The Itria Valley, also known as the Valley of the Trulli, is a part of Puglia that extends between the towns of Locorotondo, Alberobello, Martina Franca, Cisternino, Ceglie Messapica, Ostuni, and Fasano. The area is characterized by the presence of trulli, ancient and evocative cone-shaped stone dwellings that are still inhabited today. To fully experience Puglia's traditions, many have decided to transform the trulli into accommodations, renovating them and equipping them with all modern comforts, making them habitable while preserving their historic charm.
Staying in a trullo is a truly unique experience, and several towns in the Itria Valley offer this option. Alberobello It's the quintessential city of trulli, and for this very reason, a stroll through the Monti district is a must, where over a thousand trulli are clustered along the characteristic alleys. The Tipico Resort is located in the historic center of the city and features several renovated trulli where you can stay. Alberobello has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, so you'll be staying in authentic monuments.
Ceglie Messapica , in the province of Brindisi, is one of the oldest towns in Puglia, and it is here that Masseria Camarda has transformed trulli and stables into authentic rooms and suites. A city of art and a land of gastronomy, Ceglie Messapica is known for its famous Cegliese biscuits, its farmhouses, trulli, karst caves, and its characteristic historic center. Visiting the town in the summer will allow you to feel part of Puglia's tradition, thanks to its patron saint festivals filled with music, food, and entertainment, and the Festival of Traditional Games, during which adults and children can play a series of ancient games for free, from the simplest ones like Salto alla
From the Great Poison Ball to the more challenging ones like the Grease Pole and Human Billiards. Ceglie Messapica is also a city of art, home to the Ducal Castle, now a library.
Also Locorotondo , in the province of Bari, offers accommodations in ancient Apulian buildings; Trullo Sereno Angelo features perfectly restored trulli with a garden overlooking the Itria Valley. It takes its name from the unique shape of its historic center, formed by
Small houses arranged in concentric rings, Locorotondo boasts one of the most beautiful villages in Puglia, characterized by white houses, flower-filled balconies, and baroque architecture. The most magical time to visit is Christmas, when the historic center fills with lights, decorations, and markets.
Speaking of the typical white houses that characterise all the villages of the Itria Valley, one cannot fail to mention Ostuni . Nicknamed "the white city" for the lime that covers many of its buildings, Ostuni is built on three hills, on one of which stands the Romanesque Cathedral. The city is also known for its
Its beaches, Costa Merlata, so named for its rugged coastline, and Rosa Marina, known for its beaches and Mediterranean scrub. A former farmhouse, Masseria Le Carrube in Ostuni is a typical exposed stone structure just eight minutes from the Dune Costiere Regional Natural Park.
located in the territory of Fasano or Ostuni.
Fasano , another city in the Itria Valley, is characterized by its typical white houses, the Torre delle Fogge, the only remaining military tower of the eleven walls, and the 17th-century Church of San Nicola. Fasano is renowned for the Egnazia Archaeological Park, where it is possible to visit the remains of
houses and basilicas. In Savelletri, a hamlet of Fasano, lies Masseria Torre Coccaro, a luxury hotel housed in a farmhouse with a 16th-century tower. Activities at Masseria Torre Coccaro include Vespa and vintage car tours, Apulian wine and olive oil tastings, and the Masseria's unmissable village festivals, featuring live cooking and street performers.
Cisternino It's known for its instinctive, and therefore unplanned, architecture, which sets it apart from other historic centers in Puglia. This city, however, is even more famous for its bombette, grilled meat rolls, a constant feature at any Apulian festival or celebration.
Masseria Gianecchia, located between Cisternino and Ostuni, is surrounded by centuries-old olive trees and comprises a main house and several smaller dwellings. The farmhouse's features include an old olive oil mill and a former barn, now a venue for entertainment, a small church, trulli, and an ancient bakery located in the grounds.
in the large square.
Finally, we cannot miss the city of Martina Franca , known for its Baroque buildings, including the Palazzo Ducale and the Basilica of San Martino. Located in the countryside, in the heart of the Itria Valley, Masseria San Michele offers wine and olive oil tastings and Apulian cooking lessons.
and horseback riding in the woods.
The Itria Valley is characterized by the bright white of its limestone, its farmhouses and trulli, but above all by the warmth that only Apulian tradition can convey.
