The Cottage

A luxury villa to rent near Ostuni, Puglia, Italy

A contemporary, minimalist take on a traditional Puglian cottage, just ten minutes from the coast and surrounded by fruit trees.

Designed by architect Andrew Trotter, this is a contemporary take on a traditional Puglian lamia or small country cottage. Interiors are rustic and minimalist, sparsely furnished but bright and airy, the thick white walls helping to keep the rooms cool and quiet. In truth it wouldn’t look out of place if perched on a Greek island.

The entrance leads to an open-plan living space marked by a fireplace, beyond which is a fully equipped kitchen with a wonderfully destressed antique wooden table. Two bedrooms and two bathrooms ensure amply space and privacy for a family of four or friends travelling together.

Outside on a raised terrace is a small private pool that looks out upon acres of olive trees, almond trees, fig and pear trees.

The coast is a mere ten-minute drive away while the nearby village of Ostuni practically begs to be explored, its gothic cathedral and labyrinthine tangle of whitewashed houses rising high above a plateau that’s been carpeted in olive trees.