As the sun began to slip lower in the sky, threatening to disappear behind the vast olive-studded hills of the Itria Valley, our little Fiat rolled along the unpaved road, the low sandstone walls either side of us often seeming dangerously close. Feeling like we were in the middle of nowhere and with our five month old son starting to cry, my partner and I looked at each other and silently communicated our concern that we had made a huge mistake.
We were told we were “brave” by some friends and “crazy” by others. Take our baby for a month European holidays was both an adventure and a necessity as we each have family in the UK. A week in Puglia, located in Southern Italyprovided respite from the busy catch-up schedule we had committed to in London and opted to rent a traditional but luxurious trullo through Airbnb experience living in one of the original, Unesco-protected structures that originated in the area.
After a journey that seemed to never end, we arrived at our accommodation and it became clear that we had made no mistake – Trullo Perla Greta was all the jewel its name suggested. “My husband and I have always wanted to own a ‘trullo’ as a property that can accommodate tourists from all over the world and can also bring our families and friends together during our holidays,” says host Silvana, who purchased Trullo Perla Greta in 2021. As she goes on to explain, “These are special ‘conical’ constructions made of stones stuck together one by one, like in a perfect mosaic. Each trullo is like a work of art by an expert local craftsman.
Some of the theories surrounding their origins add to the appeal of these unique dwellings – the most intriguing being that due to the exorbitant taxes imposed on Alberobello in the 17th century, peasant families used the trulli design so they could dismantle their homes. tax season almost instantly came and retreated further into the hills until it was “safe” to return and rebuild – a process that would have taken six months.
The traditional trulli were fairly simple dwellings – Silvana tells me that generally they would have only one habitable floor and some would feature wooden beams running transversely at the top to hang food from or create a small mezzanine on which children could sleep or food could be stored. However, today they are rented as boutique accommodation in Puglia and Trullo Perla Greta is the perfect example of how old and new can come together to create an unforgettable stay.
Silvana and her husband Davide, who reside in Milan but use the trullo, located just outside Alberobello, for their own family vacations, have lent their impeccable taste to the interior of Trullo Perla Greta (named after the the couple’s granddaughter), with the always so classy sandstone interiors decorated with simple, rustic furniture and ornaments that do not focus on the essence of the house, but rather complement it. Every little decorative touch is considered and the high conical ceilings make the place feel light and airy.
Silvana explains to me that she and Davide had the chance to work with a brilliant architect named Gaia Miacolawho not only kept the project on track, but also educated the couple on mistakes to avoid when renovate a trullo. For example, capitalizing on the exterior features of the structure to reflect the relationship between the house and the countryside. Suffice it to say, this has been brilliantly achieved at Trullo Perla Greta with a covered seating area located at an elevated point in the outdoor space, to best take advantage of the view of the property’s olive and fruit trees and the spectacular purple sunsets of the Italian countryside.
A swimming pool surrounded by dry stone walls and a second dining room gave us a lot of relaxation after long days spent exploring the nearby towns of Martina Franca, Monopoli, Ostuni, Locorotundo, Cisternino, the “insta-famous“Polignano a Mare and Alberobello itself where trulli are most abundant.
It wasn’t long before my partner and I started dreaming about what it would be like buy our own trullo to rent and have as our own little Italian getaway. However, Silvana assures me that even if you are lucky enough to find one, the process of making it Airbnb-worthy is an arduous one.
“Renovating a trullo is not like renovate a house is a ‘specialization’ that not all construction companies have,” she says. “It requires the experience of the local (and hard to find) ‘Mastri Trullari’. They are local craftsmen who pass on their skills from generation to generation.
“Environments should remain as true to the original as possible and exterior walls should be made dry with the sole aid of wooden props and ribs as support. An inexperienced hand could cause both aesthetic and structural damage, even causing the entire house to collapse.
Dreams of trullo ownership dashed, we settled for enjoying Perla Greta as our own for a blissful week and found it to be the perfect setting for our very first family holiday with our son even taking his first ‘swim’ in the house’s swimming pool and many glasses of wine enjoyed on the outdoor lounge after being in bed.
For us it was the perfect place to retire as we felt the thrill and exhaustion of traveling with a baby. Unable to enjoy the nightlife we would once have absorbed as younger, childless people, the secluded elegance of the trullo, its pointed roofs framed dramatically against the rich blue night sky, more than made up for the lack of comfort. social activity after sunset down. Trullo Perla Greta is not the place you come to if you are looking for a party, but rather a place to reconnect, relax and enjoy a unique experience in a one-of-a-kind property.
Families or groups of friends who are inspired to follow in our footsteps and stay at the trullo (I’ve never had so many DMs on Instagram asking for details of where I was) will benefit from the additional renovations that Silvana and Davide now undertaking which see the expansion of the swimming pool and the addition of a fourth bedroom with its own private bathroom.
Silvana and Davide’s goal with the upcoming renovation is to “make the location even more special and meet the needs of tourists who want to relax in a magical landscape”.
Says Silvana, “we can’t wait to see our dream come true.” As for us, we can’t wait to go back when it does.
Trullo Perla Greta is available for rent via Airbnb.
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