Ostuni and its coast
Around half of our houses in this part of Puglia are around Ostuni. The old town is whitewashed and stacked on a hill, with steep lanes, a Gothic cathedral and plenty of restaurants. Below it, a plain of very old olive trees runs down to the coast, where Rosa Marina, Costa Merlata and the harbour at Villanova have sandy coves and lidos 10 to 20 minutes away. Brindisi airport is around 35 to 40 minutes' drive.
Best for: Couples and families who want a town to walk in and beaches nearby
Not for you if: You want the conical trulli roofs all around you: Ostuni's countryside is more olive groves and farmhouses than trulli.
San Vito dei Normanni (towards Brindisi)
This is our second-largest group of houses, mostly masserie and country villas set in flat olive and vine country south of Ostuni. San Vito is a working farm town with a Norman tower, a market and few visitors. It sits outside the trulli heartland proper, so treat the valley as a day out. Brindisi, with its waterfront and ferries, is around 20 to 25 minutes away, and so is the airport.
Best for: A short airport transfer and a quiet base with a pool
Not for you if: You want to be in the Valle d'Itria: Alberobello is the best part of an hour away.
Cisternino and Locorotondo (the Valle d'Itria)
Here the trulli are everywhere, scattered between dry-stone walls and small vineyards. Cisternino's butchers grill meat to order in the evening, a local habit called fornello pronto. Locorotondo is a circular white town on a ridge, known for its dry white wine. Alberobello, with its two trulli districts, is about 15 minutes away and gets crowded by late morning. Fly into Brindisi or Bari, each roughly an hour by car.
Best for: Trulli, hill-town dinners and short drives to Alberobello
Not for you if: Beaches are a priority: the coast is around half an hour downhill.
Fasano and Castellana Grotte (Bari side)
Castellana Grotte is built over one of Italy's largest cave systems, with guided tours several times a day. Fasano has the Zoosafari drive-through park and, on its coast, the Roman ruins of Egnazia and the beaches of Torre Canne and Savelletri. Choice of houses is small. Bari airport is around 45 minutes to an hour away.
Best for: Families flying into Bari who want caves, a safari park and sandy beaches
Not for you if: You want a small village feel: Fasano is a sizeable town and the coast road is busy in August.
Ceglie Messapica and Francavilla Fontana (southern edge)
Ceglie Messapica has a castle in its old centre and a strong local food reputation, including an almond and fig biscuit called biscotto cegliese. Francavilla Fontana, further south, is a flat baroque town built around the Imperiali family's palace. Both are quieter and less visited than the Valle d'Itria towns, and we have only a few houses here. Brindisi airport is around 40 minutes away.
Best for: Food lovers who want a town with good trattorias and lower prices
Not for you if: You want somewhere well set up for visitors: these are towns where Italians live, with little English spoken.
