Ostuni: Puglia’s Dazzling “La Città Bianca”
Every town in Puglia had me proclaiming it to be “even more beautiful than the last” . It’s insane how one region can have so many spectacular sights. I mean, just look at the Valle d’Itria. Or Alberobello. But Ostuni really is one of the most picturesque places in Puglia.
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La Città Bianca
Strategically perched on the crest of a hill, overlooking the glimmering Adriatic, Ostuni looks like a town from a fairytale. In fact you can see Ostuni long before you arrive, rising high above the Valle d’Itria and it’s seemingly endless ocean of olive groves. Striking whitewashed buildings tumble down from the Duomo at it’s peak, punctuated by labyrinthine alleyways. Brightly coloured flowers and cacti provide a pop of colour here and there. Vespas and bicycles are artfully placed in front of doorways, just begging for a photo opportunity.
It feels like a romantic city, where lovers can stroll hand in hand, sneaking kisses around corners. It’s a sophisticated city, with chic bars tucked away in medieval alleys, and elegant restaurants with the most tantalizing aromas. And most of all, it’s still a quintessentially Italian city.
Ostuni Fun Fact: the buildings were all whitewashed with limestone in the 17th century to defend against the spread of the plague. Apparently the chalky white paint has antibacterial properties. The buildings are all whitewashed annually to retain their brightness.
Ostuni is a 90 minute drive from Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport, and just 35 minutes from Brindisi Airport, which makes Ostuni an excellent base for exploring both the north and the south of Italy’s heel. There are beaches closeby, and both Lecce and Bari are an hour away if you prefer city life. But don’t rush to leave town – there’s plenty to discover in Puglia’s gleaming White City. In fact you can easily fill a whole day getting yourself lost in the maze of alleyways, arches and stairwells. Which is exactly how we spent my birthday.
Our Ostuni Story
Ostuni was the first overnight destination of our week-long Puglia trip. After picking up our rental car at Bari Airport we made our way down the Adriatic coast, calling in at Polignano a Mare and Monopoli before heading to Ostuni for three nights. It’s Mr Fletche’s first drive into a busy town, and I leave him parked outside whilst I locate our accommodation. I’m assured that there is private parking and host Loredana pops out to direct us through the one way lanes to the parking lot at the property. After a very precarious 90 degree turn we’re finally parked up and ready to settle in.
Where We Stayed
There are few places that have taken our breath away, but Palazzo Rodio – a genuine Italian mansion – did exactly that. From the cool stone floors of the lobby to the gleaming pool and elegant garden area we head to the first floor, where we’re greeted by an antechamber filled with quirky artefacts and finally, the double doors to our apartment. And what an apartment. If the large bedroom with classic mahogany furniture isn’t enough, a bright sun-room connects a small kitchen area with the bathroom. But the piece di resistance is our huge private terrace, with table and chairs, beanbags and sunloungers. A welcome package including a bottle of Primitivo red wine and local confectionary sets us up nicely. I think we’ll like our stay here very much.
Planning a stay in Ostuni?
Exploring La Città Blanca
We finally tear ourselves away from the terrace – and the wine. It’s a 10 minute walk from Palazzo Rodio to Piazza della Liberta – the gateway to the winding centro storico of Ostuni. On a Sunday evening we are surprised to find it so busy and vibrant. We set about climbing upwards towards Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta, so that we can weave our way down, marvelling at the colourful doors, popping into stores selling handmade trinkets and stopping for a cool refreshing drink here and there. Via Gaetano Tanzarella Vitale is a narrow alleyway which hides a veritable treasure trove of bars and restaurants. We sink into comfortable beanbags at Gipas 111 for cocktails, a perfect spot for people-watching as dancing projections bounce off the white walls.
In fact, this is how we spend most of our three evenings in Ostuni. After a wonderful day in Lecce – and naturally, a glass of wine on the terrace – we are surprised to find Piazza della Liberta a lot quieter on our second evening. At sunset, we head for Piazzetta Martiri delle Foibe on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a perfect spot to watch the changing colours. It’s not a spectacular sunset on this particular evening with the sky more the colour of bruises than the hoped for oranges and pinks. But it’s a popular stop on the guided ‘ape’ tours of the town.
Perfect photo spots in Ostuni include the famous green and blue “Heaven’s Door” at Via F. Incalzi Antonelli and the city’s most famous stairs at Vico Balsamo de Landria. To be perfectly honest, the whole city is infinitely instagrammable. Next to Heaven’s Door is the extremely popular Borgo Antico Bistrot, with tables and cushioned benches set along a zigzagging staircase with spectacular views. We never spotted an empty table here, and it doesn’t take reservations so be prepared to queue if you’re determined to eat or drink here!
