Yours Trulli Ostuni

i’m home after 7 weeks in my trullo in Ostuni.. In Dublin it is cold and grey, and i’m missing the sun the sea the food the town my trullo and to make matters worse, i have to work on Monday.

One thing I never expected was the frequency the other guests got together for evenings. Even more surprising at first was how welcome they made us feel to join them. Everyone decided on what to bring to make a big party almost every second night. Food, wine and song went on from 8 until 1am, which was good because we were always fresh for the next day. In general we always had something easy to bring because locals and Italian holiday makers there seemed to be able to source the wine or ingredients a lot better and cheaper than we could.
The quality of cooking among the group was always amazing. There was a chap, a policeman from Ravenna in the north that used to be a pizza maker in Naples, not only was it fun to watch him spin the pizza dough around, which he assured me is not necessary, “this is for the tourists” he would say, but the taste was trulli amazing. After the meal there would be a sing song that would include traditional music and everyone joined in.

What is a Trullo? It’s a Building. It is the traditional house of the Puglia region of Italy. It is similar to a cottage but with a cylindrical body and a cone shaped stone roof. All made from local abundant stone, the walls can be a few meters thick. In this way they keep the heat out in the summer and the heat in, in the winter, in the same way a cave does.
Each room usually has its own cone, and small side cones or half cones may cover a bedroom, that generally has enough room to accommodate one bed. The bedrooms, or alcoves with beds, are often covered by a curtain which can provide a very romantic appearance.

There are many theories on why they were built like this, one is that they were built in a drystone way, so they could be demolished if the property tax collector was in the region, and then rebuilt when he leaves. Fantastic idea, but highly impractical. Most peasants in the 15th 16th 17th 18th and early 19th centuries in this region, particularly the Itria Valley of Puglia, lived in a trullo. In one way building in stone was practical because it was in such abundance, but there is evidence of trulli through the centuries from Israel to the Skellig Island of county Kerry in Ireland. Maybe migrating people carried the skill of building in this way with them, or the absence of other materials was the mother of the invention.

There are different styles of trullo, or in other words they can appear different depending on their finish. Here are some examples:

Dry Stone Trullo

Plastered Trullo

Plastered Trullo Stone Roof with Pinnacle

Lamia, trullo with a dome roof

There is a thriving business in restoring trulli for holiday homes or even to live in. Many locals that live in the town of Ostuni for example, have a trullo just outside in the country, where they spend their summers and autumns tending the land, picking the fruit, the nuts, olives etc. Italians and overseas buyers use them as holiday homes, and in some cases building swimming pools, to add some luxury to the property. There are some foreigners that live in a trullo all year round, reaping the benefits of a tranquil life, short winter and a long summer.
A renovated Trullo, or trulli (plural) can have all the modern facilities like kitchen, bathroom, electricity and central heating. Renting a trullo for a holiday is a unique experience and with fantastic weather from May to October, they can be inexpensive out of high season.

This spacious house close to Ostuni town (0.5km), is ideal for a large group or family, sleeps 6. There are 3 bedrooms each with an en-suite toilet and wash-hand-basin. The large kitchen is fully equipped for self catering and there is a main bathroom. This house is has a beautiful view of the sea, and has a large outdoor barbeque and pizza oven.

Prices per week are as follows: August €700 July €500 September €500 October €500 June €400 May €400 April €400

conrad.greene@gmail.com Large Country House

For Reservations, see our contacts page.

View Map

This house has one large bedroom that sleeps 4. Ideal for a family with 2 children, there is a large double bed and bunk beds. There are 2 identical houses for rent here and they are 400 meters from Ostuni.

Prices per week are as follows:

August	€500
July	€400
September	€400
June	€300
May	€300
April	€300
October	€300

conrad.greene@gmail.com
For Reservations, see our contacts page.

Outdoor Kitchen

The addition of the outdoor kitchen makes great sense if you want to dine outdoors which is a must in the tranquil summer evenings that are guaranteed in this climate.

House Details

Sleeps up to 5:

There are two bedrooms one with a king size bed and bathroom en suite the second (ground floor) has 2 single beds and bathroom en suite. The open plan kitchen/ dining room an open fire, couch, two chairs and coffee table, dining table and chairs. There is a gas cooking hob, pots kitchen ware and utensils and fridge/freezer.

Outdoors
A shaded balcony outside the kitchen dining room is perfect for outdoor dining and the house comes with garden table and chairs for this purpose.
The house is situated on 600m2 of land filled with olive and fruit trees.

The villa is a 10 minute drive from the coast and 5 mins from the nearest historic town of Ostuni. The nearest beach is Costa Merlata.

Prices per week , May €350 June €400 July €500 August €600 September €450 Oct €350

For Reservations, see our contacts page. Driveway to the House Click for Photos

Testimonies:

My family had a great time staying at Kernena Ostuni. The place is great for people who want to:
- enjoy the countryside views
- explore the lovely villages and historic towns nearby
- taste the authentic Italian cuisine in the towns nearby
- visit the local music festivals and festas
- relax on the nearby sandy beaches and coves

The best part for me was the fact that there was no TV and video games and by night you could hear the crickets and the cicadas. It was a real back to basics family holiday where we all got to know one another again.

Liz Slattery

Imagine the scene: waking up in a peaceful Trullo surrounded by olive trees under a blue sky at the beginning of another wonderful day holidaying in Ostuni. Deep in the Heel of Italy, in the region of Puglia, dry stone walls separate fields of red earth and ancient olive groves, surrounded by the largest stretch of unspoilt coast line in Italy.

Holidaying in the land of the Trulli is a truly magical experience. I’ve being going there years and have enjoyed guaranteed sunshine every summer. If there is one thing a holiday here is more than, is just sunshine. The things to do here are as much about experience as activity. Picking figs, plums and small red pears before breakfast, then eating them still warm from the morning sun, begins a day in touch with a piece of paradise.

The coast line of Ostuni is as varied as it is breathtaking. Whether it is long sandy beaches or inlets and coves, the sea is as clean and clear as you will find. We usually take it easy in the morning and arrive at the beach about 11. Choosing which one is the only debate as we all have different favourites, but whatever the outcome no one is disappointed. We love the white sandy beaches, they are fun and safe for the children and we can’t seem to keep them out of the sea which besides being clean turquoise and warm, the depths are ideal for families. Lunch at the beach has become a convention, it could be a packed lunch, freshly bought Panini, Pizza or Foccacia, or we spoil ourselves and dine at a restaurant, il Vigliero at Villa Nova being our favourite.

Late afternoon we head back from the beach and make a coffee or a beer and relax in the early evening sun. This is a relaxing part of the day as the children tend to take a cat nap, and are rejuvenated for the evening.

In the evening we often head to the old town of Ostuni for an inexpensive but delicious  meal. Afterwards we walk around in the white labyrinth of narrow streets and find piazza to buy an ice-cream and watch the world go by.