HOW TO SPEND A DAY (OR TWO) IN ALBEROBELLO - THE VILLAGE WITH TRULLI
Alberobello is one of those unique places in the world that every travel enthusiast should put on their list of places to visit. Besides the fact that the town looks like a magical place, as if it were cut out of a storybook, it is a place with an interesting history, which is just waiting to be discovered.
Among olive groves and other fruit trees, the largest settlement of trullo-type houses in Italy has developed. The town was founded at the end of the 14th century, when the Kingdom of Naples imposed a tax on any house built. From the people's desire not to pay taxes, these dwellings were born, which could be demolished very quickly in the event of an inspection. Initially, only 40 such trulli were built, their number increasing over the years. In 1797, Alberobello was officially exempted from taxes by law. Nowadays, Alberobello is one of the UNESCO heritage sites and also one of the most touristic locations in the region located at the "heel of the boot", Puglia.
HOW TO GET TO ALBEROBELLO
Bari is the city to which there are frequent flights from most European cities and can also be used as a departure point to several locations in Puglia.
To get to Alberobello from Bari, there are the following options:
rental car; If you have never rented a car before, or just want to find out more information, read the guide on renting a car on vacation;
bus; The easiest way, in terms of using public transport, is by bus. The station is next to the Bari train station. If you cross the train station passage, you have to go to the Via Giuseppe Capruzzi exit, to which there are signs. Tickets can be bought either on the bus or from a shop right next to the station. The shop also has a pastry shop. The ticket costs €5/person, and the journey takes one hour and 10 minutes;
train, a slightly more complicated option to get to the trulli village. The train goes to Monopoli, where you have to change to Alberobello; The journey takes about two hours;
organized excursion; another way to visit Alberobello is as part of an organized trip. More details about a trip that also includes Matera here;
taxi; the option I recommend only if you have no other option. The price is 85 euros/way; The Free Now application is not available in Bari;
From Polignano a Mare, to Alberobello (by public transport), the easiest way is to take the train, which you change in Monopoli. There is also the option of an organized excursion, details here.
WHERE DO YOU EAT IN ALBEROBELLO?
Very often, in small towns it can be problematic to find a decent place to eat, even more so in Puglia, the region with the most "strange" food in Italy, very different from the rest of the country and from what I was used to in Italy. Personally, I had a hard time finding something to eat in the towns I visited, including Alberobello. Actually, who am I kidding? I was a bit hungry for a lot of money... Usually, from what I've noticed, you can't go wrong if you choose to eat fish or seafood.
In Alberobello I ate in two places. In one of them I only had breakfast, which I liked and consisted of a sandwich with panini, mortadella/prosciutto and cheese. It was absolutely delicious and I recommend the place, which also has a shop with wines and other local products. It is called Le Bonta del Central, and the sandwiches are made to order with the desired ingredients and cost 5 euros.
The second place I ate at and which, personally, I would classify as "where not to eat": Restaurant La Cantina, a small place, with a vintage-traditional look, with a pleasant atmosphere. I do not recommend this place, unless you are a meat lover, especially meat cooked rare. They did not manage to serve us a well-done steak even after we requested it to be cooked a little longer...
When it comes to finding a good restaurant, Tripadvisor doesn't help much either, but from what I searched for and the options I had before deciding where to eat, I also considered:
Ristorante Trullo D'Oro;
Trattoria "Casa Amatulli";
Vino & Amore.
WHERE TO STAY IN ALBEROBELLO
I don't know about you, but I considered that the Alberobello experience was not complete if I didn't book a night in a trullo. From the options available on Booking at the time and because we were a large group, we chose to book 3 apartments from Trulli Contento. The apartments are separate and can accommodate two, four, or six people each.
