beaches: Torre Guaceto ( a nature reserve, no cafes or kiosks so you will need to take everything with you, Pantanagianni, Egnazia (just the Savelletri side of Egnazia). The beach with the young buzz, loud bars, pizzeria and fish restaurant is Lido di Bosca Verde near Pilone.
Savelletri and Torre Canne has a very good selection of seafood restaurants.
Octopus BBQ (and other seafood’s)-La Rotunda: Between Torre Canne and Savelletri
Towns: Villanova: a little fishing port. Polignano Al Mare (perched on cliffs). Trani and Monopoli have interesting small harbors. Otranto has an unusual church with skulls and a tree of life in the floor.
The big towns of Bari and Brindisi have extensive port areas and old centres. They are both ferry ports.
South Coast
Beaches: take your pick anywhere between San Pietro di Bevagna and Campomarina (between Porto Caesareo and Taranto).
Taranto has an large port are and old centre and extensive mussel beds.
Gallipoli is an interesting port with adjacent beaches and reputed to be the south Puglia clubbing hot-spot.
INLAND
Ostuni, and Ceglie with their medieval Centro Storicos are a wondrous confusion of winding streets and alleys. Ostuni also has impressive views away to the sea and is the more cosmopolitan of the 2 towns. But Ceglie has a more ‘real’ Italian feel.
Carovigno has an old centre with a small castle that has a very picturesque courtyard. There are tours round the castle (last one at 6pm).
Locorotondo is a very stylish town with a plethora of balconies and pleasant strolls. Some good eating places as well.
Lecce, named Florence of the south by the Lecce tourist board, has lots of interesting and unusual buildings: can be reached by train from Ceglie which makes for a nice day out. In the other direction the train goes to Martina Franca.
Oria, good castle, museum, gardens and surrounding old town, Vecchia Oria is a good seafood restaurant
Matera (Sassi), a fascinating semi-deserted town of cave dwellings. The location for Mel Gibson’s film The Passion Of Christ and is the European City Of Culture 2019
Alberobello, a completely unique town made almost entirely of trulli. A must even though it is very touristy.
Grotte di Castellano, spectacular limestone caves, Italy’s longest cave system.
