Villa Cardo

A Sculptural White Retreat Rooted in Puglian Vernacular - Tucked into the olive and almond groves of Carovigno on Italy’s Adriatic coast, Villa Cardo is a masterclass in minimalist vernacular luxury. Designed by Studio Andrew Trotter as a companion to the acclaimed Masseria Moroseta, it brings sculptural simplicity and modern elegance to Puglian traditions.

A Modern Monolith in a Rustic Landscape

This striking, compact villa presents slender white-washed walls and cubic volumes resembling a compact castle rising from the land. Built with tufo, limestone, polished concrete, and lime plaster, it remains cool and luminous throughout summer thanks to traditional materials and orientation. An entry pool frames the façade - a reflecting moat that establishes both threshold and spectacle. A roof terrace offers sea views, tying the house into Puglia’s coastal narrative

Outdoor Living: Courtyard, Kitchen & Pool

Beyond, an outdoor kitchen and wood-fired oven surround the pool - ideal for alfresco meals. Lounge areas and sunbeds dot the terrace, and the rooftop offers panoramic views over olive groves to the Adriatic horizon - a sensory highlight at dusk. The villa sits on nearly one hectare planted with olives and almonds; Torre Guaceto Natural Reserve lies just 7 km away, Ostuni and Carovigno around 15 minutes by car—ideal for seaside trips and strolls through whitewashed old towns.

Interiors: A Calm Dialogue Between Earth and Light

Inside Villa Cardo, architecture becomes atmosphere. Every room is a quiet ode to restraint: vaulted ceilings, smooth concrete floors, and thick whitewashed walls evoke the purity of southern Italy’s rural architecture - reinterpreted with a contemporary sensibility. The interiors breathe with natural light, filtered through carefully placed openings that frame olive trees like living paintings.

Furnishings are minimal yet warm: handwoven linens, custom wood cabinetry, and ceramics sourced from local artisans create a textured harmony that never competes with the architecture. A neutral palette - stone, sand, sun-bleached whites - is enriched by the tactility of natural fibers and raw finishes. Each space feels both timeless and deliberately slow, inviting stillness, barefoot living, and long, sun-drenched afternoons.

The villa flows effortlessly from the communal living and dining area to the more private zones: the master bedroom with its private patio and outdoor shower garden, and two serene guest rooms designed to blur the boundary between indoors and out. Understated, tactile, and deeply rooted in place - this is not just a villa, but a way of being in Puglia.

A Place to Return To

Villa Cardo isn’t simply a destination - it’s a state of mind. Tucked away among ancient olive trees and kissed by the Adriatic breeze, it offers a rare kind of luxury: one made not of excess, but of intention, quiet, and craft.

Here, the days unfold slowly - between sunlight on limewashed walls, the scent of wild herbs in the garden, and evenings spent under vast southern skies.

Whether you're seeking creative solitude, barefoot family moments, or a refined base to explore Puglia’s sun-drenched landscapes, Villa Cardo invites you to live in rhythm with nature and design. It’s the kind of place you never quite leave behind, because it stays with you, long after the suitcase is closed.

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