Silvio Berlusconi's decadent Sardinian villa that hosted infamous 'bunga bunga' parties and and welcomed several world leaders could soon have a new billionaire owner. The sprawling Villa Certosa, once the crown jewel of the late Italian prime minister's vast property empire, is reportedly close to being snapped up by an unnamed Arab businessman for a staggering £432million. This would make it the most expensive residential home ever sold, according to luxury property listings site Mansion Global. The lavish 68-room estate, perched on Sardinia's glamorous Costa Smeralda, is no ordinary home. It comes with manicured gardens, terraces lined with medicinal plants, beds of exotic cacti, a faux stone tower, and even megalithic stone circles - which are, however, reported to be fake. But its more outlandish features are what truly made it notorious. A monument to ostentation, the villa stuns any visitors with a mock volcano in its grounds, which at the flick of a switch emits the sound of eruption and sends fake lava cascading out of its cone. It once causing so much chaos that the local fire brigade had to be called in. Scattered around the crater are four guest bungalows, while the pièce de résistance is a hidden sea cave leading straight out to the ocean. Along with the five regular swimming pools, Certosa also boasts a man-made lagoon, full-size football pitch, golf course, and helipad. And inside, visitors will find a swimming pool tiled with a mosaic of Poseidon clutching a trident, with stairways and passages lit dramatically from beneath. 'It was the secret services who asked me to carry out the work, after I had received 38 death threats,' Berlusconi once declared of his decision to install the cave. The villa, now jointly owned by Berlusconi's five adult children, was more than just a playground for the billionaire politician. It played host to leaders including Sir Tony and Lady Blair, George W Bush, and Vladimir Putin - as well as being the backdrop for the scandalous 'bunga bunga' parties that cemented Berlusconi's reputation as one of Europe's most controversial figures. Blair and his wife Cherie were welcomed to Certosa villa with a specially-designed £50,000 firework show which lit up the night sky with the words 'Viva Tony'. Putin meanwhile was a regular at Berlusconi's Sardinian haunt, enjoying a string of vacations on the sun-kissed coastal jewel from 2003 onward. But over the years, the estate became a magnet for scandal. In 2009, paparazzo Antonello Zappadu captured long-lens shots of bikini-clad women lounging by the pool alongside Czech prime minister Mirek Topolánek – who appeared entirely naked. Berlusconi attempted to brush it off with his usual brashness. His guests, he explained, were taking a shower, adding: 'Do you take a shower in jacket and tie?' And earlier, Berlusconi was snapped at the villa with the Blairs, sporting a bandanna in an attempt to disguise a hair transplant. Berlusconi's media empire worked overtime to play down the more lurid rumours. His magazine Chi once claimed that a New Year's Eve bash at Villa Certosa had been nothing more salacious that women in Santa Claus outfits, complete with mini-dresses, black belts and fur-trimmed hats entertaining guests. Sotheby's International Realty, which is handling the sale with Knight Castle Real Estate, offers a far glossier description of the property. They said: 'Elegantly cascading over several levels, La Certosa reveals itself through expansive loggias and panoramic terraces that frame mesmerising views of the Gulf of Marinella. 'At its heart lies a spacious central courtyard, around which unfold a magnificent main hall, lavish guest suites, and private staff accommodations. 'The interiors are a celebration of craftsmanship, with hand-painted ceramics and refined touches in Sardinian white granite, creating an ambiance of understated grandeur. 'Among the many distinctive features are a wellness and fitness area, a private heliport, and even a nuclear-grade underground bunker'. Berlusconi, who died in 2023 aged 86, was forced to reign as Italy's prime minister in 2011 during the eurozone crisis, his political career fatally damaged by sex scandals - including allegations that he had paid for sex with an underage dancer known as Ruby the Heart Stealer. The basement is where he is said to have watched showgirls from his own TV channels offering pole dances and stripteases dressed as nuns – occasions Berlusconi later described as 'elegant soirees'. Now, the mansion serves as the resting place for Berlusconi's ashes. His holding company Fininvest confirmed it has received 'various expressions of interest' in the villa but insisted: 'We would never comment on indiscretions regarding individual negotiators.' Rumours of a sale have swirled for years – with both the Saudi royal family and the Sultan of Brunei linked to potential deals that never materialised. Now, however, the opulent party palace with its lurid past may finally pass into new hands.