Ostuni, the White Town: walled old town and cathedral

What it is

Ostuni is the White City: an old town of whitewashed houses that covers the top of a 229-metre hill, about 8 km from the Adriatic Sea. The Normans built the medieval city around the summit, with a castle, of which only remains survive, and a wall with four gates that still encircles it. From a distance, above the olive groves, it looks like a single white patch; from inside, it is a maze of stairs, arches and alleys.

It is on the edge of the Itria Valley, already looking to the coast, and in summer it fills up: from about 30,000 residents in winter it becomes many more in August.

The walk

Go up the streets that climb from the main square, at the foot of the old town, towards the top of the hill. Do not follow a map: the lanes cross and you always end up at the top. At the summit is the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, from the 15th century, in flamboyant Gothic style, with a great rose window on the facade. Beside it is the bishop's palace. On the way you will see the doorways of the palaces of the city's noble families.

Then go down the other side towards the wall: from the walks that surround it you see the plain of ancient olive trees stretching to the sea. On the coast, Bona Sforza, Duchess of Bari and Queen of Poland, had towers built in 1539 against Turkish attacks, and some are still standing.

In the old town there is also a museum of pre-classical civilisations, with finds from the caves of the area: we have not been able to verify its hours from an official source, so ask in the town.

Getting there and parking

Ostuni is a little over an hour from Bari by car, about 84 km, and about half an hour from Martina Franca. Brindisi airport is about 25 km away. The old town does not admit cars: park in the car parks in the lower part, outside the wall, and walk up with time to spare. It has a station on the Bari to Brindisi train line, down on the plain and outside the town.