Trullo dei Pini

Nestled in a pine forest, Trullo dei Pini occupies a heavenly spot on top of a hill overlooking olive groves – it’s utterly breathtaking. Recently rebuilt and refurbished, it’s filled with both Italian and English vintage gems; keep your phone handy, as it’s total Instagram fodder. Everything is so thoughtfully and stylishly done, from handmade tiles in the bedrooms to a bespoke Shaker kitchen with marble countertops. 

The property is perfectly set up for an extended family holiday. There are three bedrooms in the main house and a separate trullo with one large bedroom and separate bathroom, which is great for a small family or grandparents. Puglia can get very warm, but all the rooms are fitted with air-conditioning. There’s plenty of space to spread out in the generously sized living room, but we spent most of our time around the heated pool, on the sun loungers. The house is also really easy – everything is on one level, so no tricky steps to navigate for small children or grandparents. And be warned: the kitchen is so spacious, stylish and well-provisioned that you’ll be dreaming up your next home renovation before you’ve finished cooking your first meal. 

We flew with Ryanair from Stansted to Brindisi, and then hired a car for the short 25-minute drive to the trullo. It’s very close to the beautiful old town of Ostuni, where we strolled around the narrow streets and ate delicious traditional cuisine. There’s also the picturesque town of Ceglie, with its white-washed streets; Cisternino, with its barbecuing butchers; and the scenic town of Lecce, which has a brilliant vintage market on Sundays.

Once we’d spent a few days by the pool and exploring local villages, we ventured a little further afield and went to a brilliant beach club called Coccaro, which was a doable 45 minutes away. There we found white sand beaches, turquoise waters and a child-friendly restaurant. When it comes to food shopping, there are food markets and supermarkets nearby, but for full-on luxury, one of the highlights of our trip was when the villa owners arranged for a chef to cook for us at home. We feasted on the most delicious local dishes under the stars. Once you’ve arrived at Trullo dei Pini, there’s a strong possibility that you’ll never want to leave. 

Prices start from £286 per night or £2,002 for seven nights; trullodeipini.com