Cities of Italy:
Ostuni
Photo above: Ostuni and its bell tower
Where we are
How to Get There
Ostuni is a city in the province of Brindisi, in Puglia. It lies a few kilometres from the Adriatic coast in the area known as the Murgia, which borders with Salento. It is famous for its rural landscapes with its aincent manors and working farms immersed in a characteristic vegetation. Ostuni is also known as the White City, because of its particular historic centre entirely painted with quicklime, known to the local population as “la terra”. Ostuni, a famous tourist centre, for ten years since 1994 has been designated the “Bandiera Blu”, and more recently the ”Cinque Vele” of “Legambiente” the environmental association, both for the cleaness of the sea. The town promotes seaside tourism and also its wine making activities, and takes advantage of the oil mills and farms, many of which are passed down from father to son through the generations. Ostuni is situated 200 meters above sea level on three distinct hills. It is a beacon, a refuge point, bathed in the sun, in summer and in winter, just before the limestone area which is arid and totally without water, so that the dry beds of its streams are called “lame”or blades, typical indeed of the area of the Murgia.
By air: Convenient and easy to reach for those coming from abroad, Brindisi- Casale airport is about 30 kilometres from Ostuni, or Karol Wojtyla airport at Bari about 80 kilometres, from where one can easily reach Ostuni by hired car or the shuttle bus. By land: We strongly advise visitors coming from the north, unless they have planned a long stay, not to come by car, on account of the distance and also the expense. The journey by train, taking a sleeper, or flying, are much better choices. However, if you have to come by car, your reference point must be Bari, taking the A1 (or A3) at the junction A14 Adriatic, or the A16, taking the direction of Bari North, and then Brindisi. The exit is Ostuni- Villanova. From the ring-road of Taranto, take the 106, then the exit GrottaglieBrindisi until the Ostuni exit. After that the car will become your best helpmate, but we’ll look at that later. By train, there are no direct journeys from or to the northern cities, unless you book a ticket with intercity night, which takes about 10 hours. For any other journey, leaving from Milan, you can change at Bologna or Brindisi. It is the same leaving from Rome, when you change at Bari or Ancona.
Some history Ostuni is perched on the top of some steep hills. According to tradition, the city gets its name from the Greek “Astuneon”, in other words the new city, as it was very probably built on the ruins of an older city. Ostuni enjoys a good geographical position. The first peoples who lived there were from the early age of the Messapi, able builders of roads and refined urban settlements, which the tombs at the Boario market and the villas bear witness to. From the quiet scenes of a peasant population, not much time passes before the more violent scenes of the terrible Hannibal, who, with the idea of conquering the ports of Brindisi and Taranto, he imposed the second Punic War on the bordering provinces. The Messapia was the theatre of war, and the consequent devastation continued until the end of the 6th century. By this time the city, recovered from the Cartheginian wars, was thrown into conflict with the Byzantines and the Ostrogoths. The next period under the domination of the Longobards was mainly peaceful, when the Ostunesi made a previous reality come about, a reality based on work and toil and farming under the most noble Longobard standard. The city returned to its period of primitive calm. From this period we can still see the Porte Nova and San Demetrio, that, in the middle ages, was the centre of the commercial and political life of the town. At the same time, with the growing population, the need to defend itself grew. At this point the “domus
palatiate” appear, houses of several stories which make the most of all available space in area and height within the city walls, and that even today are an essential part of the historic centre. In 1148 Ostuni came under Norman domination, and the imposing castle was built above the city. This saw the beginning of Ostuni’s best period. The apex was reached with the arrival of the Aragonees many centuries later, in the sixteenth century, with the reign of Isabella. The city was pervaded with that atmosphere typical of the renaissance, full of colour and perfumes from the markets, of circles and groups of philosophers, of the figurative arts and of music. This period of well being was maintained through the time of Bona Sforza, until, in 1639, Ostuni was sold to a rich merchant named Giovanni Zevallos, who then became Duke. He reduced Ostuni to its knees with taxes and oppression, and so losing the aristocratic families which formed the foundation of society in the city. In the 1800s, struggling to make its way with seaside tourism, the city was the home of a very active movement of giovine italia of Giuseppe Mazzini, moving towards and for the unity of Italy. After this, but only after the second world war, those white houses started to brighten with a measure of wellbeing, good cooking, limpid sea and humility, making Ostuni recognizable and unforgettable all over the world to all its visitors.
