Italy's best kept secret

The Puglia region (referred to often as the heel of Italy’s “boot”) remains a relatively unexplored part of the country. I found this to be one of its charms when I visited back in October 2014. This together with its characterful baroque villages and trullo houses, sandy beaches and excellent cuisine. Hotel Canne Bianche is a wonderful beachside retreat, perfectly positioned for visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Alberobello, Castel del Monte and the ‘white city’ of Ostuni. For those simply looking for an Italian standalone beach holiday this property is perfect - just a 45-minute drive from Bari (or 30 minutes from Brindisi). The style is very much ‘beach-house chic’ and decorated in neutral colours and natural materials. My recommendation would be to book a junior suite with sea view. All of which have their own balconies, a perfect spot to enjoy a glass of chilled Prosecco and some local taralli biscuits. This takes me on nicely to the cookery classes offered by the hotel, where I mastered the art of making this local speciality, made simply with flour, salt, olive oil and white wine. Classes in making the perfect homemade Orecchiette pasta and preparing seafood can also be arranged. Keeping with the culinary thread, day trips can also be arranged to local olive oil and cheese producers for tastings. To enhance any stay at this property a visit to the spa is essential. AQUA has an extensive range of treatments which can be tailored to clients’ requirements, which use natural products, some of which are sourced from the hotel’s botanical garden.