Matera to the trulli villages: Private day trip

Trulli are a traditional style of house found only in Puglia. Made from local limestone, with thick walls and conical roofs, their design allows residents to control the interior temperature - an ingenious solution from the days before air conditioning. Founded in the 16th century, visitors can wander around the town, admiring the unique architectural style that dates back to pre-history. Several have been converted into museums or shops to further educate visitors about the tradition. The history behind Alberobello's settlement, and their choice of using Trulli is particularly humorous - the houses could be dismantled at a moment’s notice to fool the authorities into thinking Alberobello was not an inhabited settlement so locals could evade taxes.

Founded around the 11th century as under the jurisdiction of the Benedictine monastery of St. Stephen in Monopoli, the town became the estate of feudal lords for 500 years, ushering in an increase in population, housing development, and the construction of the walls and castle. The town’s last feudal lords, the Dukes of Martina Franca, remained in Locorotondo until the beginning of the 19th century. The town has a handful of landmarks, such as the 18th century Mother Church of St. George the Martyr, with its 14th century bas-reliefs, and the Romanesque church of Our Lady of Greece, but its true beauty lies in the historic centre’s labyrinth of white-washed alleys. The houses are topped with unusual pitched roofs called "cummerse", a feature typical of the historical centre of Locorotondo. From the city’s perimeter, visitors can enjoy views of the countryside, dotted with trulli dwellings, interspersed to facilitate the development of vineyards.