Ostuni - Città Bianca of Puglia
Below Lecce and Bari, about half a dozen popular towns are well-trodden among international visitors. We had enough time to visit just two towns on our drive between Lecce and Monopoli. Choosing among them is a difficult task. Aside from the unique village of Alberobello and the seaside town of Polignano a Mare, the white-washed Ostuni is arguably the most famous town in Puglia. Having visited so many hill towns in Umbria and Lazio, I genuinely looked forward to seeing how different they are in the southern part of the country. With every trip to Italy, we greatly appreciate this country’s regional diversity.
Even the outskirt Ostuni are painted white.
One of the many beautiful corner of Ostuni.
Perched atop a conical-shaped hill, Ostuni emerged from the horizon just right after exiting the autostrada. By nature, hill towns are conceived as defensive settlements and speak to the past's turbulent times. More than other hill towns we visited, Ostuni’s defensive walls are in great repair and gleaming under the Puglia’s sun. Known as La Città Bianca in Italian, the whole town is painted in white. Interestingly, one prominent exception is Duomo di Ostuni, which happens to be the largest structure and occupies the most prominent spot in town. Brian shouted as we drove closer to town: “They forgot to paint the church!”.
One thing that always stresses me about visiting Italian hill towns is figuring out the parking situation and navigating the ZTL Zone (zona a traffico limitato). Getting a stack of traffic tickets in the mail after the trip was all I could worry about. Given the popularity of Ostuni, I was surprised that there were plenty of open spaces in the town’s main parking lot. Even more amazing was the fact that the town does not start charging for parking until the middle of June. Hallelujah!
Piazza della Libertà and the Column of Saint Orontius in the background.
The stately city hall of Ostuni.
We could see the main cathedral in the distance.
It was a pleasant five-minute walk from the parking lot to Liberty Square, the center of Ostuni’s “new town.” The triangular-shaped square is among the most beautiful public spaces we visited on this trip. However, I must admit that I was slightly disappointed with the color of the square. It wasn’t quite the “white city” ambiance I expected. This part of town was created during Bourbon’s rule in response to the growing population. The French brought in a level of stately elegance of Baroque reminiscent of the grand squares of Lecce or Martina Franca.
At the eastern end of the square is a stately plague column dedicated to Saint Orontius, the first bishop of Lecce and a patron saint of Ostuni. Oddly, this was the first plague column we encountered in Italy, and it certainly could not hold a candle to the Holy Trinity Column we visited in Olomouc. According to tradition, Orontius sought shelter in a cave in Ostuni after saving the citizens of Salento from a raging plague. At a later time, the saint was said to have disguised himself in cloud formation, chasing away the demon, thus sparing the people of Ostuni from the deadly outbreak.
The Column of Saint Orontius.
The main pedestrian drag of Old Ostuni.
Speaking of the plague, it has an outsized influence on the town even today. At first glance, Ostuni’s white walls may be attributed to the proximity of Grecian influences. One might also assume the white color is to keep the city cool by reflecting the summer’s heat. However, the primary reason for the white color was the common belief that lime whitewash had distinct disinfectant properties and helped slow the spread of the plague during the Middle Ages. The reflecting light also helped illuminate the dark and narrow alley and mitigate squalid conditions.
Throughout the centuries, the people of Ostuni have stuck to their whitewashed walls out of superstition and traditions. Of course, the sanitary benefits of lime whitewash are moot in today’s Italy. The distinct white color has become a valuable identity/brand for Ostuni. And in case you wonder why the city manages to keep its wall white and pristine, the government set up a subsidy program for footing half of the cost of repainting every few years. Quite frankly, I wonder why there aren’t many other towns adopting similar policies to benefit the tourism economy.
A quiet lane of Old Ostuni.
There is something definitely magical about this place.
A quiet lane of Old Ostuni.
Since neither Brian nor I have been to Greece, Ostuni is as close to a whitewashed town as we have been. I was very thankful we were blessed with a crispy blue sky during our visit. The white walls also help accent private houses' many colorful doors and railings. Every bit of greenery looks like a well-composed painting. We appreciate why Ostuni (or other whitewashed Greek towns) are still popular with photographers and social media-obsessed. Even before the rise of international tourism, many foreigners have been drawn to this place. With a permanent population of 32,000, the town sees its population increase threefold in the high season.
Piazza Beato Giovanni Paolo II, the “main piazza” of Old Ostuni.
Piazza Beato Giovanni Paolo II, the “main piazza” of Old Ostuni.
Do you notice that the apse of the cathedral is slightly off-angle from the naive?
Ostuni is arguably the second most touristy place (after Alberobello) we visited on this trip. The main drag of the old town was mobbed by daytrippers, including many big bus group tours. With it, there were plenty of touristy shops ranging from cheesy souvenir stands and fashion boutiques. Mary was eager to shop and explore the town on her own. Eventually, all visitors ended up on Piazza Beato Giovanni Paolo II, the historic main piazza facing the town’s main cathedral. On this pizza are several museums, such as the Museum of Preclassic Civilizations of Southern Murgia, which we skipped due to time constraints.
The elaborate painted ceiling above the naive of Ostuni Cathedral.
On the other hand, I would consider visiting Ostuni Cathedral (officially Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta) a must if you are in town. A co-cathedral for the Archdiocese of Brindisi and Ostuni, this 1,000-year-old minor basilica has one of the most unusual Romanesque facades I have seen. The curvy facade and oversized 24-ray rose window looks like something out of a fairytale. The naive of the basilica is adorned with an elaborately painted wooden ceiling. Of course, the subject of the painting includes the miracles performed by Saint Orontius. While we may not know all the history and allegories, it is almost always worthwhile to pop into any church in Italy to peek at the amazing artwork inside.
Despite the crush of viistors, one could get away from the crowd pretty easily.
A short walk from the cathedral brought us to a belvedere overlooking the surrounding countryside and the beautiful Adriatic. I was surprised that no restaurant here is taking advantage of this beautiful vista. The field of green below is acres and acres of olive tree farms. It reminded us that we have yet to arrange for a good olive oil tasting session in Puglia, Italy's main producing region. By some estimates, there are more than 50 million olive trees in the region, and around a quarter of a million farms specialize in olive oil production. Puglia accounts for roughly 40% of output in the county.
This beautiful corner of Ostuni reminded me of the works of Escher.
Wonderful belvedere is just a few-minute walk away from the main piazza.
Given the compactness of Old Ostuni, there is no worry about getting lost in the labyrinth of narrow lanes. Outside the main drag and the piazza, the rest of the city is surprisingly residential and quiet. Despite the level of tourism here, we still enjoy the back lanes of Ostuni all to ourselves. Sprinkled among the white lanes are occasional brownstone entrances to grand residences. I do wonder how much these places would go for. After all, Puglia has been a popular place for retirement nowadays.
They really need to open a cafe here.
I wonder why those hooks on the exterior walls are for.
We were racing toward our next stop: Alberobello.
For those who prefer a slower pace of travel, places like Ostuni would make a wonderful home base for exploring the region. The handy parking lot and hilltop position should make getting in and out of the town a breeze. Even though we only spent a few hours here, there is something very charming and easy about Ostuni. I am always jealous of those who could enjoy really slow travel. Maybe one day, I will be well-traveled enough to feel at ease staying in a small town like Ostuni for a week.
