Alberobello is a town in the province of Bari (BA) in the Italian region of Apulia (Puglia), Italy. 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.
Understand
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.
Get in
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 1 hr 30 min 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. Be sure to stamp your ticket in the machines before boarding. 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.
Get 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 opf Casamassima. The caves of Castellana Grotte are spectacular and Putignano.
See
The two trulli zones Trulli Siamesi, the Basilica-Santuario-Parrocchia chiesa madre of Saint Cosma e Damiano patroni of Alberobello, Trullo Sovrano, the trullo church Parrocchia Santuario of St Antony, the trulli museum the church of Madonna del Carmine, the church of Santissimo Sacramento/Santa Lucia, andvtge church of Madonna di Cesare/Madonna della Madia.
Events
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 children's 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.
Buy
The trulli zone has many souvenir shop.
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, ☏ 39 080 4321699.
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 20:00as 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, ☏ 39 0804 425308. Pizzas and local food.
Drink
- La Cantina, Vico Lippolis, 9 (on the corner of Corso Vittorio Emanuele), ☏ 39 0804 323473. Indoor restaurant with open kitchen, excellent service, quality menu and wine list.
Sleep
- Grand Hotel Olimpo, Via Sette Liberatori della Selva, ☏ 39 080 4321678, fax: 39 080 4327049, ✉[email protected].
- Hotel Astoria, Viale Bari 11, ☏ 39 0804323320, fax: 39 0804321290, ✉[email protected]. A 4-star hotel near to the train station.
- Mariemonti, Contrada aratico, 352, ☏ 39 0809309162, ✉[email protected]. Bed & Breakfast for €30 for person a night. The b&b have a 2 main rooms, a bedroom, a small kitchen with a fridge, and a small bathroom.
- Trullidea, Via Monte Nero 15, ☏ 39 0804323860, ✉[email protected]. 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, ☏ 44 1273 709 073, ✉[email protected]. 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, s.s. 172 dei Trulli Alberobello - Locorotondo, ☏ 39 338 4190186. Just 2 km outside the town Masseria Rosa is a beautiful example of a farmhouse particular of this region. The old rooms in the trulli are restored and furnished in style, in the respect of the traditions.
- [dead link]Trullo Rondini, Contrada Aquarula 74015, Martina Franca. Trullo Rondini is a restored trullo and lamia 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.
Go next
Surrounding area is rich of characteristic towns waiting to be discovered. Sorted by road trip duration:
- Locorotondo – round white town built on top of a hill. (10 min)
- Martina Franca – almost completely pedestrianized old town rich of Baroque buildings. (20 min)
- Ostuni – world-famous "white town" with a truly stunning panoramic view and natural areas. (40 min)
- Taranto – ancient Greek city with relevant remains and one of the most important archaeological museums of Europe. (45 min)
- Bari – Apulia's vibrant capital and main port has a well preserved old town and museums. (1 hr)
| Routes through Alberobello |
| Casamassima ← | N  S | → Locorotondo → Martina Franca → Taranto |