Trulli rentals

Trullidea (and others) will rent you a real trullo house in the UNESCO-protected historic district of town for less than the cost of a hotel

A dining room inside a rental trullo in Alberobello, Apulia What can I say—here you have the chance to sleep in a bona fide trullo, most of them smack on the prettiest street of the historic district, for prices lower than what most local hotels charge (rates start at just €60 for two online).

Guido Antionetta's idea was simple but brilliant: help preserve the trulli zone by opening up uninhabited structures as mini-apartments (now up to two dozen of them, each sleeping two to six), and at the same time give visitors even greater incentive to make Alberobello their base for exploring the region. He has even revived the dying tradition of painting the roofs with magic symbols (Christian and pagan).

The accommodations are terribly atmospheric, with their stone floors, wood beams crossing the inside of the conical roofs, sturdy peasant-style furnishings, firm beds, and kitchenettes. I stayed in one and one morning after breakfast, when I dragged a can-bottomed chair into my doorway to read the paper, I noticed tourists started taking pictures of me—I was the "lcoal color!"

With their thick stone walls, whitewashed exteriors, and high interior ceilings, trulli stay naturally cool in summer and warm in winter (though the space heaters and fireplaces certainly help).

There's no way this is staying a secret for long, so reserve ahead.

Two similar trullo rental operations have since popped up, Giardino dei Trulli (10 units; rates start at €90), and Trulli Holiday (12 trulli; doubles from €65), but Trullidea remains the original—and is both the largest and cheapest.

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