Agricampeggio Torre Sabea

It’s very much worth taking the shuttle (or hiring a bike) to scoot down to Gallipoli: the town’s lovely historic centre is on a little island almost entirely surrounded by well-preserved medieval walls and reached via a 17th-century bridge. Inside the walls lurk a castle, baroque churches and lots of little cafés. More historic ramblings can be had at the Roman settlement of Alezio, 10 minutes away by car, and the baroque city of Lecce, half an hour away, which is also home to a Roman theatre, an archaeological museum and a tourist train for stress-free sightseeing. All down this stretch of coast are some excellent beaches, and there’s also a waterpark 10 minutes’ walk from the site (ask reception staff for discount details before you hit the waterslides). If you fancy immersing yourself in the big blue, diving centres are in Gallipoli.