Inside Villa delle Palme, The Nearly 2.5-Acre Gated Montecito Estate With Ocean Views, Guesthouse and Gardens

Santa Barbara's scenery, with its towering palms, azure waters, dramatic hillsides, and quintessential Mediterranean-style architecture, can easily trick the mind. Am I in Portofino? Positano? The transportive qualities of this Central California coastal town have long been captured in the prized estates that dot the hillsides. 

One such property, Villa delle Palme, celebrates this evocative atmosphere in masterful form. Meticulously crafted in 2002 and completely reimagined for modern lifestyles, the one-of-a-kind Italian-inspired villa rests on nearly 2.5 acres of lushly landscaped grounds, punctuated by serene gardens, intimate terraces, and sweeping ocean views.

Listing agent Drew Gitlin is the first to call out Villa delle Palme’s supreme privacy and “magical” ambiance. Set behind three separate large double gates and mature hedging, the estate feels like a world unto its own. The driveway leads to a vast hand-laid cobblestone motor court before you find the five-bedroom main residence: a modern-meets-Mediterranean beauty perfectly situated on the hillside to take full advantage of the views. 

Inside, the home conveys its unmatched quality “with a seamless blend of sophistication and luxury,” says Gitlin. He calls it “an estate of incomparable grandeur, the attention to detail and expansive floor plan showcases grand scale, design, and functionality.” Grand interior spaces adorned with vaulted wood-beamed ceilings and wrought iron and glass double doors create an effortless indoor-outdoor flow throughout. Oversized arched windows frame panoramic ocean views. 

Executed to perfection, the recent interior transformation introduced a brand new Poliform kitchen offering high-end appliances, hidden refrigeration, and a large center island overlooking the central living area. A glass-encased dining room has beautiful arched doors and windows that showcase a 180-degree view of the grounds and the Pacific Ocean. The primary wing unites a romantic bedroom suite with a fireplace and outdoor sitting areas overlooking the ocean, further lending to the home’s vacation-like atmosphere. Here, Gitlin points out the “showroom-level” primary closet offering glass-encased shelves and closets, a TV lounge, and glass doors that open to a private outdoor stone veranda, perfect for lounging by the exterior fireplace. The primary bathroom is no less impressive with separate his-and-her vanities, a separate walk-in shower, and a modern Italian glass tub.

Completing the main house is an ensuite pool room, four additional oversized en-suite bedrooms with walk-in closets and views, a wine cellar, and a top-floor room for viewing the seashore and surrounding mountains. There is a one-bedroom, two-bath guest house, tennis pavilion, outdoor gym ( also enclosable), and a private well. 

Villa delle Palme offers an idyllic escape, where every amenity is at your fingertips. The lush botanical gardens invite you to unwind and reconnect with nature. You can easily lose yourself amid the rose garden, meandering pathways, and tranquil seating areas. An orchid-filled greenhouse and gardening boxes even inspire those with a green thumb. 

Inside and out, Villa delle Palme is a breathtaking testament to Santa Barbara living. 

View the complete listing by Drew Gitlin of Coldwell Banker Realty, Los Angeles.