Ceglie Messapica, Puglia
This picturesque, rural , air-conditioned property, consisting of a romantic 200 -year- old trullo and its integral but independent, modern villa is private without being isolated. The new pool is completely hidden from the lane and neighbours can barely be seen as the house is set amongst olive trees, yet the town of Ceglie is visible from the edge of the land.Whenever you visit, there is garden produce: figs, almonds, cherries, apricots, walnuts or pomegranates. A pool maintenance team arrives early in the morning twice a week and a gardener waters the plants. They try to time visits to avoid guests. Barbeque peacefully at the shady, garden table; lounge in the sunshine on the big veranda or sunbathe at the poolside. Sun or shade is accessible all day long.The trullo, has its own separate facilities, a large double bed, white wood chests of drawers, hanging space, linen, games, television, wifi and books. The villa has two comfortable rooms and a bathroom: one is a king-size bedroom with drawers and wardrobe; the other a living room with generous dining furniture,fitted kitchen, sofa-bed and character fireplace. There is a portable music centre with CDs. . It is possible to rent either the trullo, or the villa or the whole property
Higher rates are charged for a larger group of renters ie 6-8 but this is not recommended as it spoils the living spaces and stretches the resources. 4-6 is ideal.
This quaint Italian home is particularly suitable for people who like the countryside and who would like to see the real Puglia. It is comfortable and homely, being our much-loved second home and not just an empty rental property. The neighbours and the ladies who maintain the house are warm and hospitable. The check-in girls are thorough and readily available should you require assistance or advice.
Seaside towns like Santa Sabina or Villa Nova on the Adriatic are 30 minutes away by car; long white beaches of Porto Caesario on the Ionian are an hour’s drive; the celebrated hill-top towns of Ostuni( the white city) , Locorotondo and Cisternino or Martina Franca and Alberobello are all within a 40 minute journey. There are many places of interest within easy reach besides those, noteably the caves at Castellano Grotte; Matera, the cave- town setting for the Passion of Christ and the whole of Salento with its picturesque resorts and beaches, together with the many fortified medieval sea-side towns like Otranto and Gallipoli. Bari and Brindisi are the big ports for Croatia and Greece. Sicily is near enough to visit for a short stay. Nearer to home, in Ceglie town itself, the Banana Club is a pretty swimming pool with restaurant, cafe showers and toilets. There are also caves nearby. The town has tennis courts and there is a good variety of quality eateries spanning the complete price range. The quaint, old, cobbled quarter comes alive at night in the season, with street cafes and restaurants, a bustling square, bars and live music, fiestas and stalls.
We enjoyed the stay in Ceglie Messapica very much. The trullo as well as the wide property were mostly inviting. The equipment very satisfying, terrace shady and nice. The pool very big, clean and beautifully laid out. Being situated centrally we could go on many excursions in the surroundings. We can recommend the vacation without restrictions!
Our stay was uncomfortable, little thought for guests- not value for money, and sadly we counted the days until we could leave the property. 1. Property described as spacious sleeping 6-8 (with a premium for larger groups) but only included space and furniture for 4 not our group of 6 2. Air conditioning only in two rooms and not in one bedroom and main living area 3. The neighbours dog wandering onto the property and scared the children 4. The outdoor floor of the property is extremely sharp and uncomfortable over pine needles– even the walk to the pool – despite the path 5. Some broken furniture (shade on sun loungers), dining chair, umbrella stand and 2 doors scraping on the floor were difficult and noisy to open 6. Pool towels were provided, but these were extremely old. Sheets felt like they were left over from family use not purchased for fee paying guests 7. At 6.30am, the gardener visited without warning from the host when the children were outside, this was for us a safeguarding issue for us particularly in such a remote location. The host was responsive and provided new pillows (replacing small cushions stuffed into pillow cases) and a new poolside umbrella limited shade by the pool. The figs on the property were lovely, the pool is large and clean, the remoteness and quiet was positive and it was good to be in a Trullo. Overall our 9 day stay was an unpleasant experience for us, which somewhat ruined our stay.
