Alberobello, the town of white cone-shaped houses

Taranto – Alberobello, the town of white cone-shaped houses

Today marked our first excursion on this cruise. From Taranto, we wanted to discover Alberobello – the famous town of white Trulli.

At 09:15, we met at the designated spot and looked for our bus number 16. With around 50 guests, we finally set off. However, soon there was the first small mishap: The microphone on the bus was not working. Our tour guide, however, did not let this disturb his calm. The explanations were quickly transferred through headphones, so we could still hear him well.

By 10:20, we arrived at the bus parking lot in Alberobello. And already on the way to the old town, it became clear why this place is so special. Everywhere were these small, brilliantly white houses with their pointed, conical roofs – the famous Trulli.

We had, of course, seen them in pictures before, but seeing them in person made a completely different impression. The narrow alleys, the many white houses, little shops in between, and these unusual roofs everywhere – almost a bit like a fairytale town.

Our tour guide told us about the history of the Trulli. The houses were traditionally built from limestone in a dry construction method, meaning without mortar. The cone-shaped roofs consist of many flat stone slabs. Another special feature is the various signs and symbols that can be discovered on the roofs.

In the past, the Trulli were primarily used as simple residences, accommodations, and storage rooms. The thick stone walls had a practical advantage: In summer, the interior remained pleasantly cool, while in winter they retained the heat. Rainwater was collected from the roofs and directed into cisterns.

Today, more than 1,500 of these special houses still stand in Alberobello. Since 1996, the historic Trulli landscape has even been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We particularly enjoyed the stroll through the historic quarter of Rione Monti. There were constantly new photo opportunities, and it was hard to get enough of the many different Trulli.

Of course, a visit to the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio, the Trullo church, was also a must. The church, built in 1927, is constructed in this unique style and fits perfectly into the cityscape. Even from the outside, its large cone-shaped roof looks very unusual.

The weather was quite nice during our walk. With sun and clouds and about 28 °C, it was wonderful to stroll through the alleys. We had enough time to let the impressions sink in and of course to take many photos.

We were with our tour guide until about 12:20. Afterwards, there was still some time before we met back at the bus at 1:00 PM.

The return journey started off quite relaxed. However, our bus driver then provided a little involuntary detour, as he had taken a wrong turn. So the return trip took a bit longer than planned. Additionally, the weather changed: On the way back, it started to rain.

By around 14:30, we were finally back at the port and could already see our Mein Schiff 5 from afar.

We really enjoyed Alberobello. It was particularly impressive to see these many white Trulli not just in photos, but to walk through their little alleys. It was a lovely excursion filled with many new impressions – and despite the broken microphone, the little detour, and the rain on the way back, this day will surely remain in our memories for a long time.