Photo below: The dome of the Church of the Madonna della Grata
How to Get Around Photo below: One of the characteristic ancient olive trees, The nature reserve of Torre Guaceto.
Ostuni is not on the coast, it clings to some hills a few kilometres from the sea, which is quite a walk, but by car is just a few seconds, so, fill up your car, or the hired one. The tourist facilities on the coast can take in large numbers, even in the high season, if you intend to arrive by train. However the way to best enjoy your holiday is to rent a flat. This will give you more freedom not having to keep to meal times and leave you a lot of independence. It is easy to reach Ostuni on the E55 Adriatic for Bari, or the E90 for Taranto. Another good way is with the night train, which doesn’t cost much. The last stop is very near the centre, and you can always change your return ticket. Ostuni is a very young city in the evening. The streets are lively and often the shops stay open late, leaving you free to enjoy the sea and nature during the day and also some time for shopping in the evening.
Nature Ostuni is one of the beauty spots of Salento. It is rich in parks and protected areas for wildlife. The coast is characterized by the unusual juxtaposition of colours: the blue of the riptide, the sea green of the shallows and the white of the limestone. The geological formations of the area are unique, alternating chalk cliffs over the sea, the steep walls or “lame” ending in gulleys, with tiny bays of white sand, where the sea bed is the ideal habitat for whole carpets of seaweed (Posidonia oceania) and coral (Coralligeno). The sand is exclusive to the Ionian Sea, and includes beaches like that of Porto Cesareo, Santa Maria di Leuca, Otranto and Gallipoli, in contrast to the rocks along the other stretch of sea, the Adriatic. The protected marine area at Porto Cesareo, which covers about 16,654 hectacres of sea in the districts of Porto Cesareo and Nardi is a brilliant example of this geological diversity without equal. It steals the heart with its airy sand dunes in the place called “Lido degli Angeli”. On the stretch of coast between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca there are innumerable protected inlets, real scenic masterpieces of deep caves: Zinzulusa, La Palombara, La Grotta dei Cervi and many others, that you can find with the help of any tourist map. On the sea, it’s not unusual to come across turtles, or, on land, the most dangerous snakes especially in the woods.
While we are there we can mention the extraordinary mediterranean maquis which grows in the limestone areas, or head for the most verdant hills inland, to the woods of holm oak and the towering oaks shading beautiful grass carpets dotted with crocus and poppies. We should give value to the flora of the Salento, an area which covers two thousand square kilometres. Rare species can be found even in this well protected stretch of coast. It must be said that 80% of the trees are olives, many of which are centuries old in the area between Maglie and Casarano. One can find special species of flowers like the Periploca or the Rivoluta Iris, as well as many species of wild orchid like the anacamptis laxiflora, the ophrys candica or the serapias politisii that grow in the marshy pastures. In the Itria valley in particular the visitor can enjoy an incomparable view of olive groves, grown on the rich red soil, not unlike that of the Trulli valley between the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto in Puglia. From a faunistic point of view, we can find many migratory species of bird extinct in other parts of Italy, like the stork and the flamingo. For this reason the area is an ideal destination for bird watchers; and we mustn’t forget the trekking enthusiasts who can often find tracks of fox and deer or spot huge red necked lizzards. We suggest you keep away from the most dangerous inhabitant, the tarantola, the symbol of a dance tune which combines history and folklore.
Photo in this page: The Sand Dune Reserve of Lido Morelli, The Beach of the Shells of Torre Guaceto, Pink Flamingoes.
T he Cook ing of Ost uni Photo below:
Fried mint and eggs, Canestrato of Puglia, Frise of Ostuni, Olive Oil DOP “Colline di Brindisi”.
