Alberobello, Italy

Driving around South Italy? Flying into Bari? LIVE in Italy? No matter what your circumstances are, I 100% recommend staying one night in Alberobello, Italy. You will not be disappointed with this unique UNESCO Heritage Site that provides all the warm and fuzzies. One day in this small city will fill you with joy, but experiencing Alberobello from sunrise to sunset will make you smile. Each phase of the day provides the sun to cast on different Trulli’s, lighting them up in different tones throughout the day. What's a Trulli, you ask?

Trulli (Singular, Trullo) are limestone boulder dwellings only found in the Puglia region of Italy. The roofs, which resemble pyramids or domes and have a pinnacle top (shown later), were constructed in the mid-14th century. What makes them unique beyond their looks is their story. These small homes and shops were part of a great tax evasion scheme. When the tax inspectors showed up, they would collapse the roof and later rebuild it. Can you imagine taking the roof off your house and putting it back on at a moment’s notice? The small Trulli town was later declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1996.

If you want more information, click here —> The Trulli of Alberobello

Now that you have a snippet of a Trullo, let’s get you some more fun facts. At the very top of a Trullo, you will see various pointed objects called “pinnacles.” Each shaped pinnacle represents something different between the styles you will see across Alberobello. You may also notice what looks like an ancient form of graffiti on the roof of the Trullo. Each symbol represents many things between primitive, Christian, or magic categories. A Trulli unique experience.

As you can see above, there are a variety of pinnacles and symbols.

So many stunning places in Italy, but this one takes the cake.

If you are planning to see the best parts of Alberobello, check out a couple of my favorite stops in the Rione Aia Piccola area. Here, you will find some nooks with views of the entire city, providing you with the best view of the many pointed roofs. The Bar "Villa Belvedere" was a fun find when walking among the Trulli’s. Also located in this area are some of the oldest Trulli that are not inhabited.

In the evening you will find people relaxing in the Villa Comunale Belvedere Parco. I came across an olive seller who was selling a variety of olives and figs, among other things, for fairly cheap. I got a large bag of fresh olives for less than five dollars.

During the day, you will find so many cute shops with locally crafted goods; at some shops, you will find the artist working on their next piece. Although the city may not be big, you will find yourself having a fun-filled day of shopping and sightseeing.

If you plan on staying in the zona trulli, you can find some great options on Airbnb. We found this cute Trullo (pictured above) for a one-night stay. It had a small kitchen, a full bathroom, and a queen-size bed for $110. Just note that it is rare to have air conditioning, and it can be a bit warm at night. Parking is not permitted in most of the city, so you will need to park and walk to your Airbnb. This particular Airbnb that we stayed in has since been turned off on Airbnb.

We made sure not to miss a spot at Ristorante Il Pinnacolo for dinner. This restaurant is only open from 730 pm to 1130 pm and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. When we walked by an hour before they opened to see if we could get on the reservation list (before we knew there was no list), a line was forming, so we decided to hang out and were lucky enough to get in right away. There is no rush to eat and leave in Italy; you will find families eating and drinking for hours while relaxing at the same table all night. This is why getting in there as soon as the doors opened was important; you never knew if you would get a table after the first seating.

Ristorante Il Pinnacolo was one of the top-rated restaurants that I knew I wanted to eat at, and it did not disappoint either. The most popular item on the menu was the antipasto della casa, which consisted of six small bowls of appetizers. It seemed that every table but ours had ordered one or two. The pasta alone was phenomenal.

After dinner, make sure to stroll the streets that are lit up with lights as the night grows quiet.

The most famous section of the Trulli’s on Via Monte Pertica is pictured above. There are well-known Trulli’s all over the area, such as Trulli Siamese, Trullo Sovrano, Heritage Museum, Belvedere Santa Lucia, Il Trullo più piccolo (Smallest Trullo), and many others.

If you are looking for a slow-paced, relaxed, small-town vibe that is extremely unique, do not miss Alberobello. And if you want to buy one item from Italy, Alberobello has some of the best souvenirs to take home.

Matera, Italy