In short: excellent stay in superb surroundings. It exceeded our expectations.

In June 2013, we (two couples from Belgium) had a fantastic stay at Dario’s lamia. On top of a hill at the Itria valley, we were the kings and queens of the world. A view, a pool and a cool house: everything we needed. The lamia is in perfect shape and recently renovated with care for detail. Situated in a calm rural-residential area, at a 10min drive from Ceglie Messapica and a 20km drive to cities like Martina Franca, Locorotondo or Alberobello, we found it a perfect base to discover the region.

The welcoming of Dario (who was in the region the weekend we arrived) and his parents (who live nearby) was very warm and attentive. A bit more difficult to speak with the parents if you don’t speak Italian, but you can manage with some keywords in English and Italian. In any case, they were very much willing to help and to make our stay as comfortable as possible. On top of that, Dario speaks Italian, English and French fluently and helped out where he could.

We mainly ate outside at one of the gazebos (a terrace with a bamboo roof). One is fitted with a large built-in barbeque so we could grill our vegetables and meat at the same time. The pool is long enough to swim some strokes and kept clean by Paolo, il Papa. Almost chlorine-free, the local sparrows often hovered over to drink. No problem at all to park and maneuver the car on the premises. The rooftop has some lines to dry your linen.

Within the thick walls of the lamia the two spacious bedrooms are separated from each other by the kitchen and the living room. Each bedroom has its own bathroom and the living room provides access to a third bathroom. Bathrooms were very clean as was the overall state of the lamia. We spent quite some time in the kitchen cooking together. It had everything to turn the local products into tasty meals.

To round up some tips:
-	Buy local products when you can, the quality is top-notch; you're in the garden of Italy. Meat from the local butcher shop, fresh dairy products from a masseria near Ceglie, fruit and vegetables at the local markets.
-	You will need wheels to get around. Bring your GPS.
-	Practice some Italian before you come, most Italians we met spoke only Italian. If you do a little effort, doors open widely.
-	Restaurants are not very expensive. Check the wooden box in the living room cupboard with the flyers and business cards.
-	Great spot to read: under the old tree next to the gazebo.

Highly recommended from Wim, Aurélie, Didier and Manon!