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Dream Sleep: Australia
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Longitude 1310, Australia
This Northern Territory glamping escape, deep in Australia’s Red Centre, treads lightly on its environment and is bringing the artistic talents of local Indigenous communities to the fore
Reviewed by George Kipouros
Leaving no trace is something to which all conscientious travellers aspire. At Longitude 131°, a glamping site on a secluded sand dune close to the border of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, it’s practically in the manifesto. This property is made up of just 16 luxury ‘tents’, each with a direct view of Uluru (Ayers Rock) – Australia’s iconic rock formation lies just ten kilometres away. It takes its name from its geographic location, but inspiration for the site’s layout is drawn from safari-style African camps. Guest tents are designed to
‘float’ above the sandy desert floor. In fact, the entire property has been constructed so that it could easily be dismantled and relocated, with the current location returned to its pre-developed state as if untouched.
Aboriginal arts, as well as native flora and fauna themes, have been used to create a distinct sense of place, reflecting the cultures and landscapes of Australia’s ‘Red Centre’. A collaboration with multiple Indigenous art centres, including those of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands, mean many Aboriginal works of art are on display here.
Included are dot paintings and wood carvings (or punu) from Maruku,
Tjala and Ernabella art centres, as well as Tjanpi Desert Weavers’ baskets and vibrant Ernabella ceramics. These complement artefacts, photographs and journals from notable Western pioneers, including Edward
John Eyre, John O’Hara Bourke and William John Wills.
There is plenty to see in the surrounding area. Guests can embark on group guided excursions (included in the nightly rate) to some of the most spectacular locations around Uluru and neighbouring Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). Options include a sunset walk at the base of Uluru and a sunrise expedition to Walpa Gorge, among the dome formations of Kata Tjuta.
Dune House forms the property’s communal dining and lounge space and features a bar decorated with some 500 individually hand-painted tiles from Indigenous arts community Ernabella. Full board is included as part of the day rate, and you’ll be glad of it come the evening. The signature outdoor dining experience, Table 131°, serves up a night sky of billions of stars and even glimpses of the Milky Way.
Continuing the celestial theme, Spa Kinara (meaning ‘moon’) is the property’s spa and takes its design inspiration from the traditional Aboriginal outback shelter, or wiltja. Although fairly small – just two rooms – it offers an innovative menu of treatments using a posy of outback botanicals, including the cure-all irmangka-irmangka (scented emu bush).
For an intimate and luxurious way to experience one of Australia’s most iconic natural wonders, Longitude 131° is as memorable a stay as it gets.
Rates from £1,190pp per night are inclusive of all dining, open bar, most group excursions and Ayers Rock Airport transfers. A minimum two-night stay applies; longitude131.com.au
AUTHENTIC ITALY
A HIDDEN REGION WITH SOUTHERN CHARM
pulia (Puglia) is boot-
Ashaped Italy’s heel, kicking into the clear waters of the Adriatic. Steeped in history and strewn with olive groves, it attracts many to its sparkling coastline and lush interior. But there is a quieter, more authentic side to the region. Here’s how you can discover it for yourself with ITS ITALY, which specialises in regenerating old towns and villages.
GINOSA
Close to the heel’s arch, in Taranto province, medieval Ginosa rears up from a rocky, horseshoe-shaped ledge that dominates a green, ravine-riven landscape. Formerly named Genusium, it was established by the Greeks as an important centre between the coastal towns of Taranto and Metaponta, and its Greek influence is still notable. It is also equidistant between Ginosa Marina, a charming, sunny beach town with miles of golden sand, and Matera, the spectacular, cinematographic cave-dwelling city made famous by the most recent Bond film, No Time to Die. You can even see the remains of rock-cut settlements in Ginosa, a legacy of past inhabitants who carved homes and churches out of the land’s natural stone. Other striking landmarks include the town’s stark Norman castle, the gabled facade and belltower of its 16th-century Chiesa Madre church, and the neoclassical clocktower that looms above the Piazza Orologio in the heart of the historical centre.