Other trulli options on Booking:
- La casetta di zia Giuseppina - apartment-type accommodation unit, with kitchen and garden;
- Trullo Alberobello Vacanze Desà 2 - apartment-type accommodation unit, with a double bed and a sofa bed. Can accommodate up to 3 people;
- Trulli Moon - apartment-type accommodation unit, which can accommodate up to 4 people. It has a private kitchen and parking. On request, airport transfer is offered;
- I Trulli della Corte del Casale - apartment-type accommodation unit, with terrace, garden, parking, where pets are accepted;
ACTIVITIES AND PLACES TO VISIT IN ALBEROBELLO
A walk through the streets with trulli is the main activity, which should not be missing from any itinerary. The town is an open-air museum, so a walk through the streets that gently climb the hills will delight you. The old center is divided into two areas:
- Rione Monti (which has about 1000 trulli and 10 streets) - is the more commercial and touristy part, with many souvenir shops and local products, bars and terraces. Entering the shops on the streets of this neighborhood you can get an idea of what a trullo looks like inside. In this neighborhood you can also visit the smallest trullo in Alberobello. Nowadays it hosts the souvenir shop "L'arte dei Trulli", and in the past it was a home for seven people.
- Rione Aia Piccola is the part of the city that is somewhat smaller, but older and more authentic and has approximately 400 trulli. In this neighborhood we also visited an authentic trullo, which has not undergone any restoration or modification of its appearance. It belongs to a local who wanted to share the beauty of the interior with tourists. It is neither a well-known museum, nor something very well-designed. We found it on the main street in this area, at number 70, with a cardboard sign above the door, with a message urging us to enter. Admission is free.
Trullo Sevrano is the only trullo in the UNESCO heritage built on two levels, in the late 1700s. It belonged to a priest, and nowadays it has been transformed into a museum that aims to present the traditional house, what it looked like and how people in this area of Italy lived more than 200 years ago. Entrance costs €2/person.
The Church of Sant’Antonio (Chiesa di Saint’ Antonio) was built quite recently, in 1927, in the style of the buildings in Alberobello. It is the only trullo church in the world, which copied the architecture of the town due to regulations that prohibited the construction of modern buildings.
Terrazza Santa Lucia viewpoint is the place where you can admire the streets with trulli from above. The location is not located at a very high altitude, but enough to give you a perspective on the city.
The Basilica of Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano is the city's cathedral, built in neoclassical style, with two bell towers. It is located in the northern part of the historic center and dates back to 1885.
The Museo del Territoriale is a museum of the town of Alberobello and its surroundings. It is an interesting way to learn new things about the history of these places and the life of the people. At the moment the museum is closed (only temporarily), but I chose to mention it in case you are lucky enough to be reopened at the time of your visit.
If you would like to have more information about what you are visiting and see things from a different perspective, you can opt for guided tours. Here is a list:
two-hour tour, details here;
guided tour, option 2, details here;
guided tour with a local, details here;
guided tour, option 4, details here;
tuk-tuk tour with audio guide included, for Alberobello and surroundings, details here;
guided tour with aperitif included, details here;
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ALBEROBELLO:
the atypical houses, which make Alberobello one of the most special places in Europe, are called trulli (trullo - singular, trulli - plural);
the best time to visit Alberobello is from March to May, September to October, when it is not very crowded, accommodation prices are a bit lower and it is not very cold. If you choose to visit this place in winter and book accommodation here, take into account that most houses are heated only with air conditioning;
if you are coming by car, it is good to know that there are a few parking lots, but not very large. Prices start from €6/day, or €2/hour;
in the locality there are local shops, but also a supermarket, which is called Todis;
Alberobello is a town that can be visited in a single day, two if you like to sit on the terraces, or enjoy the location more, or half a day if you don't like to stay too long in one place. Therefore, each tourist can make their plan depending on how they like to travel, my recommendation being a minimum of one day;
although it is an authentic and unique town, it is also very crowded and touristy. Don't set your expectations too high so as not to be disappointed;
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT ALBEROBELLO
Alberobello is definitely one of the most interesting and fascinating places I have visited so far and I recommend putting it on your list if you end up in Puglia. I hope this mini-travel guide will be useful to you. If I have missed any aspects, you have questions, or you would like to add something, please leave them in the comments.
On this trip, in which we visited Alberobello, we also visited Bari, Monopoli and Polignamo a Mare. The time was too short to see Matera, but we have a good reason to return to this area of Italy.
Read about other interesting locations: Portofino, Verona, Lake Como, Limone sul Garda, the Amalfi Coast, the buried city of Pompeii, or the Island of Capri.
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