Puglia- Alberobello and Locorotondo

Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, here is Lili, your co-editor.

Puglia is one of the most charming regions in Italy. Known for its specific architecture (the snow white houses with cone-like roofs), it is located in the most Southern part of the country, forming the heel of Italy’s boot.

Like many other tourists, we flew to its capital Bari (taking advantage of the newly launched Wizzair route VIE-BRI). We have to make the disclaimer that we visited Puglia just for a weekend- departing Friday evening and returning Sunday evening. The program we made was intensive, but it was definitely worth it. We visited Alberobello, Locorotondo, Ostuni, Polignano a mare and of course Bari . Here we will introduce you Alberobello and Locorotondo and for the article about the other three, just follow the link above.

Lili’s 5 good-to-know tips when travelling to Puglia for a first time

• Puglia is not a small region and you cannot see everything for a couple of days. Better take a week for your first visit, unless you want to rush yourself through the towns.
• During summer months renting a scooter or a motorcycle is a great way to explore all the small cities in the region. For a typical Italy-esque experience, you should rent a Vespa. But beware that you need more than basic riding skills and experience, as the roads are narrow and the traffic is busy at times.
• Monopoli is a better renting location (as compared to Bari). It is a cheaper option and most of the small cities of interest are located closer in the area.
• Travelling around with a train is a good option, as they are quite fast and reliable. You can easily buy tickets online for most of the lines here.
• Every town in the region has its own charm and you will definitely be impressed by every single one- you have to see them all

• 

Transportation

We used 2 types of transportation. If you go to Puglia just for a couple of days, I can highly recommend doing the same.

• Train

The trains in Italy are quite reliable (at least from what we have seen), fast and also easy to cope with. There is an Italian train online platform where you can see schedules, book tickets and plan your route. We used the train to get from the airport to Bari and then from Bari to Monopoli. For example, there are trains from the airport every half an hour and the ticket costs 6 Euro. Alternatively there is also a bus line, which connects the two cities.

However, our hotel was close to the train station, so for us it was a good option. The ride from Bari Airport to the city center takes only 20-25 mins. One good thing to know about the train station in Bari is that the platforms for the airport trains and those departing to the south are different. There are no lockers there in case you want to leave your luggage. We were travelling during the summer, so we had only handbags with us.

• Vespa

The most romantic and also the most Italian way of moving around. In case you have decided to take a Vespa, here are some things to have in mind. Firstly, it is advisable that you know how to navigate a motorcycle before you rent it. This shouldn’t be your first time getting on a motorcycle. The Vespas can sometimes be more expensive than hiring a car. Ours was 45 Eur for 24 hours. Secondly, there aren’t that many options for hiring Vespa online and it is better that you do it in Monopoli and not in Bari. It is closer to main points of interest and it is a bit cheaper. And thirdly, you might not be allowed to drive the Vespa on the highway (you should verify this with the respective rental company).  However, the smaller roads are even cuter and not crowded at all. At least not during the time we were there- end of August.

What to do in Puglia for 2 days?

In the next paragraph we describe the itinerary we have chosen. We landed in Bari late Friday evening. After a quick drink in one of the bars in the old town, we headed to the hotel to take some rest. In the morning we had to take our rented Vespa from Monopoli at 10:00, so we took the train at 08:30. After sorting out the rent contract, we headed to Alberobello. This was by the way the main target for this trip and a dream of mine. The ride takes around 40 mins. As it is too crowded during the day, we decided to leave the sightseeing for the next morning. We went to Locorotondo which is just 20 mins away from Alberobello.  Our last stop for the day was Ostuni located in the most southern part of Puglia. After that we spent the night in Alberobello.

On the next day we had to go back to Monopoli in order to return the Vespa by 11 in the morning. We then took a train to Polignano a mare. It takes only 5 mins, but unfortunately the trains are very rare- once in an hour. From there we visited another small village which is just 3 kms away and finally we went back to Bari for a small walk before the flight. The program included some restaurants and bars and in the end was not that stressful as it might sound.

Here follows a description of each town we visited.

