We checked out and headed to Alberobello, the hotbed of the Trulli, Trulli can only be described as magical fairy tale-like structures with stone walls and conical rooves. Declared a UNESCO site in 1996, Trulli can be found elsewhere in Puglia but Alberobello boasts the largest concentration of them with some 400 within its confines. Upon our arrival it seemed as if we were on the set of Snow White and the 7 Dwarves! These crazy structures were initially built to be temporary as they were homes built on feudal land. Any home on feudal land was subject to taxation so when the inhabitants caught wind that an inspector was on the way, they were able to quickly deconstruct the Trulli into a pile of rubble as they were built drywall style, that is without mortar. Some Trulli date back as far as 1350 most were built in the 15th century.
In Alberobello, the main street is a series of Trulli that are now mostly shops and restaurants but they open their doors to tourists to come in and have a look around at the structure at no cost. There are many others on side streets that are private homes and businesses. Some Trulli rooves have pagan, astrological or Christian symbols painted on them and different spires adorn each conical roof. After a tour of this little town we enjoyed a delicious lunch in a refurbished trullo. It was cozy but wonderful experience. These unique structures have to be seen to be believed!