Ostuni
Two taxi drivers warned us that there was no taxi rank at Ostuni station. After much telephoning we managed to arrange of pickup through the hotel at a cost of €50 for a 12 km journey.
Le Carrube Masseria is a farm turned into a hotel. What makes it different is the extensive gardens surrounding the main buildings that provide all the ingredients for the vegetarian menu. A full breakfast and light lunch are available in the rustic restaurant. The main meal is served at 20:00 and consists of a single, vegetarian tasting menu of 6 courses. This sounds overwhelming, but each course is small. What is overwhelming is the price of wine, starting at around €30 a bottle and going up to the hundreds. Luckily, a generous glass of primitivo was only €12.
Unfortunately for us our visit coincided with a violent storm and heavy rain. We managed to nip in and out between showers, but were mostly confined to our room, which was warm and comfortable and rather like a trull but without the pointed roof.
Travel tip
Unless you are travelling by car or staying for several days during the summer (when the weather is more settled) this might be a place to avoid as it is mostly aimed at lounging around the pool of enjoying the countryside.