Free walking tours in Alberobello and what to see

Must-sees

Alberobello, in the Itria Valley south of Bari, is famous for its trulli, dry-stone houses with conical roofs that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rione Monti quarter has most of them, along lanes climbing a hill, with many trulli turned into shops. At the very top is the church of Sant'Antonio, also built in the shape of a trullo. Opposite, the Aia Piccola quarter is almost entirely residential and calmer to stroll through.

In the upper part of town is the Trullo Sovrano, a two-storey trullo you can visit inside to see what a traditional home was like. Nearby, a group of linked trulli houses a museum of rural life. To see the roofs from above, go up to the viewpoint by the church of Santa Lucia, where you can make out the white symbols painted on some of the cones.

Free tours and guided visits

Free tours are not common in Alberobello. There are guided visits of the trulli, in groups, private or ending with an aperitivo of local produce. To explore the surroundings, there are e-bike routes to Locorotondo, among vineyards and dry-stone walls, and others through the countryside of Gioia del Colle.

How long to spend

Three or four hours are enough for the two trulli quarters, the Trullo Sovrano and the viewpoint. It is worth staying the night, because at dusk and after dark, when the groups leave, the streets empty and the lit-up trulli look much better. With two or three days you can use Alberobello as a base for Locorotondo, Martina Franca and Cisternino.

Where to stay

The most special experience is sleeping in a restored trullo, which you will find in Rione Monti, Aia Piccola and the surrounding streets. The modern centre, by the main square, has more conventional hotels and apartments with everything within walking distance. If you have a car, the Itria Valley countryside has masserie and isolated trulli with pools, very peaceful.