Spending one day in Alberobello is a must when visiting Puglia! The town is truly unique on its own, since it is the only place where you will find that many trulli so close to each other! But I am not going to lie; it is also extremely touristic. So being prepared and having the right mindset is important when visiting Alberobello! It can make or break your day trip! Which is why I created this travel guide with all the information you need and all the things to do in Alberobello, so you can have an enjoyable trip!
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One day in Alberobello; the best things to see and do
Table of Content
- One day in Alberobello; the best things to see and do
- Why you should visit Alberobello
- Where is Alberobello and how can you get there?
- When is the best time to go to Alberobello?
- How to make the most of your one day in Alberobello?
- What are the best things to do on a day trip to Alberobello?
- Where to eat in Alberobello?
- Book a hotel for your day trip to Alberobello
- Pin this post to plan the best things to do during one day in Alberobello for later
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Why you should visit Alberobello
Alberobello is one of four UNESCO World Heritage sites that can be found in Puglia. Alberobello has a dreamy historic center that consists of two districts with picturesque streets lined with trulli; Rione Monti and Rione Aia Piccola. A trullo is a traditional Apulian limestone hut with a cone-shaped roof. These little fairytale-like cabins are dotted across the Murgia region of the Itria Valley. But only in Alberobello you can find thousands of them! It truly is a unique place that should not be missing from your Puglia day trip bucket list!
The first trulli appeared around the 14th and 15th century (different theories exist). The reason why they are so small, was so they could be demolished easily when the king’s delegate was about to collect taxes. It was enough to remove the keystone to transform them into piles of stones. They were used to store food and as temporary field shelters.
Where is Alberobello and how can you get there?
Alberobello is situated in the Puglia region of Italy, also known as the “heel” of Italy’s boot. It lies between Bari and Brindisi, about 20 km south from Monopoli.
The nearest airports are Bari (65 km) and Brindisi (75 km). The best way to move around in Puglia is by car. When you are planning your one day in Alberobello, it is important to know where to park. There are several parking lots where you can park your car in Alberobello. Parking “Nel Verde” was the one I passed when I walked back to my hotel, and it seemed less crowded than the other ones. This parking offers camper service, but you can also park your car here from 9.00 to 21.00 (6 hours costs 10€). It only takes a 5-minute walk up to reach the Chiesa Sant’Antonio from there and start your explorations at the Rione Monti. In the Via Indipendenza are several paid parking lots situated near the town center. These are open 24 hours.
You can also catch the train called Ferrovie Sud Est (FSE) from a couple of towns, but often you’ll need to transfer, and it will take a lot of time. The easiest are Bari (1 change, 2 hours) and Martina Franca (direct, 20-27 minutes). Also, the bus can be an option, but again you will need to transfer, and it will take way more time than by car.
Taxis do not exist in this region of Puglia. If you do not want to rent a car you could opt for N.C.C. (Noleggio con conducente). Which is a more expensive transfer service with driver you need to reserve in advance. I recommend this Taxi Service located in Ostuni. The drivers and girl who arranges everything were super nice and helpful! You can reserve online.
When is the best time to go to Alberobello?
Weatherwise the best time to go on a day trip to Alberobello is from April to September. But keep in mind that the summer months can get really hot! The rainiest months are October, November and December. I would not recommend visiting Alberobello during the peak season, because the crowds will drive you crazy.
At the end of September each year, the town is lit up for the 3-day event of la festa dei santi patroni di Alberobello: i medici Cosma e Damiano. Throughout the town you’ll find incredible light installations, food stalls, bands playing music and even a cattle fair. At dusk on September 26th, the lights are turned on to pave the way for hundreds of pilgrims coming from neighboring villages, forming a great procession to attend the first Mass at the Basilica Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano patroni at 4:00 AM. On September 27 the feast of the villagers takes place. It ends with spectacular fireworks. To me it felt a bit like Christmas!
How to make the most of your one day in Alberobello?
First of all, do not expect a giant town filled with trulli, because you will be very disappointed. If you take a quick look at Google Maps, it should become clear quite fast that the trulli zone is rather small. There are two districts with trulli within Alberobello. Rione Monti is the biggest one with about 1000 trulli spread over 10 streets, and Rione Aia Piccola is a smaller, more authentic area consisting of about 400 trulli. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty to see, and I felt like walking through a gnome village early in the morning on my own! But don’t set your expectations too high.
When you only spend one day in Alberobello, I recommend arriving early. By that I mean at sunrise. Shops will still be closed, and you will only encounter locals and a few other photographers. After 9.00 am tourists and tour busses start to arrive and the town soon becomes overcrowded. It is the only moment of the day, beside the evening to take decent photos. So, use the morning to take photos without people. After you took your photos, have breakfast with the locals at one of the bars. The rest of the day, you can enjoy checking out the cute shops and their beautiful decorations outside (and take photos of that).
