Our love story started in 2004 with a wedding in Italy. My best friend was getting married in Italy and we all came over for a week for the wedding. They told us they had found a house in Puglia and wanted us to come and see it.
The views of the sea and the landscape were stunning and took our breath away. I had always dreamed of living by the sea and being able to hear the sound of the waves from bed. The property had not been lived in for 20 years and needed to be completely restored.
The only flights to Puglia at the time were from Stansted at 6am which was 2.5 hours from our house and with a young family this seemed a step too far. Our friends lived in Cambridge and didn’t have children and were happy to do most of the leg work and so we agreed to progress.
Plans and beautiful drawings were constructed by the Italian architect. Language was a real issue at this stage and google translate was not what it is today. Very slowly the house started to take new shape, with the trullos being constructed and the water tank under the house becoming a cellar.
The weather is amazing and the views of the sea breathtaking so the vision was to create an outside area to eat and socialise to enjoy both. The plans included an amazing table cut from the rock of the area. The weight of the table and getting it delivered up our steep drive was not easy. That table is a focal point of the house for me.
Deciding were to position the pool, to gain maximum views of the sea was interesting as the land is over 4 levels and spreads to 3 acres.
We spent lots of time wandering around the olive trees to see where the sunny spots for most of the day were. The added complication was no Olive trees can be removed as they are protected by the local authorities. We have over 40 spread over the land. The final position allowed us to build a substantial pool, with a small shallow area with seats.
The boys were very young at the time and needed to be kept close in the water. 10 years later we were installing a diving board as each argued over who was Tom Daly!
Our holiday home has become our favourite place to relax and spend quality time together as a family and extended family. There are amazing golf courses close by so for many years my husband and friends met ever year to play golf and catch up on the busy lives we now live.
The adventure has been amazing and I love Italy, the people are so welcoming especially to families and so relaxed. The food and wine at very reasonable prices make it impossible not to love. One day I hope to spend far more time in this home and see the seasons in Italy.
