Minimalism meets majesty at Palazzo Daniele, a nine-suite hotel in Puglia. Set in the village of Gagliano del Capo, where the Adriatic’s rocky coastline meets the sandy beaches of the Ionian Sea, the property is the former family palazzo of Francesco Petrucci, founder of Capo d’Arte, a not-for-profit organisation promoting contemporary art in Puglia.
Reshaped by Gabriele Salini’s GS Collection and Milanese duo Ludovica and Roberto Palomba of Palomba Serafini Associati, the 19th-century pile has been turned into a host of suites and an art space. Inspired by the idea of ‘absence’, the architects have stripped back as much as possible, while restoring historical features such as ornate frescoes and mosaic flooring, to create a dramatic canvas for the palazzo’s contemporary art collection.
Grand front communal living spaces welcome guests, branching off to the nine suites at the property’s left and right wings. At the back of the building, the suites and common spaces look out onto a series of courtyards, with an orangery and an inky-black swimming pool. The contrast between the traditional and the contemporary, art and function, extends to the suites, where the monastic décor is boosted by vaulted, frescoed ceilings, their exposed cracks conveying over 150 years of history. Minimal furnishings include a central bed and a black steel-framed open wardrobe, custom-made by the Palombas.
In the palazzo’s grand kitchen, orecchiette-making courses are on offer, but it's best to let the local village cook whip up a range of rotating Pugliese specialities prepared using ingredients from the surrounding farms. Think cuts of local beef with Negroamaro sauce, tubettini with scorpionfish and lemon linguine with thyme and prawns, as well as homemade pasta, pastries and bread.
While no longer a family home, Palazzo Daniele is a haven for the discerning art-and-design-minded. This is further highlighted by the marble plaque at the entrance, which reveals a message from the past for future generations to abide by: ‘This is a place to be shared.’
A version of this article originally featured in the October issue of Wallpaper* (W*235)
At the back of the building, the guest rooms and common spaces look out onto a series of courtyards, with an orangery and inky-black swimming pool.
Grand front living areas lead to the suites which look out onto a series of courtyards.
Set in the village of Gagliano del Capo, the property is the former family palazzo of Francesco Petrucci, co-founder of Capo d’Arte, a not-for-profit organisation promoting contemporary art in Puglia.
The contrast between the traditional and the contemporary, art and function, extends to the suites.
Inspired by the idea of ‘absence’, the architects have stripped back as much as possible.
Historical features such as ornate frescoes and mosaic flooring have been restored, creating a dramatic canvas for the palazzo’s ever-expanding contemporary art collection.
The common room features restored overhead frescoes.
Monastic décor is boosted by vaulted, frescoed ceilings, their exposed cracks conveying over 150 years of history.
While no longer a family home, Palazzo Daniele is a haven for the discerning art- and design-minded.
ADDRESS
Palazzo Daniele
60 Corso Umberto 1
Gagliano del Capo
Salento
-
Wallpaper* checks in at W Hollywood: ‘more polish and less party’The W Hollywood introduces a top-to-bottom reimagining by the Rockwell Group, capturing the genuine warmth and spirit of Southern California
-
Book a table at Row on 5 in London for the dinner party of dreamsRow on 5, the first restaurant ever to open on Savile Row, emerges as a perfectly tailored fit for fans of fan dining
-
How a bijou jewellery salon in Monaco set the jewellery trends for 2025Inside the inaugural edition of Joya, where jewellery is celebrated as miniature works of art
-
24 hours in Copenhagen: stay, bike, dine, and discover Danish designPlan your 24 hours in Copenhagen: sleepover in a former brewery, wake up with a wild swim, and immerse yourself in the home of a modernist master
-
Peter Beard’s biographer, Christopher Wallace, on writing the wild life of the quintessential Twentieth-Century ManAuthor Christopher Wallace traces the footsteps of the original playboy-artist-activist Peter Beard, travelling from Kenya, to the Serengeti, Cassis and beyond
-
Estelle Manor is a chic take on the hotel and country clubEstelle Manor, a transformed Grade II-listed house and estate in Oxfordshire, welcomes guests with Roman and Williams interiors, parasols by the pool, and a soon-to-open tepidarium
-
Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya opens following a major redesignOn the Yucatán Peninsula, the new-look Maroma showcases local craftsmanship and Mayan tradition with interiors led by interior architecture studio Tara Bernerd & Partners
-
A weekend in wonderful CopenhagenThe ultimate weekend in Copenhagen starts here: discover the latest openings across the UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, stay in a hotel afloat, start your day with brilliant baked goods and ski down a power-station piste
-
The Largo brings craftsmanship and creativity to PortoThe Largo is the latest hospitality offering in Portugal's second city, conceived as an elevated residence with an art programme that connects it to the city’s creative community
-
Louis Vuitton opens its summertime café in Saint-TropezThe Louis Vuitton café in Saint-Tropez combines the brilliance of Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Donckele and pastry chef Maxime Frédéric for a one-of-a-kind Mediterranean feast
-
Qantas’ Airbus A350 cabins make non-stop to Australia a dream ticketExplore Qantas’ slick new Airbus A350 cabins, designed by David Caon, including minimalist first class suites
