The estate, once known as Villa Monastero, was acquired by Berlusconi in 1980 and became the late prime minister’s most treasured property, hosting world leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, former U.S. President George W. Bush and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair.
But the 4,500-square-meter seafront residence also gained renown as the backdrop to infamous “bunga bunga” parties, the sex-fueled soirées that dogged Berlusconi’s political career.
Located on the exclusive Costa Smeralda, the estate features terraced gardens filled with cacti and faux megaliths, multiple swimming pools, and guest bungalows clustered around a man-made volcano. Its more extravagant touches include a secret sea cave with boat access, a Poseidon-themed pool, a Roman-style amphitheater, and a nuclear-grade underground bunker.
By government decree, Berlusconi in 2004 defined the residence as an “alternative location of maximum security for the safety of the Prime Minister,” shielding it under state secrecy laws despite ongoing probes into possible environmental violations.
The villa has been rumored to be for sale before, in 2010 and 2015, though Berlusconi at the time denied it. Speculation has swirled again since his passing, with reported (but unconfirmed) interest from the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and the hotel group Four Seasons.
