The trulli houses (plural of trullo) that are scattered across the countryside in Southern Italy’s Puglia region are a legacy from an ancient way of life. The “heel” to Calabria’s “toe”, Puglia is the breadbasket of Italy and the trulli are constant reminders that this fertile land has been farmed for centuries.
At their simplest, trulli are single, round, stone-built dwellings with a unique, triple layered conical roof, also made of the local stone. If a bigger dwelling became necessary – perhaps the resident smallholder got married – then a second or third cone was built onto the original and a doorway knocked through to provide more flexible living space. It isn’t unusual to see trulli with six, seven or more cones.
Designed to stay cool in summer and cosy in winter, they were built originally without any mortar and are marvels of engineering requiring unique skills to build and maintain; the few remaining expert trulli builders can command €10-15,000 for repair of a single cone.
A New Life in Puglia in a Trulli
Abandoned for many years, many trulli are now being snapped up for renovation by incomers seeking a different pace of life in rural Italy. Claire and Andy James moved from London when they bought an old trulli to restore. Andy has a not uncommon way of describing these unique structures: “If there were pixies, they would live in one of these!”
Their's is a triple-cone trulli, which they reckon is around 200 years old, with a 1930s lamia – an old farmhouse – annexed to the right and a more modern set of farm buildings (the former stables) to the left which they converted into a comfortable and contemporary home for themselves and their young family.
They now run a small business, Rustic Puglia, letting out their own trulli and managing others nearby for absent owners, while they modestly farm their land to provide abundant fresh fruit and vegetables.
It’s a simpler way of life, if not necessarily an easier one as the rich soil easily gets overrun without daily attention.
Exploring Puglia and the Itrean Valley
The Itrean Valley is where the greatest concentration of trulli houses can be found, and where many picturesque little towns and villages will vye for your attention. For an astonishing vision of how this land once looked though, a visit to the trulli town of Alberobello is an essential visit.
Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, is a unique settlement with an old quarter constructed entirely of trulli houses. Beautifully preserved and now housing shops, cafes, restaurants and even a few private dwellings and small hotels the whitewashed walls are as striking as they are blinding in the mid-summer sun.
There are over a thousand trulli in the old quarter which is popular with daytrippers. Despite the volume of visitors though it remains a friendly and welcoming destination and most of the owners of the shops, with so much competition around, will tempt you inside with offers of rooftop panoramas, wine tastings and some genuinely ancient interiors.
Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Cisternino
More reminiscent of other parts of Italy, Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Cisternino are attractive towns in which to pass a pleasant afternoon. Each have their own charms with the usual array of narrow streets, hidden piazzas, kerbside cafes and cool, captivating chruches. Martina Franca in particular has an almost moorish feel with its tightly packed alleyways entered through the majestic Porto Santo Stefano, in Piazza XX Settembre. At the end of July the town is host to Festival della Valle d'Itria, a summer opera festival with concerts performed all around the town.
Locorotondo is smaller than Martina Franca and perfect for a quiet, aimless stroll. It's also known for its local wine which is light and slightly sparkling. The Cantina Sociale del Locorotondo is the local co-operative dating back to the 1930s and which won a prized DOC classification in the late 1960s.
Cisternino with its prominent hilltop position offers perhaps the best views of the surrounding countryside with pleasant cafes overlooking the outer boundaries of the town over the lush valley below. It's a perfect spot for evening dining with many traditional, family-friendly restaurants
Like elsewhere in Italy though, the afternoon is the time to avoid - the heat in summer keeps locals indoors for their siestas leaving very little buzz.and few, if any, shops open. Mornings are alive with excitement on the regular market days, but it is after 7pm when the towns come alive with shops re-opening, cafes and bars starting to draw in customers and restaurants bracing themselves for a busy night ahead.
Getting to Puglia and Getting Around
The two main regional airports are in Brindisi and Bari on the eastern coast. Both airports are well served by direct flights from many European destinations including flights with the major budget airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet.
Renting a car is the best way to get around the area, and like most things these days, booking through the internet and collecting when you arrive at the airport is usually the best option.
Puglia is charming. It has a unique character, quite different from the rest of Italy. The architecture of the trulli is captivating and every destination features something worthwhile to see or do, even if it is just that simplest of Italian pleasures - a perfect espresso in a little cafe on the Piazza!
Alasdair Smith - Scottish-based education, travel, family-history and food writer with a passion for all things French and Italian.
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