Rent a Villa in Puglia

22nd - 29th April 06
Friend and Guest I hope-----
I've had the most wonderful time – the house is so beautiful and so comfortable – sad to have to leave what feels like home after only a week. And the area – so different rom the Italy I know.....it really is so beautiful (we were here at just the right time for all the spring flowers) and fascinating I'm sure it'll be a source of inspiration for many more than just your painting – it's really captured my imagination --
THANK You – Charlotte Evans

22nd - 29th April
Absolutely beautiful – you have a little piece of paradise – thank you so much for giving myself and Charlotte the opportunity to come and experience it.
Lucy Priest

Saturday May 6th -Thursday May 11th 2006
Although a short trip we managed to cover most of the local villages, both coasts, Lecce (7/10), Taranto (2/10) as well as numerous restaurants. In Cisternino Bel Italia was as good as John had predicted and we had a memorable three hour lunch on Sunday in Osteria Santa Anna. Locorotondo has stunning views and Alberobello is well worth a visit for the streets of Trulli.

The market in Martina Franca is enormous. The clothing stalls are pretty tacky but the food stalls were excelent. All the locals seemed extremely helpful and friendly. In most of the restaurants we found the house red was more than adequate and much better than the equivalent in the UK. The antipasti are usually excellent and the plates just keep on arriving.

We accidentally set the alarm off once and the local carbinieri (sic)...private security was here in ˝ an hour, very relaxed and happy t discuss Italy and England's chances in the upcoming world cup! The flora enthusiasts among us found a wonderful variety of plants and flowers within walking distance. The pool of course is magnificent, though those of us who braved the sea thought it was marginally warmer!

All in all a wonderfully relaxing break and best of all we only heard English spoken twice.
Paul and Sally Viney, Paul and Lydia Sellars, Martin and Phil Stanley

Sunday 21st May 2006 – Friday 26th May 2006
From the warm welcome of Cristina until our last meal at Bel Italia, we have had a wonderful break in your beautiful villa. The highlights of our stay have included barbecued fish and steak (from the markets and Cisternino and Martina Franca), exploring the trulli of Alberobello, a shiatsu massage from Vincenzo and lounging by the pool like a couple of Hollywood movie stars!

We will return to replenish our stocks of prosciutto ham, parmesan cheese and expanding collection of Italian reds....

As beautiful as the nearby towns are we found it difficult to tear ourselves away from the luxurious Villa + pool with it's own breathtaking wild flowers + olive trees!

We've loved every moment and are “trulli” grateful for such a memorable holiday.

Love + Best Wishes

Blossom and Bruce

June 3rd -17th 2006
We've had a perfectly delightful fortnight here, with visit to all the neighbouring towns & excursions by one and more of our family of eight to Lecce, the Salentine Peninsula, Barletta (jumping off place of the 3rd Crusade), Castel del Monte & Matera.

Our enterprising children even drove to Pompeii and back! Lovely weather, if a bit cool and showery for the first ten days (never enough H2O to dampen activities). The house itself is an architectural gem that it was fun to be in charge of for a time. Thankyou and “alla prossima”

- David & Andrea Dassori, children, children in law & Italian friend Emma, David, Andrew, Michael, Melissa, Allesandro & Marina.

June 23rd-July 2nd '06
There is ample room on this page to report on what we got up to on our holiday in this wonderful place and I think that therein lies the beauty. You don't have to do very much or g very far to really feel like you are experiencing “true” Italy at it's finest.

Whether we wer taking in the wealth of plants and flowers around the villa itself or venturing out to one of the local towns (primarily Cisternino) we always felt that we were being treated to an unspoilt representation of what life really is like out here. Hot, leisurely and beautiful.

The villa fits in so harmoniously with it's surroundings that everything just “works” perfectly. The open-plan layout has to be commended. It goes without saying that the pool is fab and that it adds another element of exclusivity to the property. You really do feel pretty special when you stay here!

Highlights – Happy Point, gorgeous pizza at nice prices. Seeing the grounded cargo ship HANIFE ANA close up. The food markets. Swimming while bats were dive bombing in the late evenings. Thanks John, Chris & Char

So far so good I am having a fantastic time here in Santoro! It is really fantastic! The pool is gorgeous day and night and the villa is a gem. You are very lucky to have it. I v. glad we have still got 4 days left. It really feels like home. Amazing! Thankyou!

