Trullo Tarturiello

Sitting on a hilltop between Ceglie Messapica and Martina Franca, over the centuries the eleven trulli in the Tarturiello complex were built on, one at a time, as the family itself grew, and one of its main cones, the Royal Cone (or "cono reale") used to hold a millstone. These ancient trulli dominate a countryside that is partly pristine and has partly been restored to its original beauty - with four hectares of olive trees, fruit trees and newly-planted vines of Negroamaro and Malvasia nera. The spirit of the location comes to the fore thanks to the originality of the conservation and refurbishment work carried out here. The cones stand on bedrock which surfaces in the great courtyard - where a persimmon tree grew from seed - which provides access to the swimming pool on a stone terrace.

Inside the house are four bedrooms, two with en-suite bathrooms, two large living rooms - each with its own fireplace - and a large kitchen inside a trullo which was once used for making wine. Some of the features in the rooms are redolent of their previous functions: the hay room with its "light" from above, where the cone has a window in the place of the ancient chianca stone, thus creating a bright sunlit environment; and there are still marks in the wine room showing where the grapes were crushed, with a hole in the floor to hold the press; and the old stables where the original mangers have been maintained. Olive oil, wine and all of the typical summer preserves are produced on the estate. A large vegetable garden where various seasonal crops grow is at your disposal. Off the courtyard is the great bread oven which is still in use today, especially for pizzas and focaccias. The Tarturiello trulli can sleep 8-10 people.

Eighteen kilometres from the sea, 6 km from Ceglie Messapica and 8 km from Martina Franca, the Tarturiello trulli have a number of spacious, comfortable living rooms and a series of bedrooms all connected by passageways and archways, making it the ideal place for a larger group of holidaymakers, as each member of the group can enjoy maximum privacy and freedom of movement. The thick walls and the way the building is preserved ensure that the inside of the trulli is very cool, even in the most torrid heat of Apulian summers. The beautiful 5 x 12 metre swimming pool is a luxury item, to be enjoyed by young and old alike, whether energetic or looking for relaxation. The whole structure is built in a sober uncluttered style, aiming to achieve a combination of the essential and the authentic, introducing you to the origins of the place in this beautifully refined natural setting.

The floor of the spacious kitchen, made up of two cones and a grandiose archway, still features the original paving stones, and many of the pieces of furniture and decorations are original. The refurbishment and conservation work has brought out the best in the ancient architecture. Modern technology and conveniences include two fridges, a dishwasher, an electric oven and a microwave oven. From the kitchen, along a corridor which in actual fact is a hole through a four-metre-thick wall, is a living room with a fireplace, sofa and armchair - a great place to spend a winter's evening in front of the fire, or a summer's afternoon, where a siesta sheltered from the searing heat of the day will refresh both body and mind. Another living room area with a fireplace, which also has its own entrance from the courtyard by the main entrance, leads to three double bedrooms (convertible on request into twin rooms) and two shower rooms.

The bedrooms are spacious and comfortable, one having a pouffe bed that will suit a child. With its independent entrance from the main courtyard, the junior suite has the fourth double room, with the third bathroom and a dressing room containing a single bed. The terrace outside is plushly equipped with parasols and garden furniture, as well as two hot showers which despite being close to the swimming pool are sheltered and hidden from view. Behind the house is a well-equipped laundry with a washing machine and drying room . The property is surrounded both inside and outside the garden by a plethora of fruit trees, Mediterranean maquis, a vineyard and a wealth of olive trees.