Alberobello

Most probably you have seen pictures of the snow white houses with grey cone-like roofs. The so-called Trulli are typical for the region of Puglia. Alberobello is famous for its Trullis, which are so well preserved.  About 1500 such houses create the unique atmosphere and experience of this small Italian city.

The Trulli 

One interesting thing which we were not aware of, is that the Trulli houses are part of UNESCO world heritage. They are remarkable examples of the “corbelled dry-stone construction”. This is a prehistoric building technique which is still in use in this region. In the past, they served as temporary field shelters and storehouses or as permanent dwellings by small-scale landowners or agricultural laborers.

Nowadays, they are one of the main attractions which bring to Alberobello hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. The walls of the Trullo are very thick (about a metre!) which provides isolation against both cold or heat. Some of the Trulli have painted symbol on the roof. My research showed that its origins are not clear, but the signs have either a religious or an astrological meaning. A heart, a star, a cross and a few others are among the signs you will see on Trulli roofs.

Most of the Trulli have the same structure- one room under the cone-like rooftop. There is one Trullo which is different- the Conjointed Trulli. There is a legend behind, a story of love and hate. The house belonged to two brothers, who fell in love with the same woman. She was promised to the older one but fell in love with the younger. Both kept on living in the same house which consisted of two parts. The entrances are on two different streets, a symbol of life that brings together and alienates.

Accommodation in Alberobello

We wanted to have a unique experience and we booked a hotel in one of these Trulli houses. It was quite expensive for our standards- 120 Eur per night. As we had only one night in Alberobello, we decided that it is worth it. One thing we learnt on the spot is that there are two districts with Trulli houses in Alberobello. One is the touristic one and the other one, a bit aside, is where locals actually live. This was where the hotels are located.

If I have to be honest, sleeping in a Trullo was nothing special. Yes, it was very clean inside. They tried to make it look old (you can see the bricks on parts of the walls), but that was it- nothing extraordinary. There was no view from the window, no terrace or yard. On the inside actually it looks as a normal room and the roof is actually flat (not cone-like as it is on the outside). If I have to go there again, most probably I would stay in a normal hotel.

Things to do in Alberobello:

• Old town

The town is quite popular and of course very crowded during the day and in the evening. My recommendation is that you take a walk in the touristic area early in the morning. The advantage when spending the night in the town is that you do not have to wake up extremely early. We started our walk at 7:30 and it was perfect. Until almost 9:00 we were almost the only people in the streets. It was very romantic seeing the shop owners opening their shops and getting ready for the visitors during the day.

• Cathedral

Besides the Trulli area, another interesting thing is the cathedral which is located on the opposite side. When leaving the Trulli area, just take the main street and you will get to it.

We were really lucky as we witnessed two things which you cannot see every day in Alberobello:

• Fiat 500 festival

Owners of this cute car model were coming from all over Italy in order to show their old, but well preserved machines. There were some very old editions- very interesting ones. Whole families with clothes specially produced for the event were the biggest attraction.

• 3D mapping

on one of the Trulli. We found this by chance, just behind the cathedral. Combination of nice colours and forms made the Italian architecture even more beautiful.

Alberobello is a lovely place. However, Puglia has more to offer.

Locorotondo

The second stop for the first day of our weekend escape was Locorotondo. It is a small town located just 15 mins away from Alberobello. You can find Locorotondo on a small hill and that is why the most spectacular pictures you can actually take from a distance. The town is really small and there aren’t that many things to see. You need an hour to walk through the old part of the town and admire the picturesque streets.

Every corner is like a postcard. There are flowers in stone vases or hanging from the walls, interesting ornaments on the buildings or just hidden restaurants with two to three tables make it feel like home. As we wrote in the tips in the beginning of the article, all restaurants are not open between 14:00 and 18:00 (or even 19:00). There was only one open place in the beginning of the old town during this time. Locorotondo was really my favorite of all places in Puglia.

 

 

More about the Puglia region you can read in the post dedicated to Ostuni, Polignano a mare and Bari. If you are interested in more places to visit in Italy, you can refer to the section dedicated specifically to this amazing country in Southern Europe. We also have many other ideas where you can go for a Weekend Escape in Europe.

And if you wonder how you can travel light for a weekend and how  to plan such trips, just go to our Weekend Trips section.