Puglia is the heel of Italy at its slowest: whitewashed villages, olive groves older than the borders, and a coastline that glows gold at sunset. We stay in restored masserie and cliffside townhouses, with a planner who knows which kitchens are worth the detour.

Days are loosely planned: a private cooking morning, a swim from a rocky cove, an afternoon in the trulli country. Best from late April to June and in September, when the light is soft and the roads are quiet.