Martina Franca holiday villa

We had a lovely stay in Susan's Trullo (family of 4 with 5 and 3 year old children)

Susan made our stay welcome and easy, living very locally and able help us arrive and leave along with recommendations, directions and organising anything we (or the kids) needed. She even bought a DVD player for us to keep the kids happy after the busy days!

My favourite was using the outdoor BBQ, dining with the kids next to the pool and watching the sunset from the flat roof of the villa and stargazing at night once the kids are in bed.

The villa is very nice having been just redone and the surrounding area has plenty to see - picturesque villages and towns (Ostuni, Martina Franca, Locorotondo, etc) along with beach towns within 40 drive.

We flew Ryanair to Bari Airport (1hour drive) but Brindisi is simlar distance.

We hired a car via Easyjet's website for Europcar (about 15% cheaper than direct with Europcar) - queues were a little shorter at the airport, but the airport is small anyway so quick to get in and out.

I recently stayed at this gorgeous trullo just outside the historic town of Martina Franca. It's out in the country, so is a wonderfully quiet spot to chill out and soak up the sun. But the town's very near, so there's easy access to all the restaurants, bars and shops for the evening. We also drove to different beaches a few times, which were lovely. And the trullo capital (Alberobello) is a short drive away and worth a visit too. But there's really no need to go anywhere as it's so relaxing at the trullo (and I hear a pool is being installed, so cooling down will be a simple hop off the rooftop suntraps).

Inside, the trullo was spotlessly clean and is furnished to a high standard with all mod cons. The ceiling of one of the bedrooms is the conical inside of the honey-comb-shaped trullo part of the roof, which is very romantic.

Susan, the lovely (and very funny) lady who owns the place, has left lots of useful information around to help make the most of your holiday. She even directed us to an amazing open-air nightclub in the middle of nowhere, which was fantastic - even for a couple of old-timers like us! The neighbours are also very friendly (although they are only there sometimes as their main house is in the town) and grow an amazing variety of fruit and vegetables.

I would recommend this property to anyone who wants a relaxing holiday in a charming and unusual property, with the added bonus of plenty of interesting things on your doorstop. It also makes a good girly break destination, as you can relax by day and enjoy the great bars in the evening (they all stay open soooo late!). I guess the only downside is that you need to drive to get anywhere, but then the bonus is it's in a lovely and quiet location.

This trullo is a stunning retreat, and so beautiful, it has a really tranquil and relaxing atmosphere. We loved the vaulted ceilings and renovated cones inside - they give it a really special feel and its so different from just staying in a normal villa. We have been now several times and find it one of the most relaxing places we have ever been, which is what keeps us coming back. It is beautifully maintained and very sympathetically decorated traditional but comfortable inside. However you will want to spend most of your time outside enjoying the sun on the lovely terrace or up on the roof looking out over the gentle rolling hills and enjoying the cooling breeze. We are hooked and have recommended this place to many of our friends already !