Key features

Romantic tucked-away farmhouse in a beautiful area

Three rooms of 46 sqm net in need of complete restoration

To make two double bedrooms, one bathroom, open plan kitchen

Roof terrace to be made,  with heated spa bath "under the stars"

Land of 7370 sqm with almond, figs and olive trees

The farmhouse has a long 135 m driveway from the road

3,5 km to the village of Serranova

8 km (13 min) to the Adriatic Sea and beaches at Guna beach

18 km from Brindisi Airport

Description

The farmhouse is located in a beautiful area between the small village of Serranova and the sea. Here, scattered farmhouses and active farming for hundreds of years give the impression that time has stood still.

Tucked away from the road, the 135-meter-long driveway leads to this old farmhouse in a private and romantic position with views over the fields and to the ridge of Serranova.

The 45 sq m net floor area farmhouse was built around 1950 and needs complete renovation to create a lovely holiday home, suitable also for lettings.  The accommodation is two double bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living room with an open plan kitchen to be made.  It is suggested to make a staircase and, on the new roof, place a pergola, a stone table with stone benches, and a heated spa bath "under the stars". From the living area, make a new terrace door and also an east-facing pergola for morning coffee when the sun rises from the nearby sea.  Here is also where a BBQ can be installed.

A fixed-price builder's estimate is available, and CasaPuglia offers project management from start to ready to move-in.

The land is 7370 sqm and format a narrow rectangle, almost 300 meters long. The nearest visible neighbouring houses are far away, so the location is secluded but not remote.

The area is actively farmed with wheat, artichokes, melons, cabbage, tomatoes and lots of other vegetables. The ground in the impressive olive grows is, for many months, covered with lots of flowers in the olive groves and a wonderful area for long walks and biking trips.

The nearest village is 3,5 km away and to San Vito dei Normanni & all amenities, it is 10 km. To the sandy beaches at Guna it is 8 km, and by car about 13 minutes only.

Torre Guaceto is a Unesco nature reserve of 22.000 sq. km. Serranova is the centre of the Reserve. There is a visitor’s centre on the main street that tells you all about the area.

Torre Guaceto offers a wonderful light and noise-pollution-free environment. Still, within ten minutes you can be in the lively seaside resorts of Santa Sabina and Specchiolla.

Everyone in the rural area knows each other, and you can expect a visit from the local farmers bearing gifts of locally grown produce.

The area has many small towns, local restaurants and bars that serve locally caught fish.

You may cycle and walk, taking in all the area's history. The Roman Via Appia is just minutes away, The Normal legacy is found in the local towns of San Vito and Carovigno and Brindisi has the famous Roman museum.

If you go to the beach late at night, you might see the locals wading into the water to catch sea life. It is funny watching them with little lamps strapped to their heads, their net on the back, olive oil in an old washing-up liquid bottle and a spear. They squirt a little drop of olive oil on the surface and the squid go crazy!!!

The beaches are small and exclusive, and there are no hotels or fast food places on site for 20 km. Bliss!!!! In the summer, mobile food and drink units go to the beach, the best of both worlds.

The surrounding area has no buildings more than two storeys, so there are no large hotels, condos, or apartment blocks.

The ancient forest of olive trees surrounding Serranova is magnificent, and it’s fantastic to cycle or drive through. The tree's roots come out of the ground like twisted legs, and the branches look like arms. The thick trunks are scored and have large knots that almost look like faces, it reminds you of the trees in the Lord of the Rings.

When you drive through the nature reserve, you are almost deafened by the noise of the crickets sitting in the trees.

The beaches are ideal family places. With shallow coves and protected areas, visiting the beach is a pleasure. The beaches are deserted in the winter and very rarely busy at other times. July and August get busy with Italians from the north but the whole experience of watching Italian families interact is excellent.

20 minutes south is Brindisi a cosmopolitan town of 80,000 inhabitants. English is here more widely spoken as Brindisi has a UN base of 400 employees and many expats from different countries. Brindisi also has an International school. In Brindisi, you can join language classes and cooking schools!

Finally, you are surrounded by olive groves: The olives are harvested from December to February and are handpicked to ensure they produce the best grade of extra virgin olive oil.

WHAT TO SEE:

From the farmhouse, the beaches of the Adriatic Sea are easily reached in approximately 15 minutes. Guna Beach is closest to the beautiful nature reserve TORRE GUACETO, close to the sea. It offers an attractive escape from beach resorts as you find unspoiled beaches and no cars allowed here. The parking is at the visitor's centre, and there are organized nature walks, cycle trekking and snorkelling trips.

The property has the advantage of being so close to a central area of world interest - the beautiful Ostuni, the "white city"; to the charming Cisternino; to other sites like the mile-long caves of CASTELLANA; the archaeological excavations of the Roman EGNATIA by the Adriatic coastline; the Trulli houses of ALBEROBELLO - a UNESCO World Heritage site: the medieval town of ORIA; the wealthy baroque town of MARTINA FRANCA ; the Zoo Safari Park of FASANO (lots of fun for children and adults alike); the caves of POLIGNANO A MARE, well known also for its tasty ice cream; GROTTAGLIE famous for its ceramics and old stone carvings; and last but not least the famous baroque city of LECCE which is called the Florence of the South. Lecce is a beautiful town for long walks, enjoying the fantastic atmosphere, bars, outside restaurants and great shops. Lecce can be reached in 45 minutes and has countless medical churches and a great richness of architecture. The famous Roman amphibian theatre is also used in town for music and drama performances in the open during summer.

Further to the south, inland SALENTO has several charming historical villages with ancient history. The townhouses often come with a garden and roof terrace, and it's fascinating to open the simple door from the street - and inside, almost like a little palace with a garden!

