Forest Bathing in Ostuni's Oak Woods, with Horses

Forest bathing in Ostuni is a slow walk with one aim: to switch off, breathe and let the woods do the rest. The session takes place in the Bosco del Ciuchino Birichino, a patch of Apulian oak forest close to town, and lasts about two hours.

Certified instructors lead the way along cool, shaded paths. Rather than covering distance, you stop to listen to the sounds of the forest, notice the plants and learn to read the traces left by the animals that live there. Wild orchids grow low in the undergrowth, and the guides point them out so you can look at them up close.

• Walk beneath the old oaks, in shade that stays cool on a hot day
• Spot wild orchids and the signs of local wildlife
• Meet the Murgese horses and the park's friendly donkeys

The route also opens onto the rural countryside of Puglia, so the walk is as much about the landscape as about the trees. Guides speak English, Italian or Spanish. It suits anyone who wants a quiet, restorative break from the heat and the bustle.