Key Features

In SOUGHT-AFTER tranquil country area

Private location

Authentic 100-year olf farmhouse to do up

To make your dream house in Puglia

High Star vaulted ceilings

Currently, 45 sqm can be extended to 94 sqm

A pool, veranda and garage possible to build

Land of 9384 sqm (2,3 acres) with olive grove, almond and fig trees

Five minutes to the local village with a bar/cafe and grocery store

9 km to Carovigno & all amenities

7,5 km to the Adriatic Sea &  sandy beaches

25 minutes from Brindisi airport

DESCRIPTION

In the countryside southeast of Carovigno and close to the Adriatic Sea is this stunning stone house built around 1900. The authentic stone building of 45 sqm has high star vaulted ceilings, and retains a wealth of features; like the two water cisterns, the pizza oven, and wall niches. There is a staircase learning up to the full-length roof terrace with great 360 degrees views over the beautiful countryside, where it feels the time has stood still for centuries.

The building is to be modernized and can be extended to 121 sqm gross, whereof a garage/storage at 28 sqm. Plus a veranda of 28 sqm. A pool can be installed. CasaPuglia offers professional project management and can assist in the pre-evaluation phase, obtaining fixed price builders' quotes and supervising the building works from start to ready to move in.

The land is well maintained close to one hectare (2,3 acres) with olive trees, almonds and fig trees.

The property is easily reached on a country lane leading from carovigno. Scattered houses along the lane and several old houses have been converted to modern living. The nearest neighbouring property is a luxurious house with a pool, for sale at 1,3 million Euros, so, there are substantial properties in the area. Thus, developing this property would not only result in a dream house but an excellent investment.

THE AREA

The property is in the countryside; it is private and peaceful yet not isolated, and other houses are not far.

The lovely town of Carovigno, just 7 km away, boasts many excellent restaurants from local trattorie to Michelin star. A beautiful piazza and centro storico, complete with a Norman castle, is perfect for an evening passeggiata!

The beautiful città bianca Ostuni is only 17 km from the property. Ostuni is a buzzy tourist town with restaurants and bars; something always happens.

Many beaches are easily reached in just 10 minutes, along with the gorgeous coastal villages of Santa Sabina and Specchiolla, which are full of seafront restaurants and beach clubs.

Brindisi airport is an easy drive of just 25 km.

WHAT MORE TO SEE:

The farmhouse has the advantage of being within easy reach of many areas of world interest, such as the amazing mile-long caves of Castellana; the archaeological museum and excavations of the Roman Egnatia by the Adriatic coastline; the Trulli houses of Alberobello- a UNESCO World Heritage site: the beautiful white town of Ostuni, located on top of a hill with fantastic sea views; the medieval town of Oria; the wealthy baroque town of Martina Franca; the petite and charming Cisternino, 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 40 minutes and has countless medieval 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. Cutrofiano is famous for French holiday home ownership. 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 secluded, grand 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. 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 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: Bari in the north by car on the motorway in approximately 1 hour 20 minutes and nearby Brindisi in the south in about 25 minutes.

There is a train station at Brindisi, and it is possible to take the train from Bari airport via Bari Central in 1 hour and 25 minutes.

MORE TO SEE IN APULIA:

Bari, 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 Traini, a sophisticated town with a beautiful half-moon bay & marina. Continue north to Castel del Monte, the mystical castle Frederic II built in the 13th 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 socialising; the home is used for sleeping and breakfast, and the Italians go out for enjoyment and dining. There is so much you can experience, like early morning markets in small towns, music festivals, religious carnivals, the beach life, historical tours in the main towns, cooking classes, learning a bit of Italian at language schools in Lecce, dining at the many country and sea side restaurants, night clubbing 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. Scuba diving and fishing are available in Santa Sabina. Torre Guaceto nature reserve also extends to the sea, so the coastline presents a heaven of sea life, ideal for snorkelling.

Golf has five good courses, and San Domenico is world class (PGA 2014 Challenge Final). Tennis, horseback riding, hiking and bicycle tours are other options for the active-minded. Squash clubs are located in Bari, Bitonto and other places.

THE WEATHER:

Southern Italy is warm and friendly, and the temperature in Serra Nova is temperate all year round. Even in the cold of January, it doesn't drop much below 15c. Serra Nova has a microclimate.

The temperature in Apulia is very temperate. May, June, July, and September tend to be 25 to 30 March, April and October in the 20c. The summer months can get to 40c, ideal for those sun lovers.

Winter temperatures: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. range from 8c to 15c, depending on the sun. We have had weeks of endless sunshine during the "Winter". Places like Ostuni, Fasano and Cisternino are very hilly and can even have occasional snowfalls. The temperature can differ between these cities by 10c.

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 that you will spend a lot more time outside than on the inside compared to at home. Therefore, you will need plenty of terrace space, pergolas etc., at your Apulian property and also, cooking facilities outdoors 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. This means you & family will spend time at the beach. Wherever you are in Apulia, you can reach the shores within 30 minutes.

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. The property prices are low in Apulia, and inadequate means value for money at bargain prices for international buyers. 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. We see more and more foreign visitors coming to Apulia. In our opinion, investments will show good growth in value because of the increased demand for northern Italians, as Apulia has become the most popular holiday destination for Italians. But rest assured; no tourist villages will ever be built because, in Apulia, the coastline is protected, and people are against modern developments which 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 CASAPUGLIA?

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 specialise 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 - 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 project. 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 check in your tenants, deposit taking, checking out & inventory control.

Refer also to our website.

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