With just two spacious bedrooms, La Casetta is the go-to for couples who value privacy and love eating outdoors. Surrounded by citrus, almond, and olive groves, this contemporary gem has a generous pool overlooking the garden terraces with a boma and outdoor fireplace to one side for star-lit nights, as well as a protected middle courtyard surrounding an old well, ideal for alfresco dining.
Whitewashed and cool in summer, La Casetta’s thick walls give privacy and absolute peace and quiet. Drifting off into a deep slumber mid-afternoon is not unheard of, and a good night’s sleep is guaranteed as the rhythm of the countryside and sounds of nature gently ease one into this laid-back lifestyle. Being up early means that the historical alleyways and characterful piazzas of nearby Ostuni are easy to explore but day trips as far as Lecce or along the coast are equally easy.
Today La Casetta is part of a portfolio of nine beautifully restored Moroseta properties spread around the Valle d’Itria, mostly within 15 minutes of each other. As a result, each one benefits from the superb local services the Moroseta team offer, in addition to a consistent architectural style and contemporary interiors with high-tech kitchens and modern-day luxuries of air conditioning and central heating. And you don’t have to self-cater if you don’t feel like it: seasonal breakfast, lunch or dinner dishes can be delivered, or an expert pizzaiolo (pizza chef) can be booked to cook authentic Italian pizzas. Equally, massage therapists and yoga sessions – and even personal trainers will come to you. Fancy pottering from cove to cove on the west coast? Hop aboard Moroseta’s classic Riva boat, Margherita Moroseta II, moored in the port of Gallipoli. Enjoy chilled wines and a lazy lunch on board, with swims whenever you feel like it along the way. Or book the culinary communal table food experience for an unforgettable gastronomic introduction to local food, with menus that change daily depending on the harvest from the organic veggie gardens.
What we love!
• That staying in a private villa gives you privacy, yet little towns nearby are easy to explore. Day trips a little further away to historical Lecce and fascinating Matera, are surprisingly easy if you hire a car, although you can expect to park outside town walls.
• Puglia has some lesser-known gems such as Locorotondo (one of the famous whitewashed towns of Puglia) and Martina Franca. Car-free streets give way to labyrinthine streets with charming flower-filled balconies and piazza people-watching more authentic than traditional tourist towns.
• That you can book a cookery course in Brindisi with Francesco and Julie, who teach traditional Apulian dishes in their home in Oria (Brindisi), with ingredients sourced from local cheesemakers, farmers, and winemakers.
What you need to know…
• Legendary communal-table dinners are held at the main farmhouse, Masseria Moroseta, but talented young Chef Georgia Goggi’s gourmet menus mean that booking ahead is essential. Dinners are only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday (from 8 pm).
• The minimum stay is four nights during low season (November to April), and seven nights in high season (May to October).
• The nearest beach is just 10 minutes away with lovely walks in the Dune Costiere nature reserve.  Historical Ostuni is very close by and worth exploring on foot.
• La Casetta is 30 minutes from Brindisi Airport and 1hr15 from Bari Airport.
• Housekeeping is included every second day, with bed linen changes every fourth day.
Reviewed by Michelle Snaddon