See the trulli houses of Alberobello

Founded in the 15th century by the Counts of Acquaviva, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Alberobello contains the largest concentration of perhaps the most famous of all of Puglia’s monuments: the cone-shaped dwellings known as trulli. The origin of these charming structures was practical in nature: the Counts granted tax-free land to immigrants from surrounding lands on the condition their houses should be easily demolished in the case that the King of Naples found out they were evading taxes! Their particular construction – eschewing the use of any binding material – ensured that the houses could easily be reduced to a pile of stones in a hurry, leaving no trace of their former function. En route, you can visit a family-run dairy farm where the owners will treat you to a cheese-making demonstration. Learn about kneaded cheeses such as mozzarella, burrata (a Pugliese specialty which melts in the mouth like butter), caciocavallo, and scamorza; fresh cheeses such as ricotta; and aged cheeses such as canestrato and cacioricotta.