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- Simpson Signature villa
- Understated luxury
- Huge grounds
- Set in beautiful Salento
- Beaches 5min drive
- Lecce 5km
Whilst Puglia might be having a bit of a moment, Salento still remains largely off the visitor radar, despite hosting some of the best beaches in the whole of Italy. We were drawn to the far south by its special combination of fine sand, turquoise water and richly historic towns, and the discovery of Masseria Specchia soon convinced us that our instincts were spot on.
This is a firmly traditional area, where agriculture is easily as important as tourism, and which makes properties like this one even more of a special find. The masseria is blissfully tranquil, nestled beneath a huge Puglian sky where the views and space feel endless. It’s an oasis of low-key, perfectly tuned luxury, with masses of room to spread out and relax or gather together over a glass of fine Puglian wine. There are four, large, en-suite bedrooms offering hotel-style comfort, plus a very large living space and kitchen. The grounds are vast, encircled by a traditional dry-stone wall and dotted with Mediterranean trees and bushes. Here you’ll also find a shady dining pergola, barbecue area, your private swimming pool for long lazy days and lots of space for younger ones to play.
The wider Salento area beckons from the doorstep, with beaches within a five-minute drive and lovely Lecce just five kilometres away. This elegant Baroque town is the cultural hub of the region, with an architectural heritage spanning two and a half millennia. If you know your cupolas from your colonnades then this is holiday heaven, and for those who prefer to simply wander and wonder, Lecce invites you to explore, eat and experience this most atmospheric of cities with all of your senses. And for insider tips, who better to help than the owners of the masseria who live unobtrusively behind the house and are happy to suggest local excursions and days out if desired.
Explore our pre-bookable experiences in Puglia
Accommodation
Layout
- 4 bedroom villa (sleeps 8)
Ground floor
- Open-plan dining/kitchen/living room; opens out to garden
- Kitchen includes full hob, oven, fridge-freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, coffee-maker; opens out to garden
- WC
- Living area includes Smart TV
- Bedroom 1 - Master bedroom (190cm) with en-suite shower room
- Bedroom 2 - Twin bedroom ( 2 x 90cm beds that can be converted to double on request) with en-suite shower room
- Bedroom 3 - Twin bedroom ( 2 x 90cm beds that can be converted to double on request) with en-suite shower room
- Bedroom 4 - Twin bedroom ( 2 x 90cm beds that can be converted to double on request) with en-suite shower room and open plan living area with double sofa bed and kitchenette. Accessed by separate entrance to rest of property.
General
- Complimentary WiFi
- Air-conditioning
- Washing machine
- Large garden with lawn and Mediterranean shrubs and vegetable garden
- Barbecue
- Outdoor dining area with shade
- Outdoor football table
- Gated private chlorine swimming pool 8m x 5m (depth 1.30m – 1.30m)
- Covered parking area with rechargeable car port on-site
- Cleaning 3 times a week
- Twice weekly linen change
- A daily tourist tax applies for the first two weeks of your stay only, which means that an average of €1.50 per person (12+ years) may be charged. This should be paid in cash to your villa owner during your stay.
Additional services available on request, payable locally
- Professional in-villa massage
- Meals cooked to order by the owner/host Claudia
Simpson family extras
- Complimentary cot and highchair available
- Family favourite range of toys and games, suitable for ages 5-11
- Car seats and booster seats can be provided at a supplement, subject to availability
- To pre-book any of our family extras please call 020 8392 5747
WiFi
- All properties with wifi are able to support basic functionality such as web browsing and checking emails*
* We aim to offer an uninterrupted service but sometimes due to factors beyond our control reliability can be affected.
Access times
- Check in time – 4:00 - 8:00pm
- Check out time – 10:00am
Location
- Beach (Lido Mancarelle) 10min drive
- Beach (San Cataldo/Le Cesine) 15min drive
- Restaurant/taverna (San Cataldo/Lecce) 15min drive
- Basic shops/supermarket (San Cataldo/Lecce) 15min drive
- Boat hire (San Foca) 15min drive
- Bike hire (Lecca) 15min drive
- Airports (Brindisi/Bari) 45min drive/2hours drive
Flights
This property is priced on an accommodation-only basis. To view details of recommended flights please click here.
Car hire
We are happy to arrange your car hire in Italy; please click here to view options and prices.
Wow! This villa is amazing. Very close to the stunningly beautiful city of Lecce and Gallipoli, Otranto and a number of other picturesque towns all within a 45 minute drive. Particular thanks to Ketty and Barbara for helping to book restaurants, telling us the best beaches to visit as well as booking tuk tuk tours, boat trips etc. and for going above and beyond what we expected. While there be sure to ask the owner Claudia to cook for you - her food was as exquisite as her home was beautiful. A very relaxing week in her very spacious and comfortable in villa in huge grounds. Probably the best Simpson villa we have stayed in... we will be back!!
Wow, wow and triple wow! What a villa! Beautifully decorated, really comfortable - a wonderful place to relax. Massive thanks to Ketty for booking restaurants, boat trips and tuk-tuk tours - she was always on hand for suggestions and prompt responses to queries. Thanks also to Barbara for her warm welcome along with recommendations for beaches - she did not disappoint! And finally to Claudia - what a magnificent home she has created and if you are reading this at the beginning of the holiday, be sure to book her in for a meal. The food is both plentiful and top drawer. We are going home fatter, but happier!
