Visible for miles around, Ostuni is a gleaming tumble of painted buildings and dramatic brick-built palaces, perched almost entirely on a steep hilltop. Ostuni’s whitewashed centro storico lends the town its second name as the ‘White City’ of Puglia, and there are few places as atmospheric found anywhere else in the region. Most visits begin with a walk through the old town, towards the mighty duomo towering high above the Puglian plains. It’s a steep ascent, but one that’ll take you through some of the most magical of Ostuni’s streets: think white-walled passages with uneven floors and pretty cafes tucked into sheltered courtyards. The views at the top are well worth the climb, and the beautiful 15th-century cathedral with its 24-pane rose window is quite a sight, too.
The town’s bar and restaurant scene is richly authentic, with quaint trattorie serving local favourites such as orecchiette – a small, ear-shaped pasta that’s generally eaten with vegetable-based sauces and often served alongside a handsome house red. For true wine connoisseurs, one of the local wine tours is a must-do, taking visitors into some of the region’s finest wineries.
Your plans, our expertise
Start planning your Citalia holiday by getting in touch with one of our Personal Travel Planners.
Lines open: Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 17:30, Bank Holidays 10:00 to 16:00.
Flights to Puglia arrive into Bari (BRI) from London Gatwick and London Stansted or Brindisi (BDS) from London Gatwick and Manchester (indirect) and take approximately 3 hours. Please call our Italy Experts in order to book flights to Brindisi.
Visa Information
At the current time, British citizens do not require a visa to visit Italy.
Tipping
Whilst tipping isn’t embedded into Italian culture it is always appreciated as an acknowledgement of good service. Nowadays people generally round up a bill in a bar or cafe and leave 5-10% extra on a restaurant bill. Taxi bills are usually also rounded up.
On guided tours/excursions, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide.
On small group escorted tours, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide at the end of the tour.
Introduction to languages
The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.
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