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VIDEO: Inside the Little Mermaid Villa also known as the “National Monument of Modern Architecture”

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Legend tells us that the peninsula of Sestri Levante originated from the forbidden love between the merman Tigullio and the mermaid Segesta. The place where the Danish writer Christian Andersen stayed in 1833, was published shortly after the story “The Little Mermaid”, perhaps inspired by this fascinating story.

The Little Mermaid Villa
The Little Mermaid Villa

It is right here, on the extreme tip of a cliff, just 15 km from Portofino and 25 from the Cinque Terre, that the architect Luigi Carlo Daneri, drawing on the language of the master Le Corbusier, designed a charming villa between 1938 and 1940, now for sale.

The Little Mermaid Villa
The Little Mermaid Villa

A place of peace and beauty, surrounded by 2.3 hectares of parkland to guarantee total privacy; a corner of paradise far from the frenzy of contemporary living.

Belonging to an Italian publisher and frequented by the big names of design and architecture, publishing, and business, the villa is a rare example of unaltered, rationalist architecture. The house was recognized as a National Monument of Modern Architecture by the Italian Ministry of Culture as “an essential testimony to Italian architecture of the twentieth century”.

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Completely renovated, including the furnishings designed by Daneri, the house has been restored to its original architectural value.  

The building was designed in relation to the environmental context, with a careful balance between the intimacy of the interior spaces and the absoluteness of the landscape. The functional rigor, the clarity in the distribution of the rooms and the state-of-the-art technology make it, as Giò Ponti wrote: “A dwelling, intended not as an accommodation, but as a theatre for human actions of life and thought work and contemplation”.

Once the construction was completed, the villa was published in the prestigious magazines Casabella (October 1940) and Domus (January 1941) and in the 1990s by Abitare.

The Little Mermaid Villa
The Little Mermaid Villa

A suggestive path in the woods and a staircase leading to the private beach with exclusive access to the sea. With a swimming pool, sun terrace, and ample parking, the villa has 1,100 square meters of interior space that includes the main building and two independent annexes. The house is spread over three floors with nine bedrooms and six bathrooms, ideal for accommodating numerous guests.

The villa is listed exclusively through Lionard Luxury Real Estate S.p.A.

Photos courtesy of Lionard.

Julie Nguyen
Julie Nguyen
Julie is the visionary founder of SNAP TASTE and a dynamic force in global storytelling, innovation and creative leadership. She is a respected member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council and serves as a judge for the CES Innovation Awards (2024, 2025 and 2026), where she contributes thought leadership on the intersections of business, culture and breakthrough technologies. As Managing Director, she also oversees the Fine Art, Digital Art, Portfolios and Marketing departments, ensuring the brand’s strategic vision and creative direction are realized across disciplines. Her immersive reporting has brought audiences behind the scenes of global milestones such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai, CES, D23 Expo, and the Milano Monza Motor Show, offering exclusive access to moments that define contemporary culture. An accomplished film critic and editorial voice, Julie is also recognized for her compelling reviews of National Geographic documentaries and other cinematic works. Her ability to combine analytical depth with narrative finesse inspires audiences seeking intelligent, meaningful, and globally relevant content. With a multidisciplinary perspective that bridges art, technology, and culture, Julie continues to shape the dialogue on how storytelling and innovation converge to influence the way we experience the world.
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