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.
We (accidentally) found this property online and although I usually act very rationally, we just bought it without a lot of discussions.
How would you describe Trullo M in a nutshell?
Trullo M combines authenticity with a spectacular view, positioned on the top of a hill overlooking the coast. It’s difficult to find older buildings that have retained their original elements and are in such a location, so that’s what makes it special.
What’s your connection to Puglia?
We had a dream for several years to buy something abroad as a holiday home and began looking first in France and Spain. But we never really found the ideal property with the finesse you find in Italy. In May 2015, we booked a holiday in Puglia and just fell in love with the area. We (accidentally) found this property online and although I usually act very rationally, we just bought it, without a lot of discussion about the price.
How would you describe the style of the house and the interior design?
Trulli M is an original Puglian house called a cassina a trulli that features an architecture specific to the area and our aim was to respect its authenticity in the interior design. For example, all of the tiles are original and we didn’t break them for the underground heating system. The interior is a mix of Italian furnishings with Scandinavian styling, combining both Northern and Southern European elements.
How would you describe the atmosphere of Trullo M?
It’s very authentic and genuine. We have a large amount of land dotted with olive trees that stretches down to the coast, creating a really nice atmosphere. One of the reasons we bought in the area is because we’re close to the main road, so it’s ideal for people who want to be in a quiet location but still close to town.
What made you fall in love with this part of Puglia?
It was a combination of things. I love the drystone trulli architecture as they only do it in Puglia and the cones are very difficult to build. But I also appreciate the olive groves, the good weather and the people who are very open and friendly. When you ask something, nothing is ever too much. I also love the Puglian food, with big servings that we were not used to!
The main entrance door is the smallest in the house and opens to the parking area. After you enter the hallway, you’ll find the open-plan kitchen and dining room on the right (we also have a separate area with a pizza oven) and then as you walk through the hallway, you’ll arrive in the living room. The three main bedrooms are accessed from here, so everything is on one floor, with only a few steps in the kitchen.
One of the rooms has a king-size bed, the other a queen size and the third is smaller, with integrated bunk beds that are ideal for children. The two bedrooms have their own small bathroom and there’s also a separate bathroom next to the kitchen. Aside from the main building, we have the Lamia building that’s like a pool house and features another bedroom with a queen-size bed and bathroom.
The pool is situated on a terrace with shade covering and boasts 180-degree sea and valley views. There are cushions to relax on and a dining area where you can seat 8-10 people.
Weekly cleaning is included in the price, with a change of linen and towels, and our property manager can arrange cooking lessons, excursions and boat trips.
We have baby beds and high chairs for children, so it’s very child-friendly, but we also have couples booking and groups of friends. Although we can host 8 people, I think it’s ideal for 6 or 7, as it may feel too crowded with more. The interior is only around 120 square metres, but we have a lot of outside space for guests to enjoy.
Definitely going to the coast because the beaches are never far away. We are in between two coasts — the Adriatic and Ionian — so the position is great. I would also recommend Locorotondo, as it’s one of the most beautiful villages in the region and not so touristy. In July and August it hosts the Locus Festival, so every evening you have live music in the historic centre.
But there are so many little villages in the region where you can just stroll, grab a drink and taste the olives. You’ll never get bored. You can drive south to Gallipoli or just discover places that aren’t mentioned in the guidebooks. Every time we visit we find new ‘pearls’ and this is part of the region’s charm.
We have a private road that leads to our house and accesses the main road to Fasano. It’s only five kilometres to Fasano, while the hilltop village of Locorotondo is six kilometres in the other direction. There’s a shopping centre on the road to Locorotondo where you can buy everything you need, but there’s also a small shop within walking distance of Trullo M to buy bread, cheese and meats. It’s quite convenient when people first arrive and need some basic groceries.
We are only 15 mins by car to Savelletri, a little fishing harbour that’s surrounded by lots of beaches. Many of them have beach clubs. We particularly like Archeolido, which has a few small places where you can grab a drink or bite to eat but still has a local atmosphere. We also like Polignano a Mare that’s nestled between two rocks and San Vito that has views of an old abbey. We are also in close proximity to the Parco Naturale Regionale Terra delle Gravine that’s ideal for walking and soaking up the views.
From May to the end of October is a nice period weather-wise, but in July and August it can get quite crowded. If you want to go to the beach and it’s important that you swim, then June or September is ideal. But even in April and May it’s quite nice, as the landscape is green and filled with flowers. Aesthetically it’s prettier than July and August when it can be quite dry.
In winter it’s still warmish but during November it can become quite humid. December and January are both nice as it’s not so expensive and there are not so many people visiting the area. We spent last Christmas and New Year’s there and it was extremely beautiful as the local traditions are very strong. Almost every day there were festivities and people in the streets, so there was always something to do.
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