Ostuni

This is known as the Citta Bianca, a white washed town located high on three hills.

I have been to Ostuni twice, and each time it is interesting. On our first visit we were trying to find a specific restaurant for lunch. That always adds to the stress of the process. We did not find it, but the town was still interesting.,

On our 2023 trip one day I headed off to see the town again. All the towns in Pulgia are easy to find. The challenge is more what happends when you get there. There is a fairly large parking lot at the base of the town. I image on some days a may be available but it is a fairly short walk from the parking lot to the town centre. Go up the stairs, and hand a left and start walking uphill.

Walk up to the Plazza della Liberta, therre you find the Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assis, cafes and the tourist office. Just cross the plazza and starting walk up via Cattedrale - the street to the Cathedral. It takes to the centre of the historic centre of Ostuni, high up on the hill. It is a relatively easy walk and there are plenty of small streets to explore on the way up.

At the top is the beautiful Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, originally built in 1228/29, but damaged in the earthquake of 1456. During the period of 1460 to 1495 it was rebuilt in a Gothic style. The church has a beautiful rose window (15thC), and at one time the church had four rose windows. The rose window has 24 external arcades, they stand for the 24 hours in a day. There then are the 12 internal arcades standing for the 12 months of the year. Christ is in the middle surrounded by seven angles heads that stand for the seven days of the week. And you may have thought it was only a window.

The Archeological Museum in the Church of S. Vito or Santa Maria is very interesting. The museum includes ancient skeletons. The church, re-built in 1750 replaced the original S. Vito which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1743. The rococo design is common for many of the buildings in the older parts of Ostuni.