Staying in a cozy Trullo house in Puglia has been my dream for a long time, and now I finally got to make my dream a reality!
First of all – do you know what a Trullo house is? If you haven’t been to south Italy chances are you might have never even heard about these charming and characteristic structures because this is the only place you will find them. Trulli is the traditional homes here in this southern region with some of them dating back as far as the 14th century. They are made of stacked, dry limestone with a conical roof which helps to make them feel fresh and cool inside. You can find villages full of them here such as Alberobello which truly is a surreal and unique sight, almost like a fairy-tale place. Even though I have been to Puglia many times (because my fiancé’s family is from there), this was my first stay in one of these Trullo houses – and what an amazing experience it was. I knew I had to share about it to you, because even though traveling to Italy might not be an option for many right now there is no harm in dreaming and planning for future trips :)
This year, travel is very different as I touched upon in my slow travel video and most of us are exploring our own countries rather than going far away. For me, finding places where I feel safe has been a priority and that is why we decided to take the car and drive to the heel of Italy and renting a holiday home for a few days. Although we have been worried about traveling in the middle of a pandemic, knowing that we could have this whole space to ourselves was a big reason why we decided it was a good idea, and I was so happy we did. At Trullo Rinaldi we had a massive garden and a pool which we didn’t share with anyone else. It was gated with its own parking area, and felt quite secluded from the houses around because of the trees in the garden. Having a big garden like this when you are travelling with a dog is also a big bonus, our little poodle Bowie could run around without us feeling nervous that he would disappear. I can also imagine that this is a great place to holiday with kids too since there is so much room to roam and play.
There are many Trullo houses you can rent in this area, so depending on what you are looking for and how many people you are the best thing is to search around to find what best suits your own needs. With two bedrooms and a spare room with a sofa bed, Trullo Rinaldi could be a good option for one couple like us, two couples, a group of friends or a family of up to 5 traveling together. One of the bedrooms is in the original Trullo part of the home (which is the large cone-shaped roof you can see), and the other is in the newer building which has been added in recent years. Here you also find a new modern bathroom, a toilet, the spare room and a charming kitchen with a table and a cozy fireplace. But for us, all meals were enjoyed on the larger table outside overlooking the garden and the main attraction – the pool!
These Trullo houses can be expensive to rent in the main summer season, especially if you want your own pool like we had, but we found that middle / end of September was a great period because the prices was much lower. A bonus of traveling at this time of year is also that there are less crowds on the beaches and in the towns, something that was important to us especially this year. It meant we could have a calm, relaxing and safe holiday while exploring the most beautiful (in my eyes at least) part of Italy.
Why choose to stay in a Trullo house?
- You get to stay in a historic home with all its charm and in a way reliving the past.
- On hot days, these Trullo houses keep fresh and cool which means you will have a good night sleep even in the middle of the Italian summer.
- It has a very cozy feeling so perfect for any hygge lovers out there.
- A great base for slow, relaxing summer days.
- It is a unique and unforgettable way to discover Puglia.
- You will have an authentic Italian experience which people will want to hear all about.
- A great alternative to a traditional hotel.
<<< Where: Via Conversano, 166 – 70013 Castellana Grotte, Italy
Find more info and book your stay here.
Having our own kitchen was great because it meant that we could cook a few meals ourselves. My fiancé made orecchiette with a fresh, simple tomato sauce: a typical pasta dish from the south of Italy. This is a true classic of the Apulian cuisine and something worth trying. You can find the recipe on his YouTube channel Simply Italian (and the homemade pasta is not as difficult to make as it might look!)
Here are a few more images (just click on any of them if you want to see them larger):
Have you been to Puglia?
If you are planning a trip to south Italy, then staying in a cozy Trullo house in Puglia is great. Castellana Grotte is a optimal starting point because you are close to so many great places: Monopoli, Alberobello (the Unesco World Heritage Sitewhich you can see below), Polignano a Mare and Ostuni. And if you simply want to dream and have a virtual trip to Puglia, I have filmed a lot from my recent trip and will be posting a travel vlog on my YouTube channel soon, so stay tuned.
// Photo credit: Ingrid Opstad
