When the tide is out at this beach on Puglia’s Ionian coast, the top of a wide sandbar peaks above the crystal clear waves. As the sun sets behind the beach, these mounds of sand resemble tiny islands, giving the beach its nickname, Le Maldive del Salento. Pescoluse stretches for 5 miles (8km), its attractive dunes creating a natural barrier between the fine white sandy beach and the road, which runs parallel to the coast about 250m inland.  Lido Le Maldive, as it is known, attracts a diverse range of beachgoers, from families to young people keen to party. Britons are starting to catch on but the area is still overwhelmingly the haunt of northern Italian tourists and locals.  What is there to do?  Take advantage of the cooler temperatures of the early morning for a peaceful walk along the endless sands. Play beach volleyball, tennis and football in the designated areas attached to some of the beach clubs. The shallow water caused by the wide sand bar makes Pescoluse particularly suitably for children and inexperienced swimmers.  Pescoluse is largely comprised of private beach clubs that charge a daily fee for the use of sun loungers and umbrellas (from €4 per day per item). Each of these clubs has parking, changing areas with showers and toilets, and its own bar and kitchen, serving drinks, snacks and sometimes full meals. The standard is fairly good all the way along the beach, although Boteguita Beach Club (+39 320 184 1771, www.boteguita.com) and Le Maldive Summer Club (+39 349 852 0580, www.lemaldive.org) are both highly recommended. Boteguita features live music almost every night and Le Maldive offers guests the opportunity to lounge in their own private canopied area on the beach.  Both are open (and buzzing) until the early hours. For those wishing for a less sandy dining experience, Trattoria Rua de Li Travaj serves good quality, typical Salentine fare for around €30 a head (Via Felice Cavallotti, 44, Patú, +39 349 058 4531).  Getting there Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies to Brindisi’s Papola Casale Airport from London Stansted. The airport is 68 miles (110km) by road from Pescoluse.
The beach at Pescoluse, on Italy's Puglia coast, is known as Marina di   Pescoluse and its shallow waters make it perfect for children and   inexperienced swimmers.