PUGLIA, or APULIA as it is sometimes called is the heel of Italy, it is magical and compelling. Its charm seduces everyone, its trulli houses fascinate, and, once discovered, its lasting impression is like a magnet to return. Adapting to eating really good food and having a slower pace of life, for a week or two is, of course, no hardship – just sheer joy.

Puglia, or Apulia as it is sometimes known, is a land of extraordinary colours and wonderful variety - an undulating plateau of rich, red earth, dark green pine-forested hillsides, silvery green olive trees and lush vineyards; sparkling white labyrinths of towns' historic centres, which seem to glisten in the sun; milky white mediaeval centres with their tangles of cobbled streets and alleyways; grey and natural hues of Baroque churches; dustings of pink on villa walls; and all against a backdrop of deep, deep blue Mediterranean sea and sky.

The lush Itria Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has fairy-tale trulli houses, scattered in picturesque disorder around the countryside. These traditional houses, unique to the area, are built of dry stone with thick solid walls and conical roofs. Don't expect one or two – they are everywhere and you will never have seen anything quite like it.

The gracious, fortified masserie are farmhouses, centuries old and usually surrounded by thousands of ancient olive trees. Many masserie have been restored to offer accommodation, giving special, typically Pugliese hospitality.

Pugliese towns are gems of architectural and historical interest – Romanesque, Baroque, Byzantine, churches, cathedrals, castles, towers. They have colourful markets and interesting shops. Spot the curious mixture of modern and old rural life – meander through narrow, ancient streets, and suddenly come upon a chic little bar or restaurant, incongruous in one way, and yet in another, totally at home amongst Baroque churches – typically Italian!

Hugging a hill, above the Itria Valley, is Cisternino. About 15km from the sea and 400m above sea level, it is a vision of the Near East, with its mediaeval centre of sparkling white, sun-drenched houses and narrow traffic-free streets, which meander through to the central square. Ostuni, the “white” town, perches like a wedding cake, on a hill. In Locorotondo, flowers explode from pretty balconies. Martina Franca is an elegant and beautiful Baroque town. Fasano has a characterful, historic centre. Noci, in Puglia's rural heartland, is fascinating and a delight to wander around. Savelletri is a busy fishing village. Monopoli, right on the coast, is a beautiful, old, walled town with an historic port

Further south, in a very different landscape, but still with the ever-present olive trees, the famous Salento has acres of vineyards. Lecce, known as “the Florence of the South”, bursts with Baroque; Avetrana, with its mediaeval castle, is an interesting town to visit; and the sea-side town of Gallipoli has a quaint harbour, with a real tangle of narrow streets. On the very tip of the heel, there is Santa Maria di Leuca, a little resort, where you can dip one foot in the sparkling, crystal waters of the Adriatic and the other in the Ionian.

North of the Itria Valley, Conversano, with its splendid cathedral and magnificently imposing castle, is a good base for exploring the area around Bari. The Gargano Promontory's ancient forest is particularly undiscovered and beautiful, and the coast is spectacular. Vieste and Peschici are delightful and picturesque towns, which cling to the coast and which are busy and bustling, in the height of summer.

Many of the towns have splendid views from their commanding positions, over fertile valleys, towards the sparkling azure Adriatic. This coastline has long stretches of golden, sandy beaches, dunes and wonderfully inviting sea. The Ionian, also within easy striking distance, is just as magnificent.

The food and wine in Puglia are superb. Everything you eat will be dictated by the seasons, not the supermarkets. Farmers laugh when you ask whether their cultivation is organic. “Isn't everything?” they smile knowingly. After all, many are still farming as their forefathers did and organic production is no new idea to them. Restaurants buy produce and ingredients locally, so you savour the same ethos in the Pugliese cuisine. The pace of life is slow, the food is delicious and the people are kind and gentle. What more could you want?

For something authentic and very Italian, well away from British tourism; for something charming and utterly different - an unforgettable and unique experience - then Puglia is the region to choose.