Alberobello is a picturesque town in the Puglia region of Southern Italy. Renowned for its unusual conical-roofed houses, it was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. Alberobello is one of the most recognised landscapes in the region due to the whitewashed Trulli which characteristically feature pyramidal, domed, or conical roofs.
A Trullo (or plural Trulli) typically has thick limestone walls with a dome-shaped roof and a spire. Created using a prehistoric building technique, which is still used in the region, these buildings date back to as early as the 14th Century. The roofs often feature mythological or religious markings in white ash to keep evil influences or bad luck away. Inside there’s a central living space with arched alcoves and more than one coned roof. It’s said the Trulli of Alberobello came about as the Acquaviva family wanted to avoid paying taxes to the King. Peasant workers were ordered to build their houses from mortar so they could be dismantled quickly if need be. As a result, Alberobello was only given town status in 1797.
This charming region has Puglia largest concentration of Trulli although they can also be found in Locorotondo, Fasano, Ostuni, Cisternino, Martina Franca and Ceglie Messapica. The Trulli in Alberobello typically comprises of shops, restaurants and bars with accommodation also on offer. Many have stood the test of time with businesses passed down from generation to generation.
Visitors come to Alberobello to wander the streets and with much of it pedestrianised, it’s the best way to explore. It resembles a hobbit town what with all its white pointy topped buildings. I’d recommend going into a few of the shops to see how they’re structured inside. We met some lovely locals who were only too happy to share their family history and show us how they made their wares. No hard selling either which of course meant we made a few purchases! Mainly blanket scarves hand-made and cheaper than they are in the UK.
The most picturesque parts of Alberobello are the two areas which comprise almost entirely of Trulli. There are about a thousand of them! Rione Monti, on a slope facing towards the modern town centre, is the most popular area. The second being Aia Piccola which is visited by fewer tourists and features residential Trulli. In the rest of Alberobello, there are more Trulli dotted around. Behind the Chiesa