The dishes that remind us of the gastronomic tradition of Salentina, and in general those of all of Puglia, are the best. The cooking characterized by the use of unrefined flour, cheaper in the past than wheat flour, and vegetables like artichoke, cardoon, aubergine, tomatoes and beet leaves, and above all excellent blue fish, were enjoyed by the peasant population instead of meat which was too expensive. In fact the daily fishing catch of Ostuni even today, is still to its merit: sardines, bream, red mullet and cod are only a few of the fish which are served frequently in the restaurants. The Adriatic sea is rich in octopus, cuttle fish and every kind of rarest delicacy, from sea urchins to clams, which make the pasta”allo scoglio” so good. Usually the ingredients are marinated, but it isn’t rare that mixed fries and soups tempt the palates of the experts. As far as cuts of meat go, it is enough to go to any farm in the fanastic hills. Lamb and horse meat are those that since the time of the great grandparents of the farmers have seen thousands of ways of preparation: roast or grilled on kebabs particularly at Easter time. Nothing is wasted, not even the entrails called “turcineddi” or “gnommareddi”, very good grilled. Fowl, game, mainly birds, and hare sauce crown the second courses. The refined protagonist is the olive oil, famous for its excellent flavor, due to the ideal climate, sweet to the palate, and with a low level of acidity, It must absolutely be tasted on “bruschetta”. The whole area is within DOP “Collina di Brindisi”, naturally together with the collection of red and white wines.
The unforgettable recepies with turnip tops or ever popular legumes: beans, broad beans, chick peas and peas, fresh in spring or conserved for the winter. The store rooms are filled with wild fruits like “corbezzoli”, “giuggiole” or carobs, whatever is wanted, while the wild chicory is another speciality that you won’t get a chance to taste anywhere else, available all the year, with the sea fennel that grows in bunches along the coast. As far as dairy produce is concerned, there are many goats’ milk cheeses, and sheep’s milk cheeses. In the summer (cacioricotta) soft white sheep’s cheeses are produced, substituted in the winter by the simple ricotta(soft white cheese) corresponding to parmizan in many recepies for the Pugliese. Less common, but equally tasty, is the “giuncata” a fresh cheese similar to “primo sale”. Great honour goes to the bread, baked with natural yeast and often in stone ovens, more like pizza in its consistancy than traditional loaves. The “tarelli” or “tarellini” with their aroma of fennel, the special bread garnished with onion, olives or tomatoes, the stuffed potatoe focaccia, the pitta bread and the “frisella”, a kind of doubly baked bread that recalls a savoury biscuit, are the best baked food that you could find. The sweet baked food is often with honey, ricotta or jam, bringing out the sweet sour flavor of almonds or amaretto, recalling the scents of the Byzantine domination never completely forgotten in the kitchen. Dried fruits are used, walnuts at Christmas, and delicious “maritati” figs with almonds baked in the oven. In conclusion, in the Salentino and at Ostuni in particular, it is difficult to come across a fast food place. They are very careful to maintain their ideas of traditional products, using the vegetables in season from the best markets. Today the farms often receive tourists, where you can enjoy an ingredient which makes the food even more interesting, their taste in preserving the past.
Places of Interest Perhaps in dusty Ostuni its most typical feature is the white-wash of the houses. In past centuries, this white gave more light to the narrow streets and alleys of the town. Today it is witness of how important traces of the mediaeval age remain visible for posterity in the city, above all in the quarter called Rione Terra. Observing Ostuni today, it is quite similar to what it was three centuries ago, when the city took its place among the hills of Casale, Cappuccini, Sant’Antonio and Molino a Vento. All around it is pleasant to stop and observe the refined aristocratic residences such as the baroque ducal palace of Zevallos, the Siccoda palace or the 18th century Bishop’s Palace and the old Seminary building. One breathes the same atmosphere in front of the old fortified walls, added to in the Aragonees epoch. Aithough largely destroyed by the earthquake of 1743, eight of the ancient towers and the two gates remain. The Nova facing the West and San Demetrio facing east which is built with a pointed arch. The façade of the Cathedral is in the gothic, romanic stile, and is said to have taken half a century to complete. The prestigious entrance, created by three pointed arches, with the rose of the central arch decorated with the figures of the apostles, is the best known symbol of Ostuni. This feature dates back to 1435. We can find the Church of the Annunciata in Via Pepe, built in 1196, and transformed in baroque stile in 1668 by the Riformed Friars. It has attractive lacquered panels in the choir with low relieves of the annunciation and Saints Francis and Antony, the Annunciation of the great alter by “Giacomo San Vito” which is kept in the sacristy, and the Last Supper by Barnaba Zizzi. Monumental symbol of the city is the Gulia di Sant’Oronzo, more than 20 metres high and ordered by Giuseppe Greco, decorated in an unmistakeable and omnipresent baroque stile. Don’t miss a visit to “dolmen di Montalbano” known also as the Table of the Paladini, between Ostuni and Fasano, in the district of Piscomarano. A huge prehistoric monument comprising two slabs of stone fixed parallelly in the earth, and another placed above to cover them, used during funeral rights in times past. On the same subject the Museum of Preclassical Civilization of the South Murgia in the ex-Carmelite monastery of Santa Maria Maddelena dei Pazzi displays prehistoric remains found in the more recent excavations.
