ABOUT US

From Australia to Anticoli Corrado — The Story of Villa Ulivella

A Journey Home by Heart

We are Rita Colozzi, Sydney-born and raised, and Ralph (Raff) Westbury, from Geelong, Australia — two dreamers who longed for something deeper than city life could offer.
We wanted a place where community still mattered, where creativity and history intertwined, and where each day carried a slower rhythm.

In 2022, that calling led us to Villa Ulivella, a centuries-old villa nestled in Anticoli Corrado, the hilltop village once alive with artists and sculptors east of Rome. We saw it online, fell in love instantly, and — without ever visiting in person — bought it.

Ten months later, in February 2023, we packed up our lives and our two dogs and made the move from Australia to Italy. It was a leap of faith — and one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

Restoring More Than a Villa

Villa Ulivella carries stories in every wall. Once home to English nobility and later rumored to have hosted Mussolini for lunch, it’s a place rich with layered history.
Our goal isn’t just to restore its architecture but to revive its spirit — to bring back the creativity, laughter, and sense of belonging that once defined Anticoli Corrado.

Today, we’re learning from the land, meeting the community, and breathing new life into the villa’s gardens and rooms — one olive branch and brushstroke at a time.

Why Anticoli Corrado

Set in the Aniene Valley, just an hour from Rome, Anticoli Corrado is a place where time still feels kind. Artists once traded paintings for meals, and beauty still spills from every corner — from stone archways to wild fig trees and terraced hillsides.
Here, we’ve found not only a home but a new rhythm of living — a daily blend of restoration, art, and gratitude.