Also, the evening at Alberobello is magical! The trulli are lit and the streets decorated with lights. If you can, do not miss the opportunity to explore Alberobello by night as well!
Wear comfortable shoes because you will have to do a lot of steps. Also, the paving stones are quite slippery. You do not want to fall!
What are the best things to do on a day trip to Alberobello?
Despite its small size, there is plenty to do in one day in Alberobello, depending on your planning and what you want to see. This is your perfect itinerary with the best things to do on your day trip to Alberobello.
Rione Monti
Rione Monti is the biggest district. It starts at the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio di Padova on top of the hill and goes down to the Largo Martellotta, which is the beating heart of Alberobello with restaurants and bars. It consists of three main streets (and a few side streets) filled with little bars and cute shops selling mostly souvenirs like ceramics, pottery, magnets, pasta, olive oil, art, handmade textiles, …
Visiting these shops also gives you an idea of what these trulli look like on the inside. Don’t forget to stop by Il trullo più piccolo di Alberobello (the smallest trullo of Alberobello) and il Trullo Siamese (it has two entrances). This is also where you find that famous Instagram spot “Romantic Trulli”, but please respect the rope and do not enter the property for photos!
Make sure to wander around every street and also take the side alleys. Some have some very pretty corners to show! This is the busiest area of Alberobello.
Rione Aia Piccola
Rione Aia Piccola is situated on the other side of Largo Martellotta. When you take the Via Brigata Regina (the street with the hat garlands) up, you will enter this more authentic trulli district. Since it is mostly inhabited by locals, you get to experience a more unique local vibe. No tourist shops to be found here! I did find an elderly couple who seemed to sell fruit and veggies in front of their house.
I loved this part of Alberobello because it was more peaceful. Just take your time to stroll around the streets and take photos. There is also a nice viewpoint at the Via Duca degli Abruzzi. When you walk further down through the rectangular arch, you’ll arrive at the Villa Comunale Belvedere Parco. But I loved the view from higher up better.
Belvedere Santa Lucia
At the Largo Martellotta (told you it is the beating heart) you can take the Scalinata dell’Amore (stairs of love) up to the Chiesa di Santa Lucia. Next to the church is a viewpoint where you can spot all the cone-shaped rooftops of the Rione Monti.
Walk up to the Basilica Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano
Take a stroll from the Belvedere Santa Lucia to the Basilica Santi Medici. It is Alberobello’s most important church. On the way you’ll encounter more shops, bars and restaurants. If you are interested; there is a heritage museum called Trullo Sovrano a little further behind the church that you can visit as well. It showcases original furnishings and artifacts.
Chiesa Sant’Antonio di Padova
This is the only trullo church in the world, so it should be on your list of things to do during your one day in Alberobello! If you are parked at the Via Independenza, it will be a serious climb. But it is a pleasant one, passing all the cute shops of the Rione Monti!
Where to eat in Alberobello?
Largo Martellotta is the big square centered between the different districts. On Thursday morning the weekly local market is held here. But it is also packed with bars and eateries. If you are looking for a simple breakfast or lunch, you will definitely find it here! Plenty of places offer focaccias or the local pucce (bread with mozzarella, tomatoes, ham, etc).
If you want something a little fancier, but still affordable, I can definitely recommend restaurant Il Pinnacolo. You do need to make a reservation though for both lunch and dinner! Because it is very popular and always packed. It has a terrace with a nice view on the trulli rooftops and serves classic dishes from the Itria Valley.
I also loved Terra Mossa Ristorante Pizzeria. The staff was extremely friendly. They always came for a chat to my table and also the pizza was very good.
Book a hotel for your day trip to Alberobello
If you genuinely want to experience Alberobello, I recommend booking a hotel here so you can start the day early. In case you prefer to enjoy the sunset, you could book the night after. Or maybe you just want to book both to fully enjoy your day trip in Alberobello!
I stayed at Il Gabellota Resort. It was a small resort with a pool in the countryside offering rooms in a trullo or stone rooms. It was only a 10-minute walk from Rione Monti. I loved the interior of my room. It was so cozy! The staff was extremely friendly and because I traveled alone, they offered me free breakfast! I chose this one because I wanted to be able to enjoy the pool during the hot afternoon.
If you prefer a trullo in town I think Trulli Antichi Mestieri looks really nice at a decent price! Also Il Trullo dell’Artista gets excellent reviews!
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So that is it! I hope you enjoyed this “One day in Alberobello; ultimate things to do on your day trip” article and that it will help to plan your own day trip to Alberobello! I really tried to cover everything you need to know. Do not hesitate to leave your comments or questions down below! That way I can add more information if necessary!
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