Apulia, Christmas in Valle d’Itria
A few weeks ago, I spent a few days exploring the white villages of the Itria Valley, also known as the Valley of the Trulli, in Puglia. The trip was organized by Experto Italy, a small Tour Operator based in London that creates tailor-made journeys for individual clients from the UK who want to discover Italy.
We were based in Locorotondo and from there visited Alberobello, Martina Franca, Locorotondo itself, and the surrounding countryside. What I didn’t know and didn’t expect was to find these villages completely transformed by Christmas lights. They were so well done that they became a pilgrimage destination for tourists from near and far, to the point that the entire municipal area was closed to cars during weekends.
Crowds of people flooded the narrow streets to admire the lights that illuminated the walls and houses as if it were daytime. These small villages, whose streets are already narrow due to their natural layout, were invaded by curious visitors and enthusiasts, all with their phones in hand to capture memories of this luminous art.
Despite being December, the weather mostly cooperated, with brief showers mainly at night but cold, dry evenings.
To fully enjoy the village experience, we stayed in Locorotondo in an “albergo diffuso” called “Sotto le Cummerse,” which consists of small apartments scattered throughout the center of Locorotondo.
Since we were in the area, we took a small detour to Polignano a Mare, the hometown of Domenico Modugno, and Monopoli. The following photos are just a small glimpse of what we saw and the atmosphere we experienced.
