I had such a wonderful time at Maria Rosaria and Cristoforo’s house. It is a beautiful old home, with thick walls, wonderful antique furnishings, lots of light and beautiful tile floors. There is everything you need, a fully stocked kitchen for cooking, a modern bathroom with washer for clothes, comfortable bed, air conditioning (although the house keeps naturally quite cool even on the hottest days), and three levels of terrazza outside! During the day there is one level of terrazza that is covered, and for night time, go to the third level and observe the stars, it is gorgeous. Giuggianello is a beautiful small and quiet town in Salento and wonderful central place to base yourself to drive around to the beaches and sights. I didnt have a car and was instead looking for a place to spend a quiet couple of days, and it was perfect. The house is right next to the main square where there is a bakery, bar, church and restaurant. Everyone in the village is so friendly and welcoming. It was refreshing for the soul.
The highlight of my stay was the hospitality of Maria Rosaria. She thought of everything that I could need to make my stay better including offering her bike for me to use to get around and taking the time to give me a tour around the village sights when I first arrived. Her and her husband, Manilo, also graciously invited me out one night, to walk Otranto (only about 15 mins away driving) and then to a village celebration for San Giovanni. We had the most wonderful conversations and such a lovely time! When I need to leave, Manlio was so kind as to drive me to the station and wait for the train with me. I felt cared for like family and I look forward to seeing them again one day!
Overall this was an exceptionally magical stay and I recommend it highly!