Palazzina Alchimia
Palazzina Alchimia is a vacation rental in a Puglian townhouse from the 18th century with one bedroom, tasteful interiors and a beautiful roof terrace with views of the sea.
Spending time on the rooftop terrace while enjoying the view is a unique experience that deeply satisfies the mind.
Casa Pinta
Vieste is a beautiful seaside town that is still under the radar and a great base to explore the Gargano Peninsula. It offers beautiful beaches, historic towns, mountains, and delicious food.
How would you describe Casa Pinta in a nutshell?
Casa Pinta is a contemporary Mediterranean house by the sea that has been renovated by local craftsmen while respecting the original building techniques. It features natural colours, minimalist furnishings and authentic hospitality. It’s an ideal place for guests who seek out the Mediterranean lifestyle and the simple pleasures of daily life.
What is the story behind Casa Pinta, what was your inspiration to create it?
I have been working in hospitality for many years with my partner, Andrea. Over time, I felt the need to create a space that reflected me, as close as possible to my ideal aesthetic, which differs from that of the properties I take care of. While I give a very personal welcome in my managerial role, I remain bound by the choices of the property owners in terms of interior design and building materials.
Thus began my obstinate search for a space that was capable of expressing the architectural and artistic potential of Apulian towns — the high-domed vaults, the sea views, the small terraces, the floors with the “chianche”. The real estate agency promised me a house that, while perhaps in very bad shape, would have a view that would take your breath away.
When I saw Casa Pinta, I was struck by the volume of the rooms, the large vaulted ceilings, the unhinged wooden frames. It literally rained concrete on our heads and in the walls we could see stones, tuffs and carousels — elements from old construction techniques that were so suggestive I thought “I am going to leave everything as it was, scrape off the lime and nothing else”.
Instead, I started a long renovation project to bring back to life an abandoned house from the early 20th century. I felt the need to create a simple, authentic, contemporary and minimalist space that was able to connect its guests with that Mediterranean part of ourselves that is independent of any place of birth.
How would you describe the atmosphere and the interior design of Casa Pinta?
The feeling that neutral tones and natural materials evoke is a tranquility of the soul. You are immediately enveloped by this atmosphere of calm and well-being. The contemporary and simple interiors create space (instead of taking it away) and that space returns us to ourselves and to our thoughts, which flow slower when we are on vacation. New creative energies are created.
Casa Pinta’s building is inhabited by both locals and vacationers, and in the warmer months, the atmosphere is of a classic Italian summer retreat. People descend the ancient stone stairways and walk the vaulted corridors of the building with inflatable mattresses in hand, rushing to the small beach out front. From here, it is possible to reach the lighthouse island by walking through the shallow water at low tide.
To you personally, what is so special about Casa Pinta?
The roof! Spending time on the rooftop terrace of the house, lying on the sofa (perhaps with a glass of wine) while enjoying a view that literally takes your breath away is a unique experience that deeply satisfies the mind. The most beautiful part of our job is witnessing the exact moment our guests discover the space and reading the enchantment in their eyes. Some evenings, before sunset, the sky is tinged with a mauve colour and the town appears as though it has been painted.
What do you particularly like about this part of Italy? How would you describe the region to somebody who doesn’t know it?
The Gargano region and Vieste are places that preserve an almost intact beauty. Man's hand has been light, which ensures a powerful natural energy that is capable of regenerating the soul of anyone who visits.
On the third floor of an early twentieth-century building overlooking the sea and the white stone houses, you will reach Casa Pinta. One of the beauties of the house is certainly the landing. Its architecture is surprising and the floor was made using cement tiles crafted from recycled material. At first, you enter the dining room where an artisanal kitchen has been created by combining local stone with wood. All of the furniture and doors of the house are made using fir wood, which was chosen for its light colour and practicality. It’s a wood that abounds in nature and is more ecological than others.
On the left side is the first bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and sea views. The bathroom has been created in a stone niche, with the shower in a second, smaller niche next to the double bed. The lights are from Artemide, Seletti and Les Corbusier.
From the right side of the kitchen, you can access a second area of the house, which is divided by two entrances and a central staircase. On the left, you find the second bedroom and its bathroom. The room has a balcony overlooking an internal alley of the 19th-century village and a ladder made by an iron craftsman. He managed to fold a plate-like origami, ensuring a stable and incredibly agile ladder.
The roof-top terrace covers the entire house and is an extraordinary piece of architecture. It features three small bumps in white, walkable lime, on which it is possible to lie down with cushions. There is also a large, stone sofa covered with soft cushions and space to just sit and enjoy a glass of wine.
Each morning, we offer breakfast featuring natural products that are almost entirely prepared by us. After breakfast, we offer daily cleaning of the house and changing of linen, which is all cotton and linen. All of these services are included.
On request, we can organise a tasting of natural wines and traditional foods on the rooftop or a walk through the historic part of Vieste with our guide, Giorgio.
Parking is available and free for our guests. We will welcome you personally and will provide you with precious and little-used information for the discovery of the true beauties of the place. If you wish we will be happy to plan some holiday itineraries with you and we will exchange important information for the organization of your activities through a dedicated number.
All household cleaning and personal care products are organic, free from toxic elements. Even the building materials, the lime on the walls, Pastellone on the floors and coverings, the wood of the furniture and fixtures are made up of 90% natural elements.
There is a small beach just below the house that is ideal for swimming and at low tide, you can reach the island of the lighthouse on foot. Vieste’s two main beaches are 10 minutes walk away. The port, on the other hand, is directly behind the house. Here, you can rent boats to explore the Vieste-Mattinata coast where you will find white sandy beaches nestled beneath cliffs covered by wild vegetation. Alternatively, you can embark on a stunning drive along the coast, with beautiful beaches every few minutes.
And we offer two different experiences:
Casa Pinta is located on the square of the Marina di Vieste in the 19th-century part of the town. In front of the building, there is a small beach that connects to the lighthouse island at low tide. A few steps from us is the port and two very large, classic Italian summer beaches.
Vieste is what we used to call an “island city”, as it is surrounded on three sides by the sea. In the past, it was also nicknamed "The Lost" because it was difficult to reach, protected by the immense cliffs and maritime pines of Gargano National Park.
Around Vieste are a succession of wonderful bays and untouched coves. Gravel, pebbles, sand — each bay differs from the other while maintaining some shared characteristics: the cliffs, the maritime pines and the sea caves that can be visited by kayak or boat. A few kilometres from Vieste are several small, hilltop Apulian villages, such as Peschici, Monte Sant’Angelo and Vico del Gargano. Each boasts atmospheric historical centres and innumerable churches.
Also nearby is the Umbra Forest (the Italian version of Germany’s Black Forest) where you’ll find fallow deer, wolves, holm oaks, birches, pines and a lake. The Gargano region is wild and offers unforgettable trekking from the mountains to the sea.
Along the Gargano coast are several “trabucchi” — ancient, artisanal fishing machines made from marine wood. On some of them, restaurants have been created where you can dine on the freshest fish while enjoying magnificent sunsets. A few miles from Vieste are the Tremiti Islands with their crystal clear waters and pristine nature. Not only are they ideal for diving but simply enjoy the unique scenery.
I think the best time to visit is the end of May and June. Temperatures are high and Italy is not full of tourists, so you have the opportunity to enjoy the beaches all to yourself. But the truth is, there is no absolute “best time”. Personally, I love winter in the Gargano region — that feeling of stillness and calm, the opportunity to walk on deserted beaches. The sun never fails here.
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