Rome  - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is toying with the idea of undertaking a pilgrimage to atone for the scandals linking him to female escorts and wild parties at his private villa.

The billionaire has told close friends of his plans to go on a pilgrimage and sell the property in the north-east of Sardinia, the liberal Rome daily La Repubblica reported Monday.

"I don't feel at home any more in the Villa Certosa after everything that's happened," the media mogul is reported to have said, vowing that he wanted to change his lifestyle.

The premier was referring to the 5,000 photos of goings-on at the villa taken by paparazzo Antonello Zappadu.

Berlusconi was unable to suppress publication of many of the pictures, some of which showed semi-naked women mingling with guests at the villa.

Others caught Berlusconi in the company of then underage Naples schoolgirl Noemi Letizia.

After ending his summer holiday in northern Italy, Berlusconi plans to make a pilgrimage in September, La Repubblica said. His destination is the shrine of Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo in southern Italy.

Padre Pio is one the country's best-loved saints.(dpa)