La Bougainvillea

La Bougainvillea is one of a few properly child-friendly properties in the area; made up of two separate houses, a traditional restored conical roofed 'trullo' house for 4 and a villa for 6 which can be rented separately or together.Show more...

The Trullo - sleeps 4 is a magical coned house will really capture your children's imagination. It was built around 1820 by an ancestor of the present owner, then restored sympathetically, retaining its charm and rustic appeal with its traditional stone walls, ancient lime stone floors and arched ceilings. The trullo cones have all been knocked together and opened up to create one homely living space, including a sizeable kitchen with dining area and sitting room. Perfect for a family of four, there is a double and twin bedroom which share a shower room.

The Villa - sleeps 6-8 has been designed and furnished carefully to complement the style of the Trullo, using local stone and craftsmanship. The result is a spacious and welcoming single storey home with an open plan living space, ideal for families with young children. A kitchen with dining table for 8 opens to a sitting room/play area and outside dining area. The Villa has two double bedrooms and one twin bedroom which is a good set up for a family of four to six with grandparents or two couples with children.

Single story accommodation
The Trullo - Ground floor
Kitchen	Dishwasher, Microwave, Oven, Hob, Fridge/freezer, Washing machine
Dining Room	Dining table and 4 dining chairs
Lounge	TV, Satellite, DVD player, WiFi
Bedroom	Double bed
Bedroom	2 Single beds
Bathroom	Shower, WC, Washbasin
The Villa - Ground floor
Kitchen	Dishwasher, Microwave, Oven, Hob, Fridge/freezer, Washing machine
Dining area	Dining table and 8 dining chairs
Bedroom with en-suite	Double bed, Spa-type shower area, 2 Washbasins, WC
Bedroom	2 Single beds (which both extend to become double beds)
Bathroom	Large bath tub, Shower, Washbasin, Separate WC room
Bedroom	Double bed

Outside

Both the Trullo and Villa have their own outside dining area and BBQ.
Additionally shared by both properties, there is a large (1 hectare), pretty, flat lawned garden, a play area with swings and slides, outside toys and 10 x 10m swimming pool that is completely fenced off with two gates. At the shallow end the pool is 1 meter deep and increases in depth to 2.9 meters at the deep end. There are Roman steps in one corner that make for an easy entry and exit from the pool.Show more...

Garden lighting and sun loungers make it the prefect place to relax with a wonderful variety of fruit trees as well as ancient twisted olive trees. Another large dining table by the pool ensures that larger groups renting both houses can dine together. Behind the property is a country road so you may occasionally hear cars passing.

If you are staying at cooler times of the year heating is available and you would like it on, it is charged locally based on usage. LPG (gas) readings would be taken and charged at the going rate of €3.20 per cubic metre.

La Bougainvillea is surrounded by fields and olive groves in the rolling hills of the Valle D'Itria, the only part of the heel of Italy's boot which is not flat. The location is an hours drive inland from both Bari and Brindisi airports around 10 minutes drive from the village of Martina Franca. The area is rural and covered with fields of ancient olives groves and scattered with trullo houses. There are interesting traditional white hill top villages within an easy drive. The area is unspoilt and the local villages have a sleepy, distinctly un-touristy feel to them. Shops in Puglia traditionally close for the siesta at 1pm, opening around 5pm until around 9pm.

Beaches
Most beaches in the area (about 35 minutes to drive from La Bougainvillea) are very suitable for children as they are sandy and the water is shallow.

Restaurants and Shops
The nearest supermarket (open all day, also Sundays) is about 10 minutes away by car and has a good selection of baby necessities such as formula and nappies. There is also a specific baby product store in Martina Franca (about 10-15 minutes by car away). Here there are all the other shops and restaurants you will need.

Activities
The discreet owners are parents themselves and are on hand to offer advice and tips for parents looking to experience the best of Puglia with young children, from child friendly beaches to cookery lessons and horse riding. An informal cook service, babysitting and massages can also be arranged.Show more...

Just a short drive away is the UNESCO heritage site of Alberbello, a village of ancient trullos which is well worth visiting. Other characteristic hill towns such as Locorotondo and Ostuni are fun to discover with the family.
Puglia has lots of events and festivals from July to September, including many specific ones for children such as plays and concerts. There are calendars at the villa with details of the area’s events during your stay.

Further afield
The beautiful baroque town Lecce with its Roman and Greek amphitheatres is definitely worth a visit.

There are two nearby airports:

Brindisi Airport is a 75 km (46 mile) 1 hour drive
Bari Airport is a 90km (56 mile) 1 hr 15 min drive.

Travel from airport to villa

Car hire – There are several car rental companies that have their booking desks in the arrivals area of the passenger terminals of Brindisi and Bari airports. If you book your car on-line in advance, they will have the car waiting for you at the airport.

UK flights to Brindisi
There are several different options but these are some of the popular routes from UK airports:

London Heathrow	Flight time 2 hours 55 mins
London Gatwick	Flight time 2 hours 55 mins
London Stansted	Flight time 2 hours 50 mins
Manchester	Flight time 3 hours 10 mins

UK flights to Bari
There are several different options but these are some of the popular routes from UK airports:

London Stansted	Flight time 2 hours 40 mins
London Gatwick	Flight time 2 hours 45 mins
Liverpool	Flight time 3 hours 5 mins