This place is perfection. For us, the many little touches made this beautiful, airy apartment the equivalent of a five-star hotel, not least Maria Cristina's wonderful, warm yet unobtrusive hospitality.
So let's talk about that first. She is like a Maitre D': there if and when you need her, a wonderful source of info and support, but not in your face. We were visiting without a car, and we were reassured that if we needed it, a lift was available to, say, the lovely neighbouring town of St. Cesarea Terme. We didn't use it, but it was lovely knowing the offer was there.
But onto all those little touches, including but not limited to the following: a double bed that was more than ample size (why do so many places have SMALL ones?!); an excellent mattress; a change of bedding if we required it; more than enough towels, not just one but many; ample toilet paper, kitchen roll, wash tabs; excellent basics for the kitchen including ice bags (!!), tea, good coffee, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and some herbs; abundant tea towels; a smart TV for Netflix & Chill; a great shower; a wonderful upright piano that is in TUNE!; good internet; comfy sofa bed; sunny, private balcony; and the views from the rooftop terrace are to die for. I would go up every morning to watch the sunrise and it was just beautiful.
The location is really handy too, very near shops and cafes, restaurants and, of course, swimming spots including the marina itself. And despite being very central, it was quiet, which was what we wanted. It's a fair climb to the top of the old town - about 300+ steps - but that gave us the perfect excuse to eat more of the extremely delicious local pastries. The pasticcioto and cannoli must be eaten, regularly.
We were visiting in October (first two weeks), and the weather was great for the first ten days, and then very mixed including thunder. We didn't mind at all - even with thunder and rain, the sea was spectacular. The town is quiet enough though at this time of year, with only about 5 or 6 restaurants open, along with local cafes. The A&O supermarket (yes, up those 300 steps or a five-minute drive) has everything you need. There's a less fancy one (Supermercato del Porto) about a 5-minute walk from the apartment which is fine for basics.
It was our 2nd trip to Puglia, and whereas before we moved around a lot, this time we stayed the whole time in Castro, but Castro is also a great base for exploring the whole region, including the capital, Lecce. It was the perfect 'slow' holiday. Lots of walking, lots of eating, swimming, chilling. Our last visit was in the 2nd half of September and the weather was warmer, and there were more options for stuff to do, especially with a car. But this time we knew we were happier with a quieter holiday, and it was perfect.
I couldn't recommend this apartment, or its lovely host, more highly. We will be back!