Palazzo Ceraselli

The house and its history

Palazzo Ceraselli was built in 1893 on a hill in Martina Franca, looking over the white rooftops of the town and the hills of the Valle d'Itria. It is less than one kilometre from the historic centre. As the house itself tells it, it was the holiday residence of Raffaele Ceraselli, an entrepreneur; then, as generations passed, it stayed closed for about fifty years.

Elio Manca, a descendant of the family, returned to Martina Franca after nearly half a century abroad to restore the home of his childhood summers and open it to travellers. Beside him Gabriela Galbenus, whom the website presents as a Feng Shui scholar and yoga teacher, guided the choices of the restoration, made of local stone and vaulted rooms. They run the house themselves and, they write, welcome every guest in person.

The five suites

There are five suites, all different, each for two guests: the house takes ten people at most and, subject to availability, can be reserved as a whole, for private stays, family gatherings, retreats and small celebrations. The names come from Latin and, according to the house, the arrangement of each suite follows Feng Shui principles, with an energy of its own.

The house links Serenitas Domus to Fu Wei energy, of stability and inner harmony. Vitalis Caeli to Tian Yi, known as the «Heavenly Healer», of support and restoration. Renovatio Vitae to Sheng Qi, and dedicates it to transformation and renewal.

On the first floor are Essentia Creatix, again Sheng Qi, associated with creativity and inspiration, and Horrea Caeli, again Tian Yi, associated with protection and long-term well-being.

The garden and the life of the house

The house has a private garden of aromatic plants, where it offers yoga in the morning. Among the activities it lists are meditation and massage, cooking lessons with handmade orecchiette and focaccia, the olive and almond harvest and small concerts in the house. The food it describes is seasonal and made with local ingredients, with traditional recipes and vegan dishes.

The house also writes that it works for the area through reforestation, care for stray animals, clean-up initiatives and art and culture projects.

Around the palazzo

From the palazzo the baroque centre of Martina Franca, with its restaurants and markets, can be reached on foot. Nearby the house suggests Locorotondo, Cisternino and Alberobello, the cellars of the Valle d'Itria with Primitivo, Negroamaro and local whites, the underground olive mills, country roads among the olive trees to ride by bicycle, a day on the Adriatic coast and the Festival della Valle d'Itria.

The closest airports, according to the house, are Brindisi, about one hour by car, and Bari, about one hour and a quarter; to get there and to move around it recommends a rental car.