We had a really enjoyable stay in the trullo. The property is traditional, but spacious & well equipped. The swimming pool was perfect in the 30C heat. Ceglie Messapica is just a 5 minute drive away & well worth a visit. The only thing I would suggest to improve would be a larger patio table, & more outdoor chairs. The patio was perfect for al fresco dining.
This property looked really cool in the listing but it wasn’t for us. The Trullo is more like glamping and very remote. Not walking distance to the town and 35-45 minutes to the beach. The yellow well water for showers smelled like sulfur and the kitchen has a concerning propane gas smell. No hot water on first day because no instructions on how to turn on water heaters. The ACs have been capped so didn’t get cooler than 24 which was hot. The check in was tough because we got lost and the property manager had to leave. Then on checkout (we left a day early because of the issues but paid for entire stay) the manager was very thorough to examine every little thing including trash cans were emptied and asked if we broke a plastic trash can that had the lid removed (we didn’t). The highlights: the owner Joanna was very responsive to emails and nice; wild cats and dogs that visit for food; and little tiny hummingbirds. Overall tho the negatives outweighed the positives for us.
We had such a lovely time. Let's start with the kids. To them, the pool was everything. Luckily it was lovely. The check-in was smooth, with Joanna and Roberta (local host) being communicative and incredibly helpful. The location is superb. We wanted peace so stayed away from properties in town, but the proximity to the delights of Ceglie, Ostuni, Alberobello etc was superb. The property is lovely, our boys slept in the trullo, we in the adjoining room next to it. Everything worked and the shower (I love a good shower) was especially nice! Thanks Jo.
We had a very nice time at the villa. Roberta and Joanna were very helpfull. There is also a very friendly gardener.
The property was everything we expected and more. It was wonderful to have so much privacy and such a fantastic pool. We would highly recommend this place to a family or a couple. The location is excellent for exploring Puglia. Thank you
We stayed at the trullo for 5 nights and loved every minute of it. Roberta is nice and efficient and made the check in/out process seamless. The location is perfect and made for a perfect base from which to explore Puglia. We took day trips to Ostuni, Otranto, Porto Cesareo...the town of Ceglie is just minutes away and it's very cute. The house was spotless and had everything you might need. The pool is amazing too - it was around 35C every day we were there, so it was perfect!! We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely be back! One thing that would make this house even better is outdoor furniture for the patio, the patio is so nice and we would have loved to spend more time lounging around and reading there. A few tips: Pizzeria Express is 6 minutes from the trullo and it's so cheap (4.5 euro for a margherita!) and delicious. Glass recycling is at the first intersection before town, so it's easy to drop off every day. We took plastic into town (Or ask Roberta for directions to the recycling center)...we just can't trow recyclables in the trash! Highly recommend this place for your vacation!
We felt we were in a paradise!! We loved it! We had Three amazing days. Definitely we will come back. Everything was perfect. The owner looks after every details, she provides towels for each of us, for the swimming pool, for the bath and for the face.. all super clean and ironed. Our beds were made with lovely smell bed linen... it was so wonderful. The house is very big and beautiful. Air conditioning, super fresh house. A lot space outside the house...and the swimming pool.. the cherry on the cake. Roberta, a very kind young lady, always available and very nice. Prompt to help you anytime. The owner very friendly and caring. We felt in heaven! Thank you.
We had a fabulous 2 week’s stay at Trullo Giovanni. Very spacious and fully equipped property for our family of 4. We just loved spending time on the terras reading, having our meals & playing games in the evening. The pool was glorious - perfect size to do lengths and have fun with the kids in. Many an hour was spent next to the pool reading & sunbathing. Ceglie Messapica is a delightful town with many lovely restaurants and a great atmosphere. We loved going into town in the evening for a stroll & a meal. The nearby towns of Ostuni & Alberobello are a must although much busier than Ceglie. Lots of nice sandy beaches as well. Really would recommend a stay in Trullo Giovanni if you are looking the experience the true Puglian life.