If you’re thinking of Puglia, make sure to spend at least a day in Ostuni! It’s one of Italy’s most beautiful small towns and worth a day or a weekend!
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In a country of beautiful cities, Ostuni is one of the gems of Puglia. The white buildings, the sea in the distance, and the quiet side streets make it a great day trip or weekend getaway!
Getting Around
Puglia is a great place to consider for an Italian road trip. It opens up a ton of options – some areas aren’t connected by train, and the parking and driving situation isn’t as scary as in other parts of southern Italy.
Ostuni is on a train line with Lecce, Bari, and Brindisi, so it’s doable by train. However, as a city on a hill, the train station is a little less than 2 miles away from the actual town. While you can walk between, it’s far enough away that I don’t recommend it with suitcases. But walking down to the train on a bright morning is pretty glorious – you get great views looking back up the city as you walk by olive groves.
A bus runs to the train station every 30-45 minutes – walk straight outside the train station. Or you can ask at the bar for them to call you a cab, which runs you 15-20€.
Most people treat Ostuni as a day trip town; you can easily see everything in a day. It’s a beautiful, picturesque town, worth the visit even if you only have a day. But there’s enough good food here to make it worth using as a home base for a few days, especially if you rent a car!
Ostuni Hotels
I stayed at Dama Bianca, which offers studio apartment-style rooms for reasonable prices. Some have hot tubs, and the hotel itself has a sauna and spa where you can reserve time. It’s just outside the centro storico, giving you easy access to taxis but still an easy 5-minute walk to Piazza della Liberta and the old town.
Looking for another hotel in Ostuni? Booking.com is my favorite for finding beautiful hotels for great prices!
What to see in Ostuni
Focus on the historic old town; the part that gives Ostuni the name “the white city.” Meandering is the best way to experience it, so make sure to wander down the small streets!
The best way to experience Ostuni is to take yourself on a walking tour! A walking tour will give you the context for all the beautiful spots you’ll see in town.
Here are the main historic or beautiful spots worth seeing:
The Arco Scoppa was built to connect the seminary to Palazzo Vescovile. Ironically, the bridge looks better than either of the two buildings it connects.
Palazzo Vescovile sits attached to the Arco Scoppa. It’s part of the Diocesan Museum if you’re into sacred art, but the entrance sits one building down by the Duomo. It also houses the remains of the Norman castle that sat here in the 12th century!
The Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta is the reason for all the surrounding buildings. This one dates from the 15th century, although an older church sat here before being destroyed by an earthquake in 1456. It’s worth sticking your head in, although the hours can be unreliable.
Vicolo Balsamo de Landria is formerly the laundry street, it’s now just one of the picturesque white stair streets. Built straight into the hill and offset by colorful doors, cacti, and cats, it’s gorgeous.
Speaking of colorful doors, there are a few with more modern designs that are picture-perfect. They’re both steps away from Borgo Antica Bistrot. I have the exact locations saved on my Thatch guide, so grab if you want to navigate straight there!
As you go down the hill, do some shopping! Ostuni has some beautiful pottery – Puglia is known for their ceramics. My favorite shop for the traditional Pugliese decor style is Carella Ostuni -it’s an award-winning family shop.
Another great one with stunning colors is Shuluq Ostuni. Their vivid designs are so striking, and if I wasn’t flying carry-on I’d have loaded up my bag!
If antiques are more your thing, Check out Antichita La Puglia. It’s cram full of beautiful old things, both valuable and sentimental. Plenty are small enough to fit in a suitcase!
Exact locations are in my Thatch guide!
You’ll head through the Piazza della Liberta next, and it’s the perfect place to stop for an aperitivo as you people-watch.
Piazzetta Martiri delle Foibe has the best views looking back up at Ostuni itself. Seeing it from here will give you a sense of the town’s grandeur – it earns its White City name!
One more day trip you should do: explore on e-bikes with a wine and olive oil tasting! Trust me, this is the tour you want to do. Rocco takes you out into the countryside, exploring tiny country lanes and visiting a local farm. You also get to sample local wines and snacks after learning about the production at a local co-op!
This tour is in nearby Cisternino, which you’ll need a car or a taxi to get to from Ostuni. But it’s so worth it! And if you’re torn, get in touch with me – I can help you arrange a version in another Pugliese town!
Looking for restaurant recommendations? Those get their own article because they’re so good!
All of this and more is on my interactive guide to Ostuni on Thatch! It’s how I plan and organize all my personal travel, as well as put together custom recommendations for my clients.
Want more Puglia tips? Check out my tips for Lecce, Alberobello, and Monopoli! Or grab my interactive Thatch guides for Monopoli or Lecce!