We have had a wonderful week at this lovely villa. Thanks to all for their help and keeping the villa so clean. Barbara was very helpful with tips and advice We loved Lecce, Gallipoli, Otranto and Acaya.
Wonderful villa and pool. Particularly enjoyed Otranto and Gallipoli - both worth a trip. A special holiday with great friends.
Italy holds a special place in our hearts and Puglia did not let us down. From the moment we arrived at this very special villa we knew we were in for a treat. Claudia and Barbara greeted us with a warm welcome and the treats Claudia left us were a wonderful and delicious gesture, we were so grateful. The thought and care put into this villa shows, the facilities are perfect, especially the air con with no noisy units. The pool area is tranquil and watching the swallows dive in for a drink in the evenings is a delight. The feeling of nature here is wonderful, the donkeys, the Italian sparrows, cats and of course number 1 - Manolo, the dog, he is a treat. We enjoyed Otranto for its history, clear water and licence free boat hire. Lecce is lively and vibrant and young adults will enjoy the nights there, with many restaurants to choose from. We enjoyed wandering the streets of Ostuni and so much more. We strongly hope to return one day.
Huge thank you to the whole team for such a fantastic stay. Claudia - your home and your cooking are as wonderful as each other. We found it hard to leave such a beautiful villa but loved discovering Lecce and the beaches We'll be back for sure. Thank you again!
Many thanks to Claudia, Barbara and Ketty, What a wonderful team you make! You have all made our break wonderful and so much harder to leave. This villa is breath-taking from the moment you walk in - beautiful decorations and fantastic rooms. The welcome greetings were far above our expectations and Puglia has surpassed our dreams! We will be back soon!
Thank you to everyone for giving us a very enjoyable holiday. The villa is a spectacular building and the views are beautiful. Highlights include the home-made cake which was the best we have ever tasted; enjoying the BBQ in the garden and watching the sunset; Manolo, the dog who is awesome! We also appreciated the regular check-ins from the team (Ketty and Barbara) in case we needed anything.
My friends and I travelled there for my birthday, and we all had such an unforgettable & amazing stay at this villa. I must admit, the villa is even more beautiful than we expected from the photos. The villa owner left us a very kind and generous welcome pack, including various wines, homemade cheese, fresh fruits, and much more, which was a great start to our stay. It was also of great help that cleaning were happening few times during our stay. I wholeheartedly recommend this villa and Simpson Travel, and I look forward to organising and booking my next trip hopefully sometime soon.
We have all had the most wonderful stay at the beautiful Masseria Specchia. Everything about this special place is just perfect. Thank you very much to Claudia for being the most generous host, we have loved the regular treat and cake deliveries. Thank you also to Deepak for being so diligent and for looking after us. We will miss our time here; it is the most wonderful home.
We have had the most amazing holiday in this beautiful villa. Thank you for looking after us so well, and all the lovely treats, so kind of you. Massive thanks to Barbara for all her help and advice to make our holiday so enjoyable. We will miss Manolo so much, we enjoyed his daily visits. We would love to come back one day.
The Masseria Specchia is a lovely holiday house, very beautifully furnished and well equipped. The owner Claudia was kind giving us little food treats. Claudia also cooked dinner for us one night which was delicious. Barbara, the house manager, was extremely helpful. I would definitely recommend Masseria Specchia.
We have had a lovely week in this beautiful house. Delicious dinner cooked for us by Claudia, and we have been very well looked after by Barbra and Deepak. Many thanks.
A truly special villa which made our holiday. Extremely spacious, cleaning 3 times per week and first class facilities, would highly recommend.
We had the most amazing stay! Thank you so much for all the great hospitality. Love the house. Everything was just perfect. We are going to miss it.
We really enjoyed our stay, the house is beautiful with the perfect pool area.
Our first time to Puglia. So much to enjoy. The villa is beautiful and we made good use of the pool. We loved wandering through the streets of all the local towns. Thank you to Claudio for all the little surprise gifts and thanks to Francesco, Ketty and Barbara for helping us to book restaurants. We have been on Simply and Simpson holidays since 1992 and they have never disappointed.
Our choice of Italian properties is diverse, ranging from simple charm to genuine luxury and style. Much of our portfolio is privately owned, and price alone is therefore not a universal guide. We contract all our accommodation in person, and each property has its individual appeal.
To help you make the right choice based on your own priorities, we have devised a simple grading guide to be considered in conjunction with each individual property description, awarding up to a maximum of five stars for the below categories.
* For further clarification on Facilities, please view the 'Details' tab for each property or speak to one of our experienced sales consultants.
There’s a different side of Italy to discover on a holiday in Puglia – the land of the trulli, ancient olive groves and historic towns that take you on a journey from Byzantine to Baroque. And then there are the countless beaches and beach clubs that capture the diversity of this absorbing destination: unspoilt, unpretentious and full of creative flair, where the generosity of the locals is matched by the excellence of its cuisine.
To complete the picture, explore our collection of handpicked villas, and Partner Hotels to fully immerse yourself in the local culture.
Explore our pre-bookable experiences in Puglia.
Your Signature villa comes with the services of a dedicated Signature Specialist to help you get the most from your holiday, both before you travel and once you're away - see what's included.
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