Puglia - Italy’s best kept secret

Masseria Il Trappeto is a sensitively restored 17th century olive mill just 1km from Ostuni (“La Citta Bianca”) and set in an ancient olive grove from which it produces its own oil. Some of the trees were planted by the ancient Greeks 2,000 years ago, when southern Italy was Magna Graecia.

Working with local architect Angelo Pomes, Josephine Pembroke was in charge of the restoration and interior design. Josephine was keen to keep the original olive mill workings and restore the original stone. The vats in the original main factory floor (now a sitting room) are still visible through the glass floors.

As well as ensuring the house can be used all year round, Josephine was also keen that the furniture was sympathetic to the buildings age while adding a few quirky touches: feather cushions and an egg chair.

Il Trappeto offers a very high standard of holiday accommodation. With its seven bedrooms and five bathrooms, it comfortably sleeps 12 people. There are large sun terraces surrounding the first floor which look up to the medieval centre of Ostuni and out to the Adriatic Sea which is just 4km away.

Due to its ample space, terraces and pergola, Il Trappeto is ideal for a large family party who don’t want to get on top of one another. There are 500 square metres of outside terracing and a 60 square metre sitting room. So, it is also ideal for entertaining and weddings.

Protected by its previous lack of international airports, Puglia is still what we all think of when we think of Italy: great food, ancient architecture and a welcoming people whose attitude to life is a holiday in itself.

Puglia is about enjoying yourself: going out to dinner is cheap and children are welcome everywhere. And there is always something to do and a town to visit. Indeed, Lecce (45 mins away) has been described as the most beautiful city in southern Italy by Condé Nast Traveller.

Puglia is situated in the heel of Italy. Its outside heel runs along the Adriatic and its instep runs along the Ionian. Its major towns are Brindisi, Bari, Lecce, Gallipoli and Otranto.

The landscape, with its thousands of olive trees intermingled with huge prickly pear cacti and honey-coloured dry stone walls, is most unusual and more reminiscent of parts of Greece than Italy.

For more information, log on to Pugliavillaitaly.co.uk.