Alberobello

Alberobello is a town in the province of Bari (BA) in the Italian region of Apulia (Puglia), Italy.

Alberobello is famous for its fairytale like 14. century Trulli huts.

Understand

Alberobello is known as the Capital of the Trulli. The trullo is a fascinating architectural feature of this area of Puglia, a building with conical roof made without mortar. Alberobello has special status internationally - designated a UNESCO world heritage site - because its collection of some 1,500 trulli in an urban environment is unique.

Some of the trulli are now used for stores, restaurants, and lodging. But many are still inhabited by locals, who are very friendly to visitors. As a world heritage site, Alberobello is a tourist attraction, but as it is less accessible from the tourist-heavy west coast, it is not overrun by tourists, and most tourists of Alberobello are Italians.

The town is the centre of an annual pilgrimage to the Basilica dedicated to the martyr saints Cosma and Damiano.

Getting there

The easiest way to reach Alberobello is by train. At Bari Centrale station, which is served by Trenitalia, look for signs to the Ferrovie Sud-Est, located within the same station. The trip takes 1h30min and tickets are sold in the ticket office next to the platform for €4 each way. There are 15 daily connections (some direct, some via Putignano) from Monday-Saturday and much fewer trains on Sunday. Be sure to stamp your ticket in the machines before boarding. Note that the regional train to Alberobello is not run by Trenitalia, and thus, railpasses are not accepted.

Alberobello can also be reached by car with under an hour's drive from either Bari or Brindisi airport.

There are also a few train connections to Taranto a day.

From the station, walk to the town centre and follow signs to the Zona Monumentale Trulli (or, use any online satellite map service to locate the dense Trulli region on a map). The walk takes about 15 minutes.

Traveling around

Alberobello's attractions are all within walking distance.

Nearby you will find within easy reach by car a number of equally fascinating towns - for example the white towns of Locorotondo, Cisternino and Ostuni, the 18th century baroque elegance of Martina Franca, the Norman romanesque centre of Conversano. The caves of Castellana Grotte are spectacular.

See

The two trulli zones, the Basilica, Trullo Sovrano, the trullo church of St Antony, the trulli museum

Things to do

In summer Alberobello plays host to a number of festivals. These include a significant international folk festival, music festivals including classical, jazz and popular music, dance, theatre, street theatre and childrens events. There are also religious festivals with music performances and firework displays. Most of the performances are free and open-air.

The town has a vibrant passeggiata with summer strolls continuing beyond midnight.

Eat

There is a good number of restaurants in the tourist centre of the town, but for the best meals go a little away from the tourist trap. Casa Nova is an exception - good staff and food.

For a good restaurant in the town centre try La Cantina just off the high street, between the municipio and the basilica. Not the largest portions in town, so go there for the excellent food. A small restaurant with limited seating.

For the best all-round restaurant go where the locals go - Gli Ulivi just outside the town near the Campo Sportivo. For dinner in summer arrive soon after 8 as the restaurant gets crowded. Food always very good, antipasto della casa is huge and in endless variety, very fresh meat well cooked. House wine excellent - eat a couple of courses with wine etc for around €25 per head. Closed Wednesday.

• Il Trullo Antico, MontePasubio 1-3. Tel: +39 0804 425308. Pizzas and local food.

• Gallo d'estate . Tel: +39 347 3335678. Service is slow, the house wine cheap but bad, the food is OK and the outdoor terrace is a beautiful place to eat.

Sleep

Buy

The trulli zone has many souvenir shops selling trulli models etc.

Enoteka sells local goods such as cheese, sausage, spreads, cookies, wine grappa. Some give you small samples or sell you a full glass of wine for a couple of Euros.

• Tholos Wine Bar , Monte st Michele 20, tel: +39 080 4321699.

• Grand Hotel Olimpo , +39 080.4321678, +39 080.4321678, Via Sette Liberatori della Selva

• Hotel Astoria , Viale Bari 11, tel: +39 0804323320, fax: "+39" 0804321290, email info@astoriaweb.it. A 4 star hotel near to the the train station.

• Mariemonti , Contrada aratico, 352, tel: +39 0809309162, email info@mariemonti.it. Bed & Breakfast for €30 for person a night. The b&b have a 2 main room, a bedroom, a small kitchen with a fridge, and a small bathroom.

• Trullidea , Via Monte Nero 15, tel: +39 0804323860, email info@trulidea.it. Trullidea rents out real trullis in the Zona Trulli for €86 a night. The trullis have a main room, a bedroom, a small kitchen with a fridge, and a small bathroom. This is a stay you will remember.

• Trullo Fedelle , Fedele Picolo, Ceglie Messapia, tel: +44 1273 709 073, email info@trillofedelle.com. Trullo Fedelle is a self catering Trullo with two double bedrooms and one twin room set in 5 acres (2hectres) of natural grounds.

• Masseria Rosa Relais , +39 338 4190186, +39 338 4190186, s.s. 172 dei Trulli Alberobello - Locorotondo, - just 2 km outside the town Masseria Rosa is a beautiful example of a farmhouse particular of this region. The old rooms in Trulli are restored and furnished in style, in the respect of the traditions.

• Trullo Rondini , Contrada Aquarula 74015, Martina Franca, Trullo Rondini is a restored trullo and lamia. Situated in the countryside near to Alberobello and Martina Franca it is surrounded by private land and olive trees. It has a private pool and landscaped gardens and sleeps up to 6.