We loved Carmela's place and it was heaven to sit by the sea at sunset and watch all the sea birds.

Carmela does not speak English but if you speak Italian you'll love chatting to her - she is a very warm and natural host and keen to form friendships.

The room itself is very romantic and great value too.

Breakfast is not included and the kitchen when we stayed there is very basic - no kettle, just a microwave and fridge and coffee maker. However Carmela went out of her way to make us feel welcome and allowed me to cook our dinner in her beautiful kitchen and even lent me some ingredients.

We also made friends with the Hercules, the family Alsation dog who has a very gentle nature and lives for you to throw stones for him.

The peninsula is simply stunning but a long way by car from anywhere - Roma was 5 hours with foot down! We loved Carmela's recommendations for the San Nicola Beach and found a beautiful seafood restaurant on the headland there. A walk up in the primeval forest is a must too.

It's a place we'd love to come back to again and the area is great for families and hikers. The town is lively too but a good 30 minutes walk away up a steep hill. It's good to have a car here.

Certainly book to stay with Carmela and have a wonderful time!