At a glance –
Sleeps 6
3 Bedrooms (plus double sofa bed in lounge)
2 Bathrooms (both with showers, one with small bath, washing machine, combi boiler)
Kitchen with hob, oven, microwave, fridge freezer, kettle, toaster and table. Fully equipped to cook and eat at home
Lounge with open fire, TV/DVD player
10 x 5 m private Infinity swimming pool
10,000 sq m of private garden with olive and fruit trees
10 minute drive from the town of Martina Franca, in the heart of the Itria valley
A trullo is a traditional Puglian property built from local limestone, with dry stone walls and characteristic conical roofs. My trullo has 5 cones. Trulli were built in the 1700s and 1800s for workers on the land belonging to a local masseria (farmhouse) and are found only in this part of Italy.
Rennovated trulli, such as mine, have had the cones and original building restored by skilled craftsmen called trullista and have usually been enlarged slightly. The property is in a conservation area, so there are strict rules about how this can be done sympathetically and traditionally. The trullo was restored about 25 years ago by an Italian family who owned it. As it is an old property it will never be as immaculate or convenient as a hotel or modern villa, but it is a family home away from home and a unique Italian experience.
The front of the house, with kitchen and living area, is in the original part of the property under the cones, as is one of the bedrooms. The other bedrooms and bathrooms at the back are in a more modern extension, but this still has dry stone walls and traditional features.
Trulli stay cooler in Summer because of the thick walls and small windows, and are warmer in Winter. However, they can get a bit damp in Winter (winters in the hills of Puglia can get very cold) and central heating and fires are needed.
At the front of the house is space to park cars. One side is mostly shaded by pine trees. The other has a large sunny terraced area with a private 10 x 5m Infinity swimming pool leading off, surrounded by smaller shrubs and fruit trees.
By the main door there is a large area for sitting and dining which has a planted area and is shaded. Down near the fence is a grapevine and mulberry bush.
At the back of the house stretches the olive grove, down to a second gate and drive. Also here is the pizza oven. There is always lots of wood on the property you can collect, if you want to use this as a barbecue or to try your hand at home made pizza. The large paved area jutting out at the back is another cisterna which collects rain water for use on the garden. This area is a real sun trap for a quiet place to sit enjoying the olive trees. Next to this is a variety of fruit trees, including apples, cherries and figs.
The main bedroom at the front of the house has a double bed and space for hanging clothes.
The twin room at the back of the house has twin beds and a small set of drawers.
The small bedroom has a bed that pulls out to be a double bed, or can be pushed away to make a single bed and save space. There is a small chest of drawers and some shelves here.
The sofa in the lounge also folds out to a double sofa bed if more sleeping space is needed. There is a travel cot in the main bedroom.
The trullo is equipped for a family holiday and is ideal if you are holidaying with children of all ages. There is a travel cot for babies and an extensible single/double bed for toddlers, plus a twin room for older children. There is also a fully equipped kitchen, including microwave and children’s crockery and cutlery. There is a selection of DVDs and indoor toys for younger children you can borrow, plus a range of outdoor and beach toys. The property is secure from the road so children can play in the garden. Children will, of course, need continuous supervision near the pool which is open to the property.
