Valle d'Itria has five main villages. All beautiful. All different. All with their own character, right hour and best season. Those who know only Alberobello know one tenth of this land.
Locorotondo — before 8am
Named for its circular shape built on a hilltop in the heart of the Valley. The whitest, most silent village, the one that best preserves its original character. The right time is early morning — before 8am. Streets are empty, the light is low and grazing, the round houses change colour every fifteen minutes.
One village at 7am is worth more than three villages at noon.
Martina Franca — Thursday morning
Thursday morning: the local market, not the tourist one. Arrive before 9. Olive oil producers, farmhouse cheeses, seasonal fruit, clothing stalls that have existed for three generations. That is authentic Martina Franca.
Cisternino — lunchtime
The least known to tourists and the most gastronomically authentic. The butcher-kitchens are a Cisternino institution: you enter, choose meat from the counter, they cook it in front of you. Bombette — pork rolls with cheese and parsley — are the dish.
Alberobello — before 9am
UNESCO World Heritage since 1996. The most visited village and the most crowded. The difference between arriving before 9am and arriving at noon is the difference between two completely different places. Before 9: the Monti and Aia Piccola districts are empty. After 9:30: the tourist coaches arrive.
Polignano a Mare, Ostuni and beyond
Polignano is 20 minutes from Trulli d'Amore. Ostuni is 40 minutes. Both worth visiting — preferably in September or October when crowds thin and the light changes quality.
From Trulli d'Amore no Valle d'Itria village is more than 35 minutes away. Contact us for a personalised itinerary built around your days.