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Masseria Antonio Augusto
Leverano, Lecce, Salento, Italy
Masseria Antonio Augusto
Leverano, Lecce, Salento, Italy
The Heart and Soul of Puglia
Once a flower market, this villa for rent in Puglia is now an elegant mix of traditional and contemporary. Completely renovated, it retains the soul of the original, centuries-old building, but with injections of innovative design.
Its walls are made of hand-polished local limestone or pietra Leccese, and the travertine marble floors have been given an elegant matte finish. The arched hallways with their soaring ceiling paintings have been carefully restored. These bones provide the perfect backdrop for elements brought to the home by its owner, Antonio.
The striking interiors of the masseria are filled with furnishings from Antonio's adopted home in Belgium, and these artistic pieces lend the space a unique character. (Read more here.) The list of design partners is impressive: lighting by Eden, smart televisions by Bang & Olufsen, and linens by Society. But it's the installation-style pieces that really stand out, most notably the stripped-down wooden works by Belgian artist and furniture designer Casimir.
There's an oak installation in the entrance, and a long oak table with geometrically carved tree-trunk benches in the silent room, a space that can be reserved for private dining. Head out into the gardens and curl up in the dramatic outdoor furnishings by Tribù that line the edges of the sun-drenched pool.
This villa for rent in Puglia invites you to lose yourself in space and time. Set up as a small boutique hotel with an on-site restaurant, it is currently being rented as a private villa. Chef services can be added to the rental at additional charge, and the owners favor a renowned plant-based chef who creates dazzling farm-to-table dishes. However, If vegan isn't your thing, a chef who cooks fish and meat is also available. For an interview with Chef Melo, please visit our Stories section here.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Masseria Antonio Augusto can be rented privately for up to 18 adults and 7 children, with hotel-style amenities and services. It has nine rooms and suites: 1 Suite, 1 Junior Suite, 3 Deluxe Rooms, 3 Classic Rooms (2 for families) and 1 Upper Room. There are two large drawing rooms, three private dining rooms, a professional kitchen, a spa with a heated Jacuzzi, a barbecue, ping pong table, herb garden, and private car parking. Where the wine cellar used to be, there is now a spa, with a sauna, Turkish bath and vertical massage shower.
Included in the rates for 2023 are the following: a healthy breakfast (food costs included), lunch or dinner service with Chef Melo, service of a bartender and waiters for eight hours a day, house manager service for eight hours a day, and evening turn-down in rooms.
Please note that the kitchen is for professional use only, and Chef Melo's services are included in the rate for two meals per day. His cooking is plant-based, using the vegetables that the property's synergistic garden produces. Plant-based meals are suitable for plant eaters, vegetarians, flexitarians as well as any omnivorous eater looking for a different culinary experience.
AROUND
Puglia is known for its magnificent beaches and clear waters, as well as the natural wonders of the Grottos of Castellan and Fasano. A region that is sun-kissed year round, it's also home to great cuisine and hospitality, and is rich in architecture, having passed through the hands of numerous civilizations from Greeks and Romans to Turks and Franks.
As a result, visitors can explore an array of castles and archeological sites. Make sure to visit Alberobello, with its unique trulli lining the streets, the city of Lecce which is known fondly as the "Florence of the South" for its Baroque palaces and churches, and Ostuni, nicknamed "la città bianca" because of its picturesque white stone houses and churches.
The masseria is just 7km from Porto Cesareo on the Ionian Sea, which is well-known for its golden beaches. The town, with its colorful boats and vibrant fish market, beats to the rhythm of the sea, and is part of Palude del Conte e Duna Costiera, one of the largest nature reserves in Italy. Take a stroll along the trails there, and visit the Oceanography Museum.
LOCATION
Leverano, Lecce, Puglia, Italy. Nearest airport: Brindisi (26 miles).
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year round
