Introducing Alberobello
Unesco World Heritage Site Alberobello is a town of stubby pointed roofs, white-tipped as if dusted by snow. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a gnome pop out to water its windowboxes. The Zona dei Trulli on the western hill of Alberobe is a dense mass of 1500 beehive-shaped houses, dry-stone buildings made from local limestone, none older than the 14th century. Inhabitants disappointingly do not wear pointy hats, but they do sell anything a visitor might want, from miniature trulli to rustic woollen shawls.
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The town is named after the primitive oak forest Arboris Belli (beautiful trees) that once covered this area. It’s an amazing area, but is also something of a tourist trap – from May to October busloads of tourists pile into trullo homes, drink in trullo bars and shop in trullo shops.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2009
