In order to go from Otranto to Matera and then on to our next overnight stay in Sorrento, we rented a car. There were a few stops we wanted to see along the way, primarily Alberobello, Italy.
Our luggage fit perfectly into the trunk and it felt great to have our own space and air conditioning we could blast during the hot Italian summer. We were on our way!
The Trulli Houses of Alberobello, Italy
The stop that made a car rental worth it was Alberobello, known for its incredible Trulli houses. We had considered an overnight stay in the town, but in hindsight, we’re glad we didn’t. Matera was the better place for a longer stay, with a pit stop to see these adorable houses enough for us.
We also happened upon Alberobello in Miniatura and Max fell in love, even more than the miniature replica of Matera. He’s a kid who has always loved miniatures, but this one takes the cake! It’s an enormous replica of the incredible village and he’s already planning the future models he’ll make.
We’re always on the lookout for good gelato, so when we see Italians taking photos of their gelato in front of a shop, it must be good.😆 We popped inside Martinucci Pasticceria and were amazed to see all sorts of incredibly beautiful desserts and lines of people waiting to buy something delicious.
We sat at a table and ordered gelato. I added un caffé con ghiaccio (espresso with ice) but forgot to add con latte (with milk), so I simply stirred in some of my stracciatella gelato to make it creamy and sweet. Afterward, I looked up the shop name and saw that they have locations all over Italy so I think they must be popular. (We even made another stop for some gelato later, in Rome.)
After our break, we were ready to hit the road again.
Next Stop: The coastal town of Sorrento, Italy, known for lemons and gorgeous views!
This is part of a series about our family travels this summer through Italy — and beyond. You can start from the beginning of the blog series here or follow along on Instagram.
