Day 129 - Exploring Alberobello’s Trulli Houses

Another slow start to the morning. No alarms, no rush. Just one of those days where everyone rolled out of bed in their own time and we leaned into the slower pace we’ve found ourselves settling into here.

The plan for the day was simple. We’d missed Alberobello the day before, so today was the day we were finally going to make it happen.

We all eventually made our way downstairs for coffees, and there was some half-hearted talk about getting out for a run. Emmett was keen. I was keen. Maddie… not at all. And instead of forcing it, we just let it go. No arguments, no pushing. Some days you just don’t have it in you.

Kia and Emmett headed out first and knocked over their usual 2.5km. I stayed back with Maddie, and once they returned, I had my turn. I tried one last time to get Maddie to come, but she wasn’t budging.

So I headed out solo.

I ran from San Foca down towards the grotto, soaking up the sunshine. It was one of those runs that just feels good. The kind where you’re not chasing anything, just moving. The run back, though, was a different story. Straight into a headwind, weaving around people out for their walks, but still a solid session.

Back home, we grabbed some bread rolls and eggs and threw together a late breakfast that turned into more of a brunch. The morning had well and truly slipped away by then.

Kia jumped on a call with her parents, which was a nice moment. The kids got to share their stories, we saw Lulu on the screen, and for a little while it felt like two worlds overlapping, home and this new life we’re living.

By early afternoon, we packed up and hit the road.

The drive from San Foca to Alberobello takes about an hour and a half and was pretty straightforward, aside from the ongoing mystery of Italian speed limits. Signs say 70 or 90, but locals seem to treat that as more of a suggestion than a rule. Sitting on the limit while cars fly up behind you flashing their lights definitely keeps you on edge.

But as soon as we turned off the highway, everything changed.

Trulli houses started appearing. One here. Then another. Then clusters of them. Scattered across properties, tucked into fences, sitting quietly in paddocks. It felt like we were slowly stepping into another time.

Then we reached Alberobello itself.

At first glance, it looks like a normal town. But as soon as you start walking, you realise what makes it so special.

Alberobello is home to the largest concentration of trulli in the world and has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These limestone houses date back to the 14th century and were built without mortar, designed so they could be dismantled quickly to avoid taxes. Simple idea, but what’s been left behind is something completely unique.

We parked up and started wandering.

At first, it was small pockets of trulli tucked into quiet streets. Then we followed the flow of people toward the centre and found it.

A hillside covered in them.

White stone walls, grey conical roofs, symbols painted on top. Streets weaving in every direction. Shops, restaurants, little bars, and hidden corners everywhere you look.

You can walk straight through them. Duck inside. Explore. It doesn’t feel like a museum. It feels alive.

We ducked into one shop filled with pasta, wine, and local liqueurs. One of the pastas looked like striped lollies, bright and colourful, almost too good to eat.

We had gelato earlier as we wandered, and it was as good as you’d expect. Pistachio, salted caramel, cheesecake, chocolate, and of course, a Biscoff for Maddie.

We’d paid for two hours of parking and ended up using every minute of it.

By the end of it, everyone was hungry.

I ran back to top up the parking meter and, of course, discovered a stack of better parks much closer to where we were. Classic. A few loops through narrow one-way streets later, we were repositioned right near the action.

Dinner was an easy decision. Burgers.

Nothing fancy. Just exactly what everyone felt like after a big afternoon of walking.

On the way out, we did our own little history lesson, chatting about how old these buildings actually are. And when you realise that some of them pre-date modern Australia, it kind of stops you for a second.

It’s hard to wrap your head around.

The drive home was a different story. Dark, long, and with two tired kids in the back. Audiobooks came to the rescue, keeping things calm enough to get us home without too much drama.

A late start. A split run. A slow morning that turned into a pretty incredible afternoon.

Alberobello is one of those places that’s hard to explain until you see it. It’s not just the buildings, it’s the feeling of walking through something that’s been standing for centuries, still being used, still part of everyday life.

Definitely one to recommend.