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Villa Pernis-Vacca stands at the southern entrance of Milis (Oristano). It was built in the early XX century by Benvenuto Pernis, who wanted to create a herd of horses for the royal army, following the Art Nouveau style and thus using linear shapes and new materials such as concrete and cast iron. Pernis was also responsible for the creation of the Anglo-Arab-Sardinian crossbreed, right here in Milis. Later on, the property was bought by a local citrus farmer, Cosimo Vacca, who transformed the horseriding areas into a proper citrus garden.

Used as a military barracks during the Second World War, the villa was then bought by a local family from Milis and used as a residence. It was eventually abandoned but in 2000 it was bought by the Regional administration and the municipality of Milis, which almost completely restored it.

The southern part of the building is now used as a hotel-restaurant-bar, while the northern one is a tourism service centre.

In the meantime, namely in the 1990s, citrus cultivation was restored, with several local plants from Milis and Sardinia – including many specimens of “Pompia” (Citrus limon var. “Pompia”), an endemic variety of lemon dating back to 1600.
The original cultivation of citrus fruit in Milis was introduced by the Camaldolian monks in 1100, soon becoming very important for the local economy.

The L-shaped villa is surrounded by a 10-acre citrus grove. Inside, it features floral decorations and many Art Nouveau frescoes.

Since 2000, the large farm has hosted the “Spring in the Garden” event, conceived by the nurseryman Italo Vacca and the American landscape architect Leo Minniti.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)