A friend and I will be cycling in Puglia April 3-7 starting in Bari.
I'm wondering if an overnight stay in Alberobello to experience the Trulli is recommended vs spending part of a day and rolling on.
A second question is whether there is a difference between the booking options for individual homes vs the Trulli resort. (I vaguely remember seeing that some Trulli are more 'authentic' than others but can't find the reference again.)
Depends what you're looking for. If you want to experience a good example of history and culture, a trullo is a good idea. Like a sassi in Matera, can't find trulli anywhere else in the world. I can't speak to the 'trulli resort' concept, as we've only stayed in privately owned properties. I can tell you, though, that quality varies. We stayed in one that was damp and cold and it was only September. Next time, in November, toasty warm and dry. If you do decide to stay, do your research--look for reviews, exchange an email or two with the owners to have specific concerns addressed. Ask about meals; sometimes breakfast is not included. One that we stayed in offered a 20 euro home-cooked dinner of regional specialties that was amazing.
Alberobello is fun to walk around for a couple hours, but it’s so touristy I can’t imagine staying there. There are plenty of masseria with trulli you can stay in. I had an absolutely wonderful experience at Masseria Aprile just outside Locorotondo. I still think about the breakfast all the time.
