[July 2026] We spent this summer holiday in Lecce, an old city in the Puglia region of Italy.
We chose this location because an intensive Tai Chi workshop—a passion of my husband’s—was being held there.
Although the workshop took place on the outskirts of town, we rented an Airbnb in the heart of the historic district.
It was named “Casa Francesca,” but the person we communicated with—whom we never actually met—was named Luigi; I imagined it was likely the home of Luigi’s late mother, Francesca.
It was the kind of Airbnb that felt like a true “guesthouse,” retaining traces of actual daily life that naturally evoked such imaginings.
In other words, it felt like we were staying in someone’s private home.
Located on the ground floor without large windows, the space was a bit dim, but it featured high, arched ceilings and a very spacious floor plan.
The bathroom, in particular, was large enough to dance in.
It was beautifully appointed with a Middle Eastern rug.
You entered directly into the dining room, and the kitchen was stocked with wine and snacks available for purchase.
There were also lengthy, detailed instructions posted all over the place.
Things like “Don’t remove makeup with the towels” or “Don’t touch this; it’s a decoration.”
At first glance, it seemed well-managed, but it felt a bit excessive.
That’s how I learned the Italian word *pignolo*.
It refers to someone who is overly fussy about details.
I suppose that sort of person isn’t really suited for the Airbnb business of renting out their property to others.
Everything seemed set up perfectly, yet there were actually various shortcomings.
For instance, the table was too small for remote work and there weren’t enough power outlets, or the dresser was too tiny to fit all our clothes.
Also—though this wasn’t the owner’s fault—it was inconvenient that there were no shops in Lecce’s old town where one could pick up basic groceries, meaning we had to drive to a supermarket.
Despite these various issues, as is often the case, we eventually got used to things.
Looking back on it now, it was a good stay.
