Picture yourself throwing on your swimmers and ambling down a few steps to the beach every morning, stopping for a pasticciotto (local pastry treat to die for) and an ice-cold caffe ghiaccio con latte di mandorla (cold coffee on almond milk, another must) before taking a dip in the azure blue waters of Otranto bay. Watching your kids play safely in the shallow, clean waters as you read a book on the beach. The biggest decision you're going to have to make today is where to have lunch - will you stay beachside and stop in one of the many restaurants along the bay to share a pizza while enjoying the vista? Or will you wander up the cool cobbled streets of the old town and do a little browsing in the shops before you sit down to a plate of the freshest seafood you'll ever eat? If it's too hot to be out, why not just pop into the cheese factory and watch them make the mozzarella in front of your eyes before you nip in to the shop for some prosciutto, tomatoes and bread and make your way back to Nando's spacious, clean, comfortable home where you can flick on the air conditioning to escape the heat while you sample the local produce before enjoying a siesta? After your nap, you are only about a three minute walk from Gelataria La Granita, who have been making their delicious fresh granitas (another local delicacy) since 1952 - stopping there will become a daily habit. Another swim at the beach and it'll be about time to pick up a bottle of the local rosato (rose) and some marinated anchovies and olives and sit up on the rooftop terrace to take in the matching pink of the sunset before heading into town for another delicious meal and a lively passeggiata in the warm air. We got back last night from our two weeks of bliss, staying at Nando's and basically living this life on repeat for 14 days. We did do a little exploring - our favourite being Porto Badisco - a beautiful cool bay 15 minutes away. But honestly, if you want to live la dolce vita the way the Italians do, living at Nando's is the way to do it. As a host, Nando could not have been more helpful - his knowledge and tips and communication and advice was all second-to-none. He went above and beyond, organising competitive quotes for transfers/kids seats for the cars/etc as well as fielding any and all questions we had extremely promptly. His place is cool, quiet, spacious, comfortable and clean. The kitchen is well-equipped, the air-conditioning is very effective and he's lucky I didn't try and prise up some of his floor tiles and take them home! Otranto is beautiful - the water is SOMETHING ELSE. I don't think I've seen those colours before. It's super safe for kids, there are loads of families there. While it is a holiday town, we...