The gardens at Chateau Volterra were planned as a gradual, coherent transition between the linear stone faˆßades of the building and the marvellously aromatic tangle of Mediterranean brush that naturally covers the hillside.

At the main entrance to the Chateau, a lovely fountain forms the centrepiece of a formal garden with clipped hedges of lavender and rosemary’Äîa Mediterranean version of an Italian knot garden. A rose garden, in bloom from the late spring through October, lies just beyond. Towering overhead, and arranged in allˆ©es between the vineyards, are the graceful umbrella pines typical to the region.

Facing the sea, a series of terraces flows down the hill from the Chateau. Topmost are the balustraded patios and the central loggia, all furnished for dining and lounging, reached through massive glazed openings in the Chateau's living areas. From these, short flights of steps lead down to terraces studded with groupings of ball-shaped rosemary bushes and bordered by beds of roses. Dark green cypresses stand like sentinels along the pathways. At the edges of the gardens, olive and cork trees mark the entry to the untamed areas of the property.

A spectacular walkway leads from the Chateau down to the water's edge, carved out of the hillside a century ago as a mule track for hauling building materials up to the site. Bright yellow mimosas bask in the sunlight here between the green oaks and cork trees, with an undergrowth of wild rosemary and thyme and, in early spring, wild asparagus. At the bottom of the path, an old stone staircase leads to a small natural harbour with a boat house.