Among all these wonders are a series of regenerated industrial buildings, resurrected thanks to projects by ITS ITALY, which has developed ancient mills and factories into new homes for modern residents. These offer a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Ginosa’s slow-paced lifestyle, sampling local delicacies such as dormienti – a dessert that needs to rise slowly for 15 hours before being filled with jam or gelato – or exploring art left
Bak in time
(top–bottom) Ginosa’s time-frozen architecture offers a glimpse of the past; ITS ITALY is helping to regenerate some of the country’s long-forgotten buildings
behind by the Byzantines, such as the vividly coloured, hand-painted frescoes in the town’s rock-cut churches.
CAPRARICA DI LECCE
Situated towards the base of Apulia’s heel, in the Salento area, is the oft-overlooked village of Caprarica di Lecce. It’s understandable if you’ve never heard of it. The baroque, churchstudded city of Lecce, just fifteen minutes’ drive away, and the nearby port town of Brindisi, known for its handsome harbour and imposing Aragonese Castle, hog the limelight here. But Caprarica has its charms, too, and it is surrounded by rich farmland and olive groves. It also has a long history.
Traditionally, the village was a well-known producer of olive oil. Its once-prosperous economy also owed much to tobacco production, sheep farming and stone-crushing. As a result, many interesting old buildings remain standing, including mills and factories. In recent years, an excavation by the University of Salento also rediscovered an underground olive oil mill, which is now open to the public.
Many buildings that might once have lain abandoned are currently being renovated and transformed by ITS ITALY and its sister company, ITS Lending, a crowdfunding platform that allows people to invest their money into the restoration of buildings such as these. Those who choose to come here will find plenty that appeals; the town is full of examples of its rich past, such as Kalòs, a compelling open-air museum that is also known as the Archeodrome del Salento. It details 3,000 years of history across six eras, including the Bronze Age, Roman and medieval periods. And while Caprarica may not contain as many baroque buildings as Lecce, one standout is the Palazzo Baronale, whose facade was designed in late Renaissance style and was constructed in Lecce itself.
Living history
(top–bottom) Apulia is home to ancient houses carved into the rock; the Cathedral of Lecce dates back to the 12th century
DON’T JUST VISIT, BELONG
With immersive experiences increasingly high on the menu for travellers, the desire to not simply dip in and out of a destination, but to truly get to know an area is what makes these towns so fascinating. Apulia appeals thanks to the beauty of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas, its painterly landscapes, sunny climate and enticing food culture. The region has its big hitters – Alberobello, Ostuni and Lecce among them – but there are many small villages which also harbour centuries of cultural heritage and charm. They, too, often need investment and repopulation, which is where ITS ITALY steps in.
This London-based property and sustainability company was founded in 2020 with the aim of helping local people and communities by regenerating ancient properties into new homes. Focusing on abandoned buildings, such as mills and factories, which often boast alluring features such as large terraces and vaulted ceilings, they offer space, authenticity, and, crucially, the opportunity to embed oneself in the local surroundings.
All properties are chosen in close collaboration with the local municipalities and are at the heart of broader recovery plans for these villages. ITS ITALY’s vision extends beyond just restoring homes, however, and has the goal of enriching the local community further by supplying public spaces that can facilitate co-working, events, social gatherings and various services. Restoration techniques are carried out with full sensitivity to the property’s culture and history, and with an emphasis on sustainability, traditional materials and state-of-the-art home automation.
Essentially, ITS ITALY combines the needs of interested foreign buyers with the needs of the local communities, and how it works couldn’t be simpler. Potential buyers register with ITS ITALY’s platform and can then view and vet a wide range of affordable properties (often between €50k and €100k) knowing the guaranteed costs and time frames. ITS ITALY oversees everything, from hiring local contractors for the restoration works to all the notary, fiscal and technical practices carried out remotely through the online platform, in English and Italian. The construction site is set up only after the property is matched with an investor who intends to use it as a permanent or temporary residence for a few months a year. This avoids creating further developments destined for abandonment or, worse, the transformation of places into tourist villages without any authenticity.
