Anna’s parents were the first to renovate a trullo in Puglia, making it possible to stay in a trullo. Some thought they were
My mom and I were lucky enough to be able to stay in a trullo in Puglia (Edera, pictured above) in 2019. Anna and her wonderful family were perfect hosts. We absolutely treasured our stay and often talk about planning a return trip together. We instantly felt at home in the trullo, with fresh eggs, homemade olive oil and jam. I actually fell in love with a lemon mug that Anna let me take home with me. When I sip coffee from it, I can’t help but think about that unforgettable trip. I look forward to returning soon to this perfectly peaceful home base for exploring Puglia!
I recently caught up with Anna to ask her what makes it special to stay in a trullo in Puglia!
Give me a little background about you and your family!
I was born and raised a few meters from the trulli. After my university studies, I spent a few years abroad. At a certain point my roots called me back to get involved with tourism and promote my land. Puglia is quite popular now, but I remember when I was abroad and had to explain where I was from in the south of Italy, the reply was “Rome? Napoli? Sicily?” and I had to explain about the heel of the boot! My family has always lived here and I’ve been back since 2010. We are a big family, made of hard workers (there’s always something to do when you live in the countryside). We love animals, my father has a big passion for horses! This is why we have Masha and Daisy, our 2 sisters strolling the property and being spoiled by the guests.
When and why did you decide to renovate trullo and start hosting people to stay in a trulli in Puglia?
My parents bought the property with 2 trulli in the late 80s, mainly for land. Eventually they renovated them to make vacation homes for their daughters (my sisters and I). What started as a small project, became a huge one that took 2 years, of 10 people working daily –– a hard (art)work, every stone is shaped manually! It was 1994, they’d spent a lot of money, there was almost no tourism in the area, so for a few years they rented it out in Summer to northern Italians traveling to Puglia. Things changed when the first Ryanair flight arrived from London, with it English tourists and tourism. My parents started renting the trulli for shorter periods, splitting the large house into 2 independent trulli –– Trullo Edera and Trullo Lavanda. 6 years ago, a neighbor sold her land and trullo to me, I renewed it and now am hosting –– Trullo Arancio.
What is your favorite part about hosting people at your property to stay in a trullo in Puglia?
With hosting, as a keen traveler, I get to travel even when I’m home. I like to host people from different countries, languages, cultures and every time I learn something new. I also very much like to share stories about my roots, the area and traditions.
What do you think guests remember most about staying at your property?
I think for sure the experience to stay in a trullo in Puglia, the quiet of the countryside, the horses, the surroundings (the kids also like the tree house) and my family –– for those who meet my parents I’m sure they remember them.
What would you recommend anyone visiting Puglia do and eat?
The trullo is in a strategic position and in 10/15 mins drive you can visit the beautiful towns of Ostuni, Cisternino, Martina Franca, Ceglie Messapica, Locorotondo, Fasano. The unique towns of Alberobello (about 40 km away) and Matera (a stunning Unesco world heritage site, about 1h 30mins drive) are also a must visit. Bari and Lecce are very nice cities too, as well as Monopoli and Polignano a Mare on the coast.
To eat, what is very traditional in this area (if you’re not vegetarian/vegan) are the so called “fornelli pronti”, basically butcher shops where you can choose your meat, they weigh and grill it for you, then you eat it there, drinking local wine, sitting at the tables among the tiny streets of the historical centre. This is especially common in Cisternino, but there are several in other towns as well. Famous meat dishes from the area are bombette, “little bombs”, and a famous cold cut is the capocollo di Martina Franca. Other things to eat are: focaccia, panzerotto, all the dairy products like mozzarella, burrata, stracciatella. Also, be sure to eat in restaurants along the coast that serve fish dishes. But for vegan/vegetarian, I also have to say that the apulian kitchen has lot of choices of vegetable and legume dishes.
Here is the rest of my travel guide to Puglia! You can get more information on booking any of Anna’s properties, directly through her website here!
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Happy Travels,
Corey
[…] In 2019, my mom and I stayed in one of the most wishlisted properties on Airbnb, a TRULLO! The property is hosted by Anna and her family, who are from Puglia! I caught up with Anna recently to ask her a few questions about how her family got into hosting people at their properties, the history of their trulli (she now has 3 properties), and her tips on what to do & eat in Puglia. Read that here! […]