Alberobello Travel Guide: Trulli, Rione Monti and Aia Piccola, and Weather

Alberobello is a town in the province of Bari, in the Land of the Trulli, 31 miles (50 km) from Bari.

The weather changes the visit. Winter highs sit at 50°F (10°C) with rain on about a quarter of the days, while July climbs to 87°F (30°C).

At a glance

• Location: 31 miles (50 km) from Bari, in the Murgia dei Trulli
• Position: halfway between Bari and Taranto, in the Itria Valley
• Old quarters: Rione Monti (more than 1,000 trulli) and Aia Piccola (400 trulli)
• Museum: Casa Pezzolla, 15 communicating trulli, now the Museo del Territorio
• Guided tour: €110 for 2 hours

Where is Alberobello and what is it like?

Alberobello lies halfway between Bari and Taranto, on the hills of the Itria Valley, between the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. It’s a municipality in the province of Bari, in the center of the Land of the Trulli, and Bari is 31 miles (50 km) away.

The historic center is made entirely of trulli. These are dry-stone houses whitewashed with quicklime, topped with conical roofs of exposed stone.

Rione Monti and Aia Piccola are the oldest quarters of the town. Casa Pezzolla shows how the houses connect: 15 trulli open into one another and now form the Museo del Territorio.

What is there to do in Alberobello?

Rione Monti and Aia Piccola

These two quarters are the core of the historic center. Walking both is the simplest way to see the whole town, and the streets between the white walls and gray roofs are the main attraction.

The Belvedere of Santa Lucia, in the Aia Piccola district, overlooks the trulli and the historic center. It’s the spot to head for if you want one view of the whole town.

Shops selling souvenirs and restaurants serving local wines and typical products sit among the trulli. Plan a slow stroll with a stop to taste something local.

Trullo Sovrano and Trullo Siamese

The Trullo Sovrano stands in Piazza Sacramento. It’s the only two-story trullo, 46 feet (14 m) high, and today it works as a house-museum.

It also hosts shows and concerts, and in summer various kinds of shows are held there. Check what’s on during your dates if you travel in the warm months.

The Trullo Siamese has a double-shaped roof, a continuous double cone, and it makes a short stop. Its roof is a continuous double cone, and it’s worth a photo stop for anyone curious about how the roofs are built.

Casa Pezzolla and the Museo del Territorio

Casa Pezzolla is a complex of 15 communicating trulli, now used as the Museo del Territorio. Visiting it means going inside the connected houses instead of looking at them from the street.

The museum is among the activities recommended for the town, along with exploring the trulli and discovering the trulli neighborhoods. It fits well after a morning outdoors, or on a day with rain.

Winter months have rain on about 7 or 8 days each, so a museum in a trulli complex is a sound plan for a wet day.

Sant’Antonio church and the Basilica of the Saints Cosma and Damiano

The Church of Sant’Antonio, known as the Trullo Church, has a Greek-cross plan and a dome 69 feet (21 m) high. Reaching it is one of the recommended activities in town.

The Basilica minore dei Santi Medici houses images of the Madonna di Loreto and of the patron saints Cosma and Damiano. Visit it if you want to see the town’s patron saints.

Guided tastings

For a guided visit, a tour of Alberobello costs €110 and lasts 2 hours. A private guide with tastings costs €132, lasts a little under two and a half hours, and needs at least 2 adults. If you want food and wine, the private tour fits. If you want only the sights, the shorter tour is enough.

When should you go to Alberobello?

May and June are the comfortable window. May has highs of 72°F (22°C) and 6 rainy days, and June reaches 82°F (28°C) with 4. You can walk the quarters in daylight without heat or wet streets.

July is warmer, with a high of 87°F (30°C), and it’s also dry, with 3 rainy days. It suits travelers who like heat and want the summer shows at the Trullo Sovrano.

Winter is the season to skip for a walking trip. January and February have highs of 50°F (10°C), lows of 36°F (2°C) and 8 rainy days a month. March and April warm up but still have 6 to 7 rainy days.

What to know before visiting Alberobello

U.S. citizens can stay in Italy for 90 days without a tourist or business visa, according to travel.state.gov.

• Passports must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area. A 6-month validity is recommended, and passports must have 2 blank pages for the entry stamp.
• You will need proof of sufficient funds and a return plane ticket.
• Italy sets a currency limit of 10,000 euros or equivalent on entry and on exit.
• There are no vaccination requirements.
• Travelers visiting Italy for business, tourism or study up to 90 days must fill out a “dichiarazione di presenza”.

Booking Alberobello for November: what to know

In Alberobello, lodgings are required to register on the town’s online portal. Operators must also report overnight stays to the tax office by the 10th of the month following each calendar quarter.

Book with a property that is properly registered, and ask your host to confirm it when you reserve.