The Itria Valley between tourism and tradition (E. V)
The Itria Valley, also known as the trulli valley, is an area of the Apulian territory that covers the cities of Locorotondo, Alberobello, Martina Franca, Cisternino, Ceglie Messapica, Ostuni and Fasano. The area is characterized by the presence of trulli, ancient and evocative cone-shaped houses of stone where it is possible to live even nowadays. To fully experience the Apulian tradition, trulli are turned into apartments, reconstructed, and equipped with every modern comfort, in order to make them habitable while leaving their historic charm intact.
Staying in a trullo is a unique experience and there are several cities in the Itria Valley that offer this possibility. Alberobello is the iconic city of trulli, that's why you cannot miss Rione dei Monti, where thousands of trulli are concentrated in the characteristic alleys. Il Tipico Resort is situated in the historic center of the city, and it consists of many renovated and habitable trulli. Alberobello has been a UNESCO World Heritage since 1996, so it can be said that you will be staying in authentic monuments.
Ceglie Messapica , in the province of Brindisi, is one of the most ancient cities in Puglia, ant it is here that Masseria Camarda has turned trulli and stables into real farmhouse rooms and suites. City of art and land of gastronomy, Ceglie Messapica is well known for its famous Cegliese biscuits (almond biscuits), masserie, trulli, karst caves and the peculiar historic centre. Visiting the town during the summer will allow you to feel part of the Apulian tradition thanks to the patronal festivals full of music, food and fun and to the Festival dei Giochi Tradizionali, during which adults and children can play several different traditional games, simple ones like jump rope and dodgeball
and more difficult ones like Palo della Cuccagna (climbing a greasy pole) and Biliardone Umano (a human version of fusball-table). Also, Ceglie Messapica is a city of art, it houses the Ducal Castle, now used as a library.
Locorotondo , in the province of Bari, offers the possibility to live in the ancient Apulian houses too. Trullo Sereno Angelo provides perfectly restored trulli with a garden overlooking the Itria Valley. Locorotondo, named in this way for the particular shape of its historic center formed by little houses on concentric rings, is one of the most beautiful towns in Puglia, characterized by small white houses, flowered balconies and baroque architecture. The most magical time to visit the town is Christmas when the historic center is full of lights, decorations and markets.
Speaking of the typical white houses that characterize all the towns in the Itria Valley, we cannot forget to mention Ostuni . Renamed “the white city” for the lime covering many of its buildings, Ostuni rises on three hills, on one of which stands the Romanesque Cathedral. The city is recognized for its beaches, Costa Merlata, so called for its rugged coastline and Rosa Marina, known for its beaches and the Mediterranean bush. Former farm, Masseria Le Carrube in Ostuni, is a typical stone building, eight minutes away from the Dune Costiere Regional Natural Park, between Fasano and Ostuni.
Fasano , town of the Itria Valley, is characterized by the whitened houses, Torre delle Fogge, the only remaining military tower among the eleven towers of the city walls, and by the Church of San Nicola. Fasano is famous for the Archaeological Park of Egnazia, where it is possible to visit remains of houses and churches. In Savelletri, fraction of Fasano, there is Masseria Torre Coccaro, a luxury hotel located in a 16th century farmhouse with tower. Among the activities, there are vintage cars and vespa tours, Apulian wine and olive oil tasting and, a must, the village feast in the masseria, with live cooking show and street artists.
Cisternino it is known for its instinctive and unplanned architecture that makes the city different from the other Apulian historic centers. This town, however, is even more famous for the bombette, grilled meat rolls, ever-present in any Apulian festival and feast. Masseria Gianecchia, between Cisternino and Ostuni, is surrounded by centuries old olive trees and consists of a main house and smaller dwellings. Features of the masseria are an old mill and an old barn, now entertainment venues, a little church, trulli and an old wood stove located in the wide courtyard.
In conclusion, we cannot miss the city of Matina Franca , known for its baroque building like Palazzo Ducale and the Basilica of San Martino. Nestled in the countryside, in the heart of the Itria Valley, Masseria San Michele offers wine and olive oil tasting, Apulian cooking lessons and horseback riding tours.
The Itria Valley is characterized by the bright white of lime, by trulli and masserie, but above all by the warmth that only the Apulian tradition can provide.
Source: Nonno Michele Editorial Staff