Alex and I spent the most perfect week at Trullo al Monte, thanks to the kindness and warm welcome of Amedeo and his family, and of course thanks to the Trullo itself, its location and facilities. The trullo, swimming pool and gardens are beautifully laid out and maintained: a real slice of paradise, with olive trees, palm trees, figs, flowering shrubs, butterflies and swallows swooping low over the pool occasionally for a drink of water... magical! There is plenty of detailed information in other reviews about the cool temperatures inside the trullo, the air-con, comfy bed, the external kitchen, the large pool (with jacuzzi, deep end and diving board, cleaned every morning), facilities and of course Argo (dog), Eros (cat) and the tortoises (with new mini-'tortoisino' this week and an egg still waiting to hatch!) so instead we will add all the extra bits that made the experience so memorable. Domenico introduced us on Day 2 to the delightful neighbouring town of Ceglie Messapica by giving us a lift in an old-style Fiat 500. Winding round the small streets into the central piazza felt like something out of an old Italian movie. Katerina provided simple breakfasts with fresh figs and extra titbits on a regular basis. She also hand makes 'chiaccherini' - bracelets and earrings from coloured threads - which provided an excellent source of gifts for family and friends. A casual comment about biscotti cegliesi in the local restaurant to Amedeo's brother, Marco, saw the appearance a day later of more delicious biscotti cegliesi homemade by La Nonna (Katerina's mother). Alex was missing playing a guitar, so Amedeo sourced one from a friend for Alex to borrow for the week. At the food festival which began in Ceglie on the last evening, Marco bought us artisan beers to taste and offered to drive us home (it is a pleasant 20 minute walk). In short, nothing was too much trouble, and the friendly touch made the stay so much more memorable. At the same time, like others have commented, we had plenty of privacy and quiet time, with the pool to ourselves most days. Ristorante da Mimma is fantastic - we ate there twice - and Mimma recommended 'Il Fico' in Ceglie where her son, Francesco, also has a small eatery, doing fab food and drinks. It doesn't take long to feel part of the community. Choose your beach trips depending on the direction of the wind. We visited Ostuni beach (Crazy Bull lido) one day and, the highlight beach with perfect sea and sand, Togo Bay lido near Punta Prosciutto another day. Alberobello - the trulli zone - is a must see. Ostuni - the white city - is enchanting. And you can spend hours wandering round the old town of Ceglie Messapica itself, practically on the doorstep. This is a hidden gem. If you want a real Italian experience in a slice of paradise, this trullo will provide!