On our third day, we decide to leave the car alone for the day and explore Ostuni by daylight. Mr Fletche is just happy not to have to manoeuvre the car down that narrow road and turn into the car park at an impossible angle again.
Centro Storico is best explored without any particular plan in mind – no map can capture the pretty little lanes terminating in a dead end, the places where you unexpectedly glimpse the sparkling Adriatic or the atmospheric little squares with the most tempting osteria or trattoria. We get lost, retrace our steps, and vow to revisit beautiful spots that we never quite manage to find again. Ostuni’s labyrinth was purposely designed to confuse invaders – nowadays, it just confuses the tourists. We stop for second breakfast – a Lecce coffee and a pasticciotto – at Bianc’Ostuni.
The Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta – the Duomo di Ostuni – is a majestic landmark overlooking the city. The cathedral was built in the 13th century – and rebuilt in the 15th century following an earthquake – and has the second largest rose window in Europe (behind the Notre Dame in Paris). Alongside the cathedral is the Arco di Scoppa, a bridge which connects the Bishop’s Palace to the Seminary, modelled on Venice’s Bridge of Sighs.
We stroll the ancient city walls before it gets too hot to do so. In the middle of the day, the skies are almost too blue and the whitewashed walls are almost blindingly bright. We follow Via Oronza Quaranta around the perimeter and admire the views out over the ancient olive groves, then re-enter the city at Porta San Demetrio, one of the two remaining gates.
We return to Piazza della Liberta – the perfect place to indulge in a little people-watching over an aperitivo. If you’re eating or drinking here, prices will be inflated compared to other areas of Ostuni. Sitting down at a table may well come with a coperto – a fixed charge simply for sitting. However we had heard tales of a cafe bar selling a bargain €4,90 Aperol spritz with snacks, almost half the price of the bar opposite.
We spend a lazy afternoon chilling by the hotel pool – it’s wonderfully shady and a welcome respite from the sunshine. In the evening we weave our way through the centro storico, stopping for a spritz at the aptly named The Piazzetta Spritz cafe bar before a lovely birthday meal at Trattoria Sapere E Sapori.
Getting to and around Ostuni
Ostuni is located in Brindisi, which means that Brindisi Airport is closer than Bari. But in this part of Puglia, nothing is too far and Bari is just as good a choice before embarking on your onward journey to Ostuni. Which is exactly what we did. It’s about an hour and 10 minutes direct from Bari Airport to Ostuni, although we made stops in Polignano a Mare and Monopoli on the way. There are stunning views of the city from the drive in on the SS16/SP19.
This was our first time hiring a car in Italy – you can find out more about Driving in Puglia, according to Mr Fletche here!
Driving into the centro storico without a permit (a ZTL) can result in a hefty fee. There are public parking lots on via Giosue Pinto (Parcheggio Ostuni “Al Giardino”) or on Via Antonio Specchia. Our accommodation was just outside the centre (about a 10 minute walk to Piazza della Liberta) and had free on-site parking – something I definitely recommend that you look for if staying overnight in Ostuni as part of a road trip. You can browse accommodation in Ostuni here.
If you prefer to travel by rail, there are trains from Bari Centrale, or direct from Brindisi Airport. Ostuni train station is around 3km from the centre of Ostuni.
Travelling by train in Italy? I recommend reading this handy guide!
Ostuni Old Town has a pathway weaving all the way through the key sights, although we don’t blame you one bit for leaving this pathway behind to explore the nooks and crannies of Ostuni. Despite the hills it’s a very walkable town, and the centro storico is traffic-free. The only thing that might run you over is a three-wheeled ape car or e-bike – a great way to take a guided tour of the town. Comfy shoes are a must for exploring this hilly city though. Leave the flip flops for the beach and the heels for somewhere with less cobbles.
Ostuni through the lens of Mr Fletche
Final thoughts
Ostuni should definitely make your Puglian itinerary. It’s the perfect place to soak up the easy-going lifestyle of Southern Italy. I definitely recommend spending at least two or three nights; there are plenty of places to eat and drink and walking the streets at night under the twinkling stars is magical. At dusk, Ostuni glows as gold and pink hues reflect off the city’s white walls.
Ostuni was our favourite stop on our recent 7 day Puglia road trip. It’s also easy to combine Ostuni with a visit to Alberobello or some of the other little towns in the Valle D’Itria.
Planning a trip to Ostuni? Pin this blog for later!
I try my hardest to keep the information in this travel guide up to date; however if you notice anything has changed please let me know! Happy travels, Emmalene
