Yours trulli

From Etna we crossed the straits of Messina and drove the Calabrian mountains along the Autostrada del Sol across the toe and then followed the coast of Basilicata until we reached the heel of Italy and Puglia.  We had decided to stay a night in the beautiful Apulia countryside, in an old trulli house.

These limestone dwellings with conical stone roofs intrigued us.  They can be found all over rural Apulia, like little party hats peeping above the orchards and almond groves.  Just a single building, or a cluster of three, four, five or a whole village of trulli that are UNESCO World Heritage listed, like Alberobello.  They are amazing.  They were built in the 1600s-1800s using no mortar. 

We stayed in a masseria - a country house - along the winding, dusty provincial road that links Pugnano to Conversano. Claudia and Diego have renovated their collection of trulli around their farm.  We stayed in one, and another has been renovated as the beautiful breakfast room. Originally it was the stable and the animal troughs can still be seen.  It was 40 degrees the day we stayed in the masseria, however the thick stone walls and the soaring, whitewashed conical ceiling kept the trullo cool and lovely. They are so charming and unique.  Have a look....

Alberobello - a whole village of trulli

40 degrees today (not sure why nonno's still wearing long underwear?)

Soaring conical peaks often with a different shape pinnacle.
They're called the pinnacoli dei trulli - they might be a ball, a
star, a cross, a disc or any other special symbol that the
stonemason designs - his signature really.

Sunset in Apulia and a deserted trullo.

This is a section of Claudia and Diego's masseria,
surrounded by almond and olive groves and a cherry orchard.

Inside our charming whitewashed trullo.

At breakfast Claudia warned us that the forecast was 40 degrees,
so we visited the cherry orchard early to harvest a bag of what
must be the world's finest cherries.

Dark, fat, luscious cherries, warmed by the morning sun.
These will forever be the benchmark upon which all future
cherries will be compared!

Old town Pugnano

Trulli bride!  Many of the trulli have a whitewashed
symbol on the cone roof.

A cool Conversano balcony

I just love these trulli homes dotted all over the countryside.

Castel at Conversano, and a welcomed shady café under the castle walls.

......Paddy in Puglia

....trulli it is!