Love Antonia xxx – 25/07/06

Tuesday July 25th 2006

Fabulous villa I really like the swimming pool but I need to make a few suggestions you night want to tie a rope swing onto the tree near the pool and I don't like the idea of a bedroom on it's own outside because everybody might want to be together. And you might want to put a Telivision in the villa or something like that and I think that everybody would like some air conditioning because it gets really hot

Thankyou so much for letting all 7 of us staying here it's lovely. Louise Fenn

Love to come again Super villa

8th - 22nd July

John. A quick note of thanks. We had a wonderful time and your place is really lovely. You should make more of the great location and the wonderful breezy climate. We will definitely recommend it to other friends.

Once again many thanks. Michael Hartnett .... (emailed)

22nd-29th July 2006
Absolutely fabulous time. Exceeded expectations which were very high. Delightful area of the world. Very unspoilt and everybody very helpful and friendly. Villa and pool quite exceptional and would very much like to return.

Many thanks,

Michael Beech

29 July-12 August

The Powells

Things we loved: The house, the pool, early morning swims, supper at Bella Italia, meat from Romanelli's in Martina Franca, Lecce-a most beautiful place, lunch at Guido & Figli in Lecce.

Things we want to come back: The house, the pool, early morning swims, Cisternino and the market in Martina Franca to buy an espresso maker.

Rosemarie Powell

The Powells Part Two

Sorry for the previous entry ....... it sucks

Things we loved: Fat old Italian men sitting on the streets, staring as you walk by. Continuing on Louse Fenn's suggestions I think a space shuttle in the garden would really bring the whole place together.

CharliePowell x

The Powells Part Three

Cheers it was well wicked. Bo!

Henry x

27th August -> 9th September

Our second visit to Santoro, this year the weather was fantastic – not a cloud in the sky. Th villa was just as we remembered it, charming and very comfortable. Local markets great fun, Ryanair however restricted what we could take home!

We had a wonderful dinner at Il Ritrovo degli Amici (in Martina Franca) and would strongly recommend it.

Thank you for a lovely holiday-we really don't want to go home.

Gregor, Sarah and Hugo Scott

16-23 September 2006

Ten friends and one bambino (plus two bumps) enjoying the delights of Villa Santoro in the September sunshine – what more could we ask for? This amazing place has the real “wow” factor and we're really enjoying relaxing, swimming, drinking gallons of vino rosso, eating like kings, laughing, interesting pool games (boys reverting to being 11 year olds...), having a siesta every afternoon, cooking on a wood fire nearly every night and making the most of the space and the atmosphere.

We visited Cisternino and Martina Franca markets, tasted amazing pecorino and bought kilos of fruit and vegetables.....Had a great meal at Bella Italia, visited the Tresoli oil farm, tucked into pizzas in MF and had several walks in the lanes around the villa (we even picked blackberries and made a crumble)

It's been “trulli trulli” amazing!!

Liz and Martin Gough Helen and Simon Cairns Billy & Sam ...........et al ......
(and bump) (and bump!)

23rd - 30th September

Dear John
.................The hot water, the electricity and most importantly the weather did indeed all sort themselves out. We had a most fantastic time, made all the better by the fact that we were able to enjoy the better weather into Sunday. It really was very good of you to allow me and Anna to stay the extra night and you can be sure we will be back next year. Cristina was also a great help – a real gem for you to have on the ground down there.

Many thanks again and look forward to being in touch. Alastair Coutts .... (e-mailed)

Oct, 14-20
Our group has enjoyed your villa and it has been the perfect base from which to cycle and explore this beautiful region of Italy.
Though we've had perfect cycling weather, we regret it was too cool to enjoy the pool + outdoor dining area. But we could not have wished for a more delightful Puglia experience.

Thank-you John

Antonello + Christina. All the best,
Bruce + Rose Smith Gary + Diane Chomin
John + Audrey Scott John St. Germain
Jennifer Chen

Prices, Availability and Booking HERE