Famed for its iconic trulli dwellings – distinctive circular whitewashed houses topped with narrow conical roofs – the Valle d’Itria is one of the most beautiful regions in Puglia. Situated on a high limestone plateau known as the Murgia and located midway between the Ionian and Adriatic seas, the Valle d’Itria offers an idyllic landscape of pristine whitewashed hilltowns, flower-strewn meadows, almond orchards and olive groves separated by dry-stone walls, all glinting majestically in the region’s seemingly perpetual sunshine.
Whether your idea of a relaxing holiday involves pedalling for miles along country lanes, uncovering masterful artworks in little-visited churches or sampling the delicious traditional delicacies of one of Italy’s richest culinary regions, the Valle d’Itria forms an obligatory stop on any Puglia itinerary. Read on for our guide to the towns you need to visit!
Alberobello
The Shire comes to Puglia. Lined with thousands of beehive-shaped trulli houses, the streets of tiny Alberobello are truly an extraordinary sight. Indeed, the first time you visit Alberobello you could be easily forgiven for thinking that you’ve walked onto the set of the latest Lord of the Rings adaptation, for who could live here but hobbits? In reality, the trullo is a highly distinctive local form of vernacular architecture that emerged on the Murgia plateau in the 1400s.
Originally the huts were entirely constructed according to the dry stone technique – that is, a complex interleaving of stones with no mortar binding them – although the majority of the trulli in Alberobello now feature whitewashed walls, with only the conical roofs remaining unrendered as they taper to a narrow point marked with a white tip. Various theories have been advanced to explain the development of the distinctive architectural style. One of the most plausible suggests that the trulli began life as something of a tax dodge, the dry stone technique allowing for quick dismantling of the entire structure when the authorities came calling in this once isolated area.
Most of the trulli in Alberobello date from the 18th and 19th centuries, and there are two main trulli zones in town: Rione Monti, where most of the buildings have been converted into souvenir shops, bars and restaurants, and Rione Aia Piccola, in which the trulli have retained their domestic function – it’s against the municipal code to convert these to commercial use.
Spectacular though it undoubtedly is, Alberobello does unfortunately feel at times like it has been overrun by a level of tourism it is ill-equipped for, especially in the summer months, so it’s best to visit out of season if you can. What’s more, prices tend to be higher here than in neighbouring towns and there’s also less to do, so we recommend that you choose one of the other destinations on this list as your base in the Valle d’Itria.