We couldn’t go to Puglia and not stay in a trulli. These distinctive stonewashed buildings with cone-shaped roofs date back to the 14th century and are only found in this region of Italy. In recent years many have been converted into unique accommodation for tourists travelling to Puglia.
But it turns out that traditional trulli are tiny. So instead, we found ourselves a stylish place to stay that has been designed to look like a trullo, but has generous proportions and modern amenities that suited our family of 3 to a T.
FYI Our trip was self-funded. This post contains some affiliate links.
Trullo Roverella Review
Trullo Roverella is one of the most memorable places we’ve ever stayed.
It’s one of just 2 properties, each with private pools, in a peaceful olive-tree laden location just outside the town of Castellano Grotte.
The beautifully styled trullo villa has a fully equipped kitchen, living room with sofa bed and smart tv, and a master bedroom on the mezzanine.
In an annexe to the side of the cone-shaped house is a bathroom with a generous freestanding tub that looks out over the pool from floor to ceiling windows.
The trullo is dotted with décor that reflects the region – think vintage olive jars and tiny embroidered curtains – but it’s as practical as it is pretty, with ample crockery, an oven and microwave, a dishwasher and tea and coffee making facilities.
The selling point, however, is the outdoor area. The pool is massive, or at least felt like it for our family of 3. There are different areas to relax at different times of the day – from the bistro chairs that are perfect for breakfast in the sun, to the lounge chairs we had lunch in, and the outdoor dining area with bbq and sink that’s perfect for dining under pink skies of a evening.
There’s a large garden beyond the pool where bean bags have been left in the shade of ancient olive trees. Plus, an outdoor bathroom so wet little feet don’t need to run through trullo.
There’s a laundry room next to the outdoor bathroom too, which is super handy if you’re planning a longer stay.
We weren’t sure of the sleeping arrangements so had packed an inflatable toddler bed but it turns out the sofa bed was both generous and comfortable. Our 3-year-old slept so well in it that we’d still sit one end and watch Netflix on cooler evenings after he’d been put to bed.
If you’re staying with younger children you can request a cot and high chair. We didn’t need to as our son is 3 so I cannot vouch for their quality. I think there’s room to fit a travel cot in the bedroom on the mezzanine. This would probably be preferable then having a little one sleep downstairs as the stairs are a bit steep to be going up and down in the night if your little one stirs.
Other things we loved about the property were the fact it had EV charging. We hired an electric car for the week via Discover Cars and thus didn’t pay for any fuel the whole trip.
The location is also perfect for exploring all the main sights in this part of Puglia. It’s a 13 min drive to Alberobello, approx. 20 mins to Monopoli and 30 mins to the iconic Lama Monachile at Polignano A Mare.
In nearby Castellana Grotte (6 min drive) we discovered some wonderful places to eat. Don’t miss the family-run La Fontanina Restaurant (so delicious and well-priced we ate there twice) and you must go to Sugar Gelateria for dessert after.
If you’re planning a trip to Puglia, I can’t recommend this place enough.
More family-friendly trulli in Puglia we love are:
Trulli suite with private jacuzzi
Trullo Tulou relax in Valle d’Itria
Traditional villas and farmhouses:
IL TRULLO BIANCO – Country House & SPA
More Info
We flew to Bari Airport and hired a car through Discover Cars.
We booked Trullo Roverella through AirBnb. You can also find it on booking.com.
Read next:
Our Puglia family holiday – Itinerary & tips
