Alberobello

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 each way. There are 15 daily connections (some direct, some via Putignano) from Monday-Saturday. There is no need to stamp your ticket before the trip. 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. It is also around 30 minutes' drive from the picturesque Polignano a Mare.

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. It is a very walkable town.

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, and the Norman Romanesque centre of Conversano of Casamassima. The caves of Castellana Grotte are spectacular, as is Putignano.

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.



Eat
There are 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 per head. Closed Wednesday.



Sleep




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)