The One-Of-A-Kind Italian Village With Little Hobbit-Like Houses You Have To See To Believe

Why not mix "The Lord of the Rings" fantasy with the Italian countryside? Puglia does just that. Well before J.R.R. Tolkien ever dreamt up friendly hobbits and their subterranean homes, the residents of Alberobello were creating their own cozy hobbit holes. Nestled in the Itria Valley, the village of Alberobello holds a collection of thousands of UNESCO World Heritage Site buildings, known as "trulli."

These cylindrical buildings lend a whimsical and fantastical air to this small Puglian village. Made from limestone rock, the trullo are expertly crafted to keep in warmth and keep out dampness. Their roofs are particularly impressive and shaped into their iconic, pinnacle style by using stones of varying size and shape. Many visitors will note that a white symbol is painted on many of the roofs, a mix of both religious and folkloric symbols that are said to ward off evil.

While you might kick off your Italy vacation in a more popular city, Alberobello is just 50 minutes by car from the largest town in Puglia, Bari. It's also easy to reach via train and bus. The Ferrovie Sud Est train line runs from Bari and stops in Alberobello, taking anywhere from 1 hour to 2.5 hours, depending on when you decide to hop aboard. Intrigued? Take your opportunity to experience Hobbiton — without missing out on gourmet Italian cuisine and charming village life. Leave Italy's more crowded and obvious tourist traps behind in favor of this lesser-visited haven.

Alberobello is one of the most famous villages in all of Puglia. Once one of Italy's forgotten destinations, tucked in the heel of the boot, Alberobello is usually overshadowed by cities like Rome, Naples, and Florence, but is growing in popularity due to its world-renowned architecture. So, what is Alberobello most famous for? The trullo, first and foremost, as out of all the towns in the region, this village has the highest concentration of trulli in Italy.

These conical houses were originally built as storage sheds and field structures, although a small number of them were used as shelter for shepherds, farmers, and livestock. With the first of these conical buildings being created in the 14th century, today, they've been updated into a much more glamorous version. A dry construction method was used so that the trulli could be dismantled quickly to avoid the need to pay taxes. When the tax man came to call, farmers would simply take the house apart tile by tile, moving it to a different location. When prospective tourists eventually discovered the town's charming trulli homes, the rest was history.

Although at first the trullo (plural for trulli) were anything but comfortable, warm hobbit holes, today they've been transformed into stunning hotels and short-term rentals that anyone can call home for an evening or two. You'll find everything from poolside trulli to some that give guests a panoramic view of the iconic conical rooftops.

Alberobello is a tiny town without many star attractions or things to do. Most visitors come simply to see the beautiful trulli. That being said, you could easily visit in just a few hours, taking a day trip from nearby cities to take pictures and stroll the quaint streets. To get the full experience, though, you should spend at least one night in this quintessential Italian village.

The first thing you should do in Alberobello is head for the Rione Monti neighborhood. This small section of the city is chock full of trullo that line either side of the street, making this the best place to see them. Aside from taking a stroll through these cobblestone streets, hunting for cute souvenirs, and taking pictures, there are also several restaurants and bars in town that are worth popping into. If you're on the lookout for unique trulli, you'll also find the town's smallest home, a trulli church, and even a "Siamese" trulli.

But the real magic happens after the day trippers leave, making spending the night in one of these trulli an even more enchanting experience. Immerse yourself in the history of Alberobello, which dates back to the time of the Crusades in the 14th century, by sleeping under one of these conical roofs. There's no doubt that you'll feel in the Hobbit spirit after calling one of these quirky buildings home for the night.