Photo above, from the left: Detail of the Rose in the Cathedral of Ostuni, Cathedral of Ostuni – detail,
Hospitality, Tourism and Events
Photo below:
Ancient hypogeal oil mill, Entrance of typical farm of Puglia.
A couple of places not necessarily of historical importance but nevertheless interesting to visit, are Villa Nazareth, built in 1957 by Don Rafaele Pomes, converted into a psychopedalogical clinic for children in need, and the tobacco processing plant, the official base where supplies of cigarettes for the poulation were kept; a ghostly kind of building inhabited by hoists as if after a bad accident. Visiting the historic centre, from Piazza Libertà, where we find the city hall and the obelisk of saint Oronzo, a beautiful view opens on Via Oronzo to San Demetrio and beyond to Via Bixio Continelli towards the centre of Ostuni. This artety is a long street, white, as we have seen, with the cathedral at the end. Moving from Demetrio to the Nova one can remain in view of the olive groves and the blue sea, and one can always taste the traditional products of the town, like the cakes and the fresh pasta, or admire the hand made wicker baskets or the olive wood objects which are traditional handicrafts of Ostuni. On the other hand to have access to another type of local food, one has to go to a farm, not missing the mediaeval oil mills hewn into the rock. Ostuni is on the “oil road” and offers tasting at most of its vine yards. The local people call the oil “the gold of the gods”. It is usual that the nearer country hotels have agreements with the farms higher
up, allowing visitors access to cheeses and cured meats at reasonable prices, or in a different way attracting children, offering rides in the old farm carts pulled by the farm horses. Beaches: as far as Villanova there are twenty kilometres of beach, including rocks, dunes and bays. The seaside of Ostuni has the beach of Lido Morelli, Torre Pozzella and the natural reserve of Torre Guaceto towards Brindisi. This is wilder and less accessible to families. More or less everywhere it is possible to go snorkeling. The resorts have plenty of personel, and as the people of Salento seem to be, they are kind and helpful. You’ve come a long way, so make sure you visit the Trulli! They are unique conical constructions with a pinnacle shaped roof, entirely built of dry stone, which is the tradition of Puglia, like the walls round the plots of land annexed to these buildings. The Trulli of Alberobello is a Unesco heritage site. For the festivals, remember that dedicated to San Biaggio on 3rd February, when it is possible to join the faithful who in their hundreds go to the sanctuary through the incontaminated vegetation, to take mass. The festival of the Madonna della Nova, the Sunday after Easter; the Ride of Saint Oronzo in August when horses participate in the procession, in honour of the protector saint of the city, accompanies the statue to the church; the procession of the Grata, the second Sunday in August, on the other hand, that from the sanctuary to the centre of the city, includes a symbolic lighting of candels, lighting up the way.
The
Surrounding
Area
The incalculable value of the parks and protected areas, the dunes on the coast, Torre Guaceto and the Regional park Terra delle Gravine in the background, Lecce, city of art of the south and chosen place for the University of Salento, Brindisi, historically tied to its natural port, and its rich plains, Taranto and Bari, easily reached from all sides, Ostuni is surrounded by these places. It is greatly envied as being the stronghold for tourism for every reason in this precious part of the Mediterranean. It has not only managed to keep intact its veracious spirit, and the history which formed it, but it continues to fascinate visitors all the year round.
Photo below:
Lecce – The Cathedral Square, The Nature Reserve of Torre Guaceto, Reserve of “Terra delle Gravine�.