The Salento area of Puglia, in Southern Italy, is getting increasingly well known for the warm hospitality of its people, a slow relaxed pace of life and a cuisine based on the freshest produce and seafood, bursting with flavour and accompanied by excellent olive oil and seriously good wine, particularly the reds. A long coastline with crystalline water (and some of the best beaches in Italy) and lots of enchanting small towns with beautiful architecture add to the reasons why you should visit and explain its frequent appearance in the international travel press.

The first luxury hotels to spring up in the area were predominantly Masserie, historic farm or manor houses immersed in Nature and restored with rustic yet elegant charm – usually offering a restaurant serving traditional dishes, seclusion, a pool or pools and often spa or retreat facilities. While I am a fan of these in the high summer months, when beaches are crowded and towns can be chaotic, I think Puglia has a lot to offer year-round, and you experience much more of the area using a small town as a base. For short breaks you can even get away with not renting a car. Whereas some seaside towns can be too quiet in winter, pick the right town, preferably near the coast, and you will have a good choice of restaurants and cafes open all year as well as beautiful streets to wander around and a main square or squares where you can have a drink or snack and people watch to your hearts content.

Two of my favourites are Nardò and Galatina, both within easy reach of Lecce, the capital of the area, and a selection of beaches for the warmer…

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