To visit Alberobello in Italy is to discover a village unique in the world and of singular charm. The “capital of the Trulli” is indeed a must for any tour in Puglia. Its atypical houses, as beautiful as curious, make the reputation of this village, one of the most incredible in the country.
By the way, what are trulli?
Ever heard of Trulli in your life? ready four travel is here to remedy that!
Trulli (plural) or Trullo (singular) are simply small houses with a circular base, built with stone for the walls and lime for the cone-shaped roof.
They are very often decorated with a symbol, mostly religious, which is meant to protect the family.
These traditional houses were born in the fifteenth century, in Puglia and more precisely in the Itria Valley, known for its vast olive groves. But they did not arrive by chance. At that time, any new village was subject to authorization and therefore to the payment of a tax. The peasants, therefore, had the idea of building this trulli, which were easy to demolish in the event of an inspection and could not be considered as the main residence.
In the 18th century, the village of Alberobello was recognized as a village in its own right and the Trulli have remained almost intact, to the delight of visitors on vacation in Puglia, Italy.
The must-see neighborhoods of Alberobello
More than 1,600 trulli are today spread out in two distinct districts of Alberobello.
The Monti district:
This is the most touristic area of the village. There are many trulli here, but most of them have been transformed into souvenir stores, local handicraft stores, restaurants, or even hotels in Alberobello, for a unique experience in a Trullo.
The Aia Piccola district:
This second district is much more authentic because some Trulli is still inhabited by the villagers. Far from mass tourism, you can appreciate and admire the unique architecture of these traditional houses.
Note that a third of the trulli are for tourist use, another third are homes and unfortunately, the last third is abandoned.
Not to be missed in Alberobello
The best way to visit Alberobello is of course to let yourself be transported through the steep streets of the village. But there are 3 sites of interest that it would be a shame not to include in your discovery.
The Sovrano Trullo (sovereign) is the largest trullo in the village with its 14 meters height. It
is the only trullo with a staircase and an upper floor. Inside, furniture and period objects will take you back in time.
The museum of the Territory is a must! It is housed in 15 connected Trulli and traces the life of the villagers of the time through the traditions of the Itria Valley.
Finally, the church of San Antonio also called the “church of the Trulli”, is a unique church in the world. As you can imagine, it takes place in a giant trullo, which makes it unique in the world.
How to get to Alberobello?
The Puglia region of Italy is served by two airports. You can choose to fly to Bari or Brindisi. From both of these cities, you can reach the village of Alberobello in an hour by car rental in Italy.
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