Lama di Luna

A paragon of eco-minimalism: an 18th-century fortified estate with monastically calm bedrooms, pure and perfect food, and 190 hectares of organic heaven

If you want to slip away from commercialism and clamour, book a cheap flight to Bari and head north to the somewhat unlikely environs of Andria. Here, amid low rocky hills overlooking the olive-studded coast, sits a squat fortified farm with 40 chimneys bristling around a gravelled courtyard. The great iron gates swing open and you're greeted by Pietro, a gentle, unassuming father of two who spends his summers harvesting olives and fruit, and his winters crafting furniture from giant fennel trunks.

Lama di Luna excels not for what it has, but what it doesn't have: no gimmicks, no distractions, no noise. You're ensconced in thick vaulted bedrooms, you sleep in unbleached cotton sheets on feng-shui beds, you wash with pure olive soap, you breakfast on organic jams. If you want to explore, the fantastical Bourbon Castel del Monte and the under-rated port of Trani await; by happy coincidence, one of Puglia's finest restaurants hides in the village down the lane. But don't plan too much: bring a good book, a special companion, and empty your mind. That's what it's all about.

Highs

• Inspirational eco technology (48 solar panels power a computer-controlled heating system) and nothing wasted (fennel offcuts are used for key fobs)
• No sharp edges, no artificial materials, radial wiring so as not to create magnetic fields
• Pietro's an excellent host, offering multilingual advice, free bicycles, restaurant bookings (essential)
• You can help harvest grapes, pick olives or make pizzas in the old oven
• With regular flights to Bari you can even come for the weekend (if your eco conscience allows)

Lows

• The surroundings seem unimpressive: low hills, endless olive groves, drab-looking Canosa and Andria – but all repay patient exploration
• The building looks austere but the rooms are cosy and warm (glowing eco lighting and underfloor heating)
• The nearest beaches (Barletta, Margherita di Savoia) are not Puglia's best