In this Travel With Val report, Time Warner Cable News' Valarie D’Elia checks out Trulli, a special place to visit in the Puglia region of Italy.
The most recent earthquakes to shake Italy have taken place in the center of the boot-shaped country. One area that is thought to better withstand what Italians call a ‘terremoto” is the heel of the boot, the region known as Puglia.
"We are lucky because the kind of ground that we have here, it's very porous and absorbs the elastic transfer of energy due to earthquakes," says Massimo Catalano, Physicist at Italian National Research Council.
The spongy quality of the earth beneath Puglia, is defined as calcareous, "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate.”
And that is one reason why, due to an abundance of chalky limey soil, one particular town in the province Bari, is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Alberobello is a settlement of conical buildings made of dry stone constructed without mortar. Their roofs, often decorated with painted symbols on the outside, are worth a look on the inside as well.
The individual structures, called trullo—are collectively pronounced “trulli.” Many of the trullo are occupied by shops or restaurants, with a few hotels if you care to stay the night. However, a visit to Alberobello, is easily appreciated as a quick day-trip.
As touristy as it is, truly Alberobello is one of Southern Italy’s must-see attractions.