Inside a Centuries-Old Masseria in Puglia – Villa Elia

Welcome to Villa Elia, a centuries-old masseria in Puglia born in the 18th century as a noble family's summer refuge, reborn as a sanctuary of art, culture, and elegance. Today, visitors can rent Villa Elia and experience life in the Italian countryside by booking through this link.

Villa Elia's legendary owner is Gaetano Castellini Curiel — a Milanese entrepreneur and cultural diplomat. He built his own career in international relations - spending years traveling to countless countries around the globe, and even helping to secure Milan’s victory in its bid to host the 2015 World Expo.

From those travels, Gaetano brought home more than stamps in a passport. Each antique and art piece in his home here carries a story, all woven into the soul of this historic villa. Villa Elia is his personal diplomacy — a meeting place of cultures, ideas, and powerful friendships. Here, centuries-old Puglian stone meets the pulse of the wider world. His partner, Sofia Stiglio also brought her unique, multicultural touch to the home, drawing on her Somalian/Italian heritage.

Our family was lucky enough to have a personal tour by Gaetano and spend a week living in his beautiful home thanks to our partnership with The Thinking Traveler, Europe's most prestigious travel company.