In Sternatina and Martignano to the south of Lecce, antique Greek is still spoken by the villagers.

MAGLIE is like a mini Lecce with many fine buildings. MURO LECCESE is more diminutive and represents a small town/village with an excellent architectural history. RUFFANO has many fine old buildings for sale, waiting to find new owners and to be restored. Surano has a small town centre with very excellent antique facilities for sale. SPONGANO is a small village surrounded by olive groves. Here, you can see grand secluded villas and country retreats owned by foreigners and families from North Italy who come to relax in rural Salento.

The east coast of Salento is rougher than the southwest and for people who enjoy the sea and fishing. It is somewhat more elegant than the East Coast. CASTRO is beautiful with its location on top of the cliff by the sea and many villas with direct access to the sea. SANTA CESAREA TERME is a very popular spa resort with a beautiful setting and bay.

The cost from SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA to GALLIPOLI has many fine sandy beaches. The villages are perhaps not the prettiest, but there is room for beach life, pizzerias, restaurants and disco music in the summertime.

SANTA CATARINA is also well known for its many fine villas in the area, some antique.

The sea outside PORTO CESAREO, further up the coast, is probably the most beautiful and fantastic sunset.

GETTING THERE:

By air, there is a choice of two international airports, served by Ryanair, Easyjet, BA and others, both easily reached: nearby Brindisi in the south in approximately 25 minutes (18 km) and Bari in the north by car on the motorway in about 80 minutes (117 km).

MORE TO SEE IN APULIA:

BARI is the commercial capital city with 250 000 inhabitants, offers the best shopping, a grand opera house called the Petruzzelli teatro and a large medical city centre with many museums. Just north of Bari lies a little town called GIOVINAZZO, a true gem, right by the sea. Further north is Molfetta Outlet, a famous shopping galleria and 20 minutes further is TRANI, a sophisticated town with a beautiful half-moon bay & marina. Continue north to CASTEL DEL MONTE, the mystical castle Frederic II built in the 14th Century.

Within a 2.5-hour drive to the North of Bari lies GARGANO, the peninsula called the spur of the Italian boot. Gargano forms a significant nature and wildlife Reserve and offers hiking and scenic trips around the peninsula. From here, there are daily boat trips to the small TREMITI ISLANDS.

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE:

The Italian lifestyle means many things, especially socializing; the home is used for sleeping and breakfast, and the Italians go out for enjoyment and dining. There are so much you can experience, like early morning markets in small towns, music festivals, religious carnivals, beach life, historical tours in the main towns, cooking classes, learning Italian at language schools in Lecce, dining at the many country and seaside restaurants, and nightclubs at the beach clubs of Capitolo.

SPORTS:

As Apulia is a peninsula surrounded by two seas- the Adriatic in the north and the Ionic in the south - water sports dominate in the area; sailing, yachting, water skiing, kite-surfing, swimming & beach life. Golf has five good courses, and San Domenico is world class (PGA 2014 Challenge Final). Squash clubs are located in Bari, Bitonto and other places. Tennis, horseback riding, hiking and bicycle tours are other options for the active-minded.

THE WEATHER:

Being south, Apulia has warmer weather than Northern Italy; even in the "winter months" of December to February, the average number of sun hours per day is four and 10-11 sun hours per day in June-August! This means you can enjoy a long season of nice weather in Apulia. When you plan to buy a holiday home in Apulia, think you will spend much more time outside than inside and at home. Therefore, you will need plenty of terrace space, pergolas, etc., at your Apulian property, and also, cooking facilities outside are convenient.

The water temperature at the beginning of May is, on average, 19 degrees, up to 27 degrees in August/September and 19 degrees in November. Wherever you are in Apulia, you can reach the shores within 30 minutes! This means you & family will spend time at the beach.

WHY BUY IN APULIA?

Apulia has until recently been called the hidden treasure of Italy, unknown to most tourists who come & stay in Rome, Florence, Venice and the Italian Riviera. However, all this is rapidly changing because of massive investments in the infrastructure, such as the improved motorways, enlarged airports and the introduction of low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet. The property prices are low in Apulia, and inadequate means value for money at bargain prices for international buyers. We see more and more foreign visitors coming to Apulia, and in our opinion, investments will show good growth in value because of the increased demand. Also, for northern Italians, Apulia has become Italians' most popular holiday destination. But rest assured, no tourist villages will ever be built because the coastline is protected in Apulia, and people are against modern developments that do not fit into this historical landscape. Therefore, prices are bound to rise with increased demand for a fixed and limited number of properties,

WHY BUY FROM CASA PUGLIA?

Firstly, we are an English-speaking agency based in the middle of Apulia with local experience and can guide you to get the right property at the right price.

Secondly, we have personally inspected every property we recommend buying and do not list hundreds of properties but a smaller selection of properties that offer good value to the buyer. In Apulia, many properties are offered at unrealistic prices, but we say no to sellers who want us to list properties for sale at silly prices.

We have many years of international property experience, including ten years in London, and we see investments in Apulia from a global perspective. We have been active in several EU property markets and specialize in property management to ensure well-maintained property for growth in property value.

We have a comprehensive range of local services:

- acting for the buyer - and not for the seller - by searching the market for the right property, negotiating the price and giving advice through the buying process leading to the completion of the purchase

- property management: we look after your property when you are away and ensure it is in perfect condition when you arrive. We will prepare a maintenance plan for annual maintenance and repairs of your property, which is essential to maintain and increase the property's value

- project management; we can be your local representative and manage any renovation or refurbishment. We will advise on value-added measures to further enhance your property's capital growth.

- lettings- we can assist you in letting your property and checking in your tenants, deposit taking, checking out & inventory control.

Refer also to our website casapuglia.com

We at team CasaPuglia look forward to hearing from you soon!