Many places in the world have quirky, unique properties, but few are more unusual than Puglia’s Trulli.

The Trullo – circular properties with conical shaped roofs – are unique to the area of Puglia, or Apuglia, in Italy (the region that sits at the ‘heel’ of Italy’s ‘boot’). The area has gained world recognition for these unusual circular homes and they’re now even protected by UNESCO. Trulli can be found across the region, where they make a very different type of home or quirky holiday property, but they’re most commonly found in the Itrea Valley and in Alberobello.

Trulli date back to the 16^th and 17^th centuries and were originally built of dry limestone rocks, without the use of any mortar. Their thick walls help keep them warm during chilly winters and cool during hot, dry summers. Peasant families were the key residents in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, but adjacent Trulli used to be used to house their animals too!

Today the Trulli continue to be popular, with many older Trulli having undergone renovation and lots of new versions built to complement the old traditional homes. For a truly (sorry!) unique home that you certainly wouldn’t come across in the UK, then a Trulli fits the bill perfectly.

Trulli on the market

If you fancy investigating Trulli further, or exploring what the area of Puglia has to offer, then here’s a selection of these quirky homes currently on the market.

This Trulli in the Fasano area of Puglia has been lovingly restored to create a three-bedroom home with an entrance hall, lounge/large kitchen, bathroom and storeroom. It benefits from central heating, a carport, a patio and a converted stable, which is currently used as one-bedroom apartment. It’s on the market for £240,965.

This newly restored Trulli  in Ostuni has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom (it’s worth clicking through and having a look at the pictures of this property, as they show how unique the inside of the building is). It’s located in the leafy green countryside, in an elevated position, and comes with enough land to build a pool outside, amongst the olive groves and pine trees. It’s on the market for £258,412.

This three coned Trulli in Di Sopra, Puglia, has been renovated, refurbished and extended, using local materials and techniques. It now has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two reception rooms, a dining room and large roof terrace with views across the valley. It’s on the market for £268,244.

This unusual five coned Trulli in the centre of Ostuni dates back to the 9^th century. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and one open plan kitchen and living area. There are original frescoes above the front door and 8000sqm of land outside, including a plunge pool built into the rocks. It’s on the market for £212,267.

If you fancy having a go at renovating and restoring your own Trulli, then here’s a potential project. These two Trulli buildings are ripe for renovation – the main house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and additional outdoor kitchen and the second is a smaller one-bedroom property. They’re set within 8000m2 of grounds, with fruit trees and olive groves, and are on the market for £209,139.

Find more Trulli for sale here.

If you’re looking to buy and run a hotel overseas, then there are definite advantages in buying an already established, reputable business.

1. The groundwork is already done.

One of the major bonuses with buying an established hotel is that the groundwork has already been done, so you don’t have the upheaval of buying a property and converting it into a hotel. Even if you want to make changes or do things your own way, it’s still not quite as major as starting a new business in a foreign country from scratch.

2. There should already be a customer base, which you can build on further.

Ideally, the existing owners should provide you with their customer database as part of the sale, which you can use as base for further expansion. Special offers and discounts for existing customers often work well and it’s always good if you can impress previous visitors into continuing to recommend your hotel.

3. The hotel should come with employees.

Not only is it handy not to have to find and recruit a whole load of employees for your business, but it’s also useful to initially have staff who know the ropes. As long as they’re committed to the job and aren’t averse to any changes you implement, it’s good to have workers ready and able.

4. There should already be existing suppliers.

If you’ve managed to negotiate a price for the hotel in which the existing owners hand over their list of current suppliers and existing contracts, you’ll at least be able to get the business up and running quickly. You may well want to change suppliers when the contracts run out, but it’s useful to have some already in place whilst you get to grips with your new business.

5. You can redecorate and refurbish at your own pace.

If you want to make changes gradually, and not affect the running of the hotel too much, it’s easier to redecorate and refurbish a few rooms at a time, than have to shut the whole hotel.  

The implications of buying any business shouldn’t be taken lightly, and it’s especially so when buying abroad. Any legal issues may be different in other countries and issues you took for granted in the UK, may be handled in a completely different way in other countries. So always research a foreign business purchase thoroughly, stay in a hotel before you buy it to suss it out and get relevant professional advice.

Hotels on the market

Here’s a taster of some foreign hotels on the market.

A 13 bedroom country hotel in the province of Seville, in Spain – £890,802 

A nine bedroom hotel in the Ronda area of Malaga in Spain – £1,982,875.

A three star boutique hotel and Italian restaurant in Lecce, Italy – £989,780.

A 15 bedroom hotel in a mystery location in France – £2,963,730.

We’ve offered you the chance to own your own village, but how about your own island?

Yes, islands do come up for sale and in some gorgeously exotic locations, too. Not surprisingly, they (mostly) come at quite a price, so it’s not a purchase for the faint-hearted. But if you’ve won the lottery, are a self-made billionaire or simply fancy doing a Richard Branson, then owning your own island could be a distinct possibility.

One of the benefits of owning your own island is that it can be what you want it to be. You can set the rules and choose who comes to stay. You never need worry about getting a space on the beach, as you own it. You can grow what you want and build where you want. And if you simply want peace and quiet, you can head off to your island retreat on your own and not have to worry about noisy neighbours.

Sounds ideal? Here are some real life islands to get you dreaming.

Exuma Cays in the Bahamas is a 681 acre private island that’s up for sale at a price of £23,706,130. It’s surrounded by gorgeous turquoise sea, has plenty of secluded bays and beaches and tropical foliage. For those who own a private jet, there’s a 2,500 feet airstrip already in place, but there’s room to extend it further. The main property on the island is a two-storey house with six bedrooms, plus there are staff quarters nearby too. If you’ll only visit your island for holidays, this one comes complete with a resident caretaker – their quarters are at the other end of the island.

Bird Cay, part of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas is a 250 acre island that’s on the market for £14,041,608. This lovely looking island is located 30 minutes away (by air) from Nassau and was originally developed in the 1940s by Francis Francis, heir to the Standard Oil Company. The island comes complete with a main residence, five waterfront cottages, a guest house and a boat house, plus it has the pre-requisite sandy beaches, ocean views and exotic planting. This could be your own private island retreat or work as a holiday business venture.

I bet you didn’t expect to find an island for sale in Italy? But, yes, you really could purchase a small, 6,000m island in the Venetian Lagoon. The island was once a fortified point, which has been restored by the current owners, and features a four bedroom villa. The island, which comes with all mod cons, is reached via two large navigable canals and there are two wharfs for mooring boats. It’s up for sale for £10,911,600.

Also in the Bahamas is Leaf Cay, part of the Exuma Cays. This lovely little 45 acre island has almost pure white, sandy beaches and is surrounded by stunning turquoise seas. It’s located between Lee Stocking Island (what a great name) and Norman’s Pond Cay and has excellent fishing opportunities. This gem will set you back £3,510,402.

White Island in Grenada could be yours for the somewhat more affordable sum of £3,047,931. This immaculate Grenadine island is located 35 miles south of Mustique and one mile south of Carriacou and a 15 minute flight from Grenada International Airport (a private jet would be handy). This untouched island, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, has its own mountains, woodland and 3000ft of coral sand beaches. It’s the ideal place to relax and unwind, or make the most of snorkelling and diving in the sea.