The region
Trulli, whitewashed villages and ancient olive groves in the heart of Puglia
The Itria Valley stretches between the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto, across the southern Murge plateau. It is a land of trulli, masserias, dry-stone walls and endless olive groves. The whitewashed towns scattered across the valley — Martina Franca, Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino, Ostuni — are among the most beautiful in southern Italy. Attending the festival is the perfect occasion to discover a truly unique corner of the world.
Five whitewashed towns, each with its own character. All within half an hour of each other, they can be explored in a few days — or savoured slowly over a longer stay.
The baroque capital of Puglia, Martina Franca enchants with its historic centre of eighteenth-century palazzi, wrought-iron balconies and cobbled lanes. Piazza Roma and the Palazzo Ducale form the heart of the town. It is also home to capocollo di Martina Franca, a Slow Food presidium cured meat, and has hosted the Festival della Valle d'Itria — dedicated to opera — for decades.
With over 1,500 trulli, Alberobello has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The Rione Monti district, with its rows of limestone cone roofs, is one of the most iconic images of Puglia. The trullo church of Sant'Antonio and the Trullo Sovrano — the only two-storey trullo — are well worth a visit.
The name says it all: a village with a circular plan, perched on a hill with 360° views over the valley. The cummerse — houses with pitched roofs — set Locorotondo apart from its neighbours. The whitewashed, flower-filled old town is perfect for an evening stroll at sunset.
Impossibly narrow alleys, surprise stairways and hidden piazzas: Cisternino is a white labyrinth that rewards those who get lost. Famous for its fornelli pronti — butcher shops where you choose your meat and have it grilled on the spot — it is the place to try bombette, rolled pork parcels stuffed with local cheese.
Perched on three hills and coated in white lime, Ostuni is visible from kilometres away. The cathedral with its Gothic rose window crowns a maze of lanes that tumble down towards groves of ancient olive trees. In summer the town comes alive with events, markets and open-air bars. The Adriatic coast is just minutes away.
The cuisine of the Itria Valley is built on simple ingredients and direct flavours: fresh pasta, newly made dairy, charcoal-grilled meat and foraged greens. A peasant tradition refined by time, where every village has its own specialities.
The emblematic dish of Puglia. Small ear-shaped fresh pasta dressed with turnip tops, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, anchovies and a pinch of chilli. The local version often calls for toasted breadcrumbs in place of cheese.
A shell of mozzarella enclosing a creamy heart of stracciatella. It must be eaten very fresh — ideally within 24 hours of being made. You will find it in every masseria and restaurant in the valley.
Rolls of capocollo stuffed with local canestrato cheese and parsley, grilled over coals at the fornelli pronti of Cisternino. Ordering is a ritual: you choose the meat at the counter, wait while it cooks, and eat sitting on stools in the middle of the street.
A Slow Food presidium with an ancient production method: the pork is marinated in vino cotto, then smoked with bark from the fragno oak, a tree native to the Murge plateau. The result is a complex flavour — gently smoky and sweet.
Ring-shaped twice-baked bread, briefly soaked in water before being topped with cherry tomatoes, oregano, olive oil and salt. The quintessential summer snack, best with a glass of cold white wine.
The Itria Valley is one of the most compelling wine regions in southern Italy, with indigenous grape varieties that produce mineral, aromatic whites.
An indigenous Puglian grape. A dry, straw-coloured white with greenish highlights, fresh and mineral, with notes of citrus and almond. An ideal match for fish dishes from the Adriatic coast.
Rediscovered after decades of neglect, the Minutolo is an aromatic white of great character. On the nose peach, citrus and white blossom; on the palate savoury and persistent. The wine of the valley's new generation of winemakers.
A traditional blend of Verdeca and Bianco d'Alessano. An everyday white: light, fresh and immediate. Pairs perfectly with burrata, friselle and vegetable dishes.
