We spent 7 nights at Ilaria's house which is situated just a few minutes walk to the beach. We enjoyed our stay. The place looks exactly like in the pictures and it's clean and tidy. When we arrived we were welcomed with some local products from Ilaria which was really nice gesture. Ilaria and her family were very polite, friendly and helpful.
When it comes to the village, Specchiolla is a holiday resort, there are many beaches but what I found shocking was at many of them are dirty. The private beaches get cleaned every evening but the rest not. Where the beaches weren't private the amount of litter left on the shore is just awful. It's possible to find clean beaches in the village but you have to search to find them. I hope they'll solve the litter problem as this is such a beautiful stretch of coast. On the other hand, Specchiolla is well located. Just a few kilometers by car from the village there is a nature reserve and protected area called Torre Guaceto. You can find there stunning beaches with azure water and without any garbage. The clearness and blue colour of the sea is just beautiful. I highly recommend to visit this place. When you arrive to Specchiolla by car I recommend also to explore the towns like Monopoli, Brindisi or Bari which are beautiful historical places where you can experience the magical atmosphere of Puglia. It was my first time in this region and I was delighted with the excellent food, azure water and sights. Another thing I like about this region is that it's not overcrowded with tourists. It's definitely worth visiting Puglia!!