Villa Cervarolo is set in 2.5 acres of rolling olive groves and faces west down a valley to where the sun sets spectacularly each evening. It has been renovated to the highest specification by an Austrian and Milanese architect team and British interior designer/owner. The interior has been designed to offer guests unparalleled luxury blending modern minimalist glamour with the traditional features of the original trullo and lamia: gleaming stainless steel kitchen appliances set in rough natural stone; smooth polished concrete bathrooms in cool neutral tones with fluffy white towels and evocative lighting; bedrooms in warm Moorish colours combining beautifully in these gloriously cool spaces, all of which have large comfortable beds, crisp white linen and touches of luxury at every turn. Detail and imagination are apparent throughout this property which offers 5-star luxury in one of the most sought-after corners of Italy.

The owners have very cleverly introduced North African influences to the interior and exterior: the oasis-inspired 12m x 6m private chemical free swimming pool; the desert palms and cycads dotted around the pool and kilims nonchalantly placed underfoot in the outside sitting area. All this is just a foretaste of the effortless chic that characterizes this outstanding villa.

Villa Cervarolo is located in the Itria valley between the towns of Cisternino and Ostuni in Puglia, a region on the south-eastern heel of Italy nestled between the Ionian and Adriatic seas. Puglia enjoys the climate of the Southern Mediterranean but its privileged geographical position between two coastlines ensures that summer temperatures remain comfortable.

The region's varied landscapes of striking natural beauty, its magnificent coastlines boasting sandy beaches to match any in the Mediterranean and wild rocky headlands have forged its reputation as an unbeatable all-year-round destination for visitors in search of sun, culture, cuisine and lazy living, all within a three-hour flight from Europe's main cities.

Puglia, however, sets itself apart from other better-known parts of Italy in many ways, not least of which is the region's very own trullo. Trulli are cone-shaped dwellings built since the 18 th century with immensely thick walls offering protection against the summer sun and whose unique architectural design has been used to stunning effect in the conversion of these ancient dwellings into villas which have become very popular as holiday homes.

Villa Cervarolo is one such example.