Ostuni is known throughout the world as the "white town". Why this is so, becomes evident when approaching the town.
From afar, you can see the whitewashed houses, which fit perfectly into the gentle and colorful hilly landscape and which make for Ostuni´s very special charm.
Ostuni is known throughout the world as the "white town". Why this is so, becomes evident when approaching the town.
From afar, you can see the whitewashed houses, which fit perfectly into the gentle and colorful hilly landscape and which make for Ostuni´s very special charm.
From the snow-white of the Old Town, this labyrinth of alleyways and stairs, rises the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with its late Gothic façade.
Hidden in the maze of alleys and not far from the cathedral lies restaurant Osteria del Tempo Perso, a visit to which you are sure to remember. At this restaurant in a grotto, they serve exquisite regional dishes and prices are reasonable in spite of the mention it has received by the restaurant Guide Michelin.
Should you be spending your holidays at holiday apartments Villa Agreste near Ostuni, check with the owner, who is acquainted with the owners of the Osteria.
At Chiesa delle Monacelle, which houses informative finds from the Stone Age, we are given an interesting insight into the life of our ancestors.
About 2 km east of Ostuni lies a sacred site dating back over 25,000 years, where people from the Stone Age worshipped their great Earth Mother.
Every year there is a new edition of the Italian "Guida Blu", which is sponsored and edited by the Italian environmental organization Legambiente and by the Touring Club Italiano. Mention in this travel guide of environmentally responsible holiday resorts is accorded to those places which combine excellent service for their guests with respect for their environment in an active way.
Preconditions for being mentioned include not only clean beaches and water quality, but also waste management, air quality, esteem for historic town centers, promotion of regional produce as well as local gastronomy and, finally, responsible land-use planning.
In Apulia, Ostuni has been and is among the places awarded this mention for highest quality. A list of all the places commended is found on the website of Legambiente, where you can also order the Guida Blu online.
Our recommendation: the beaches of Pilone 1 and Pilone 2, where the turquoise colored sea is crystal clear and the sands are very fine. Parking is available, only during high season parking there may be harder to find.
The Fee Italia (Foundation for Environmental Education) not only awards the "Blue Flag" to the cleanest beaches in Italy every year, but also the "Spighe Verdi" (Green Ears), an award which focuses on agriculture and sustainability. The award is granted to rural communities which attach great importance to sustainable handling and to preservation of natural and local resources.
The award is based on certain criteria which include, amongst others, educational measures for sustainable development, innovation in the field of agriculture, proper use of the land as well as quality of offers in the field of tourism.
The white town of Ostuni has repeatedly been among the communities selected for this award.
South of Ostuni, near Torre Guaceto, over 1,000 ha of maritime and coastal landscape are under environmental protection – nature can unfold in and display all its beauty there without inhibition. Snorkelers are fascinated by the underwater world; sea turtles breed on shore; the coastal lakes offer resting places to migratory birds.
The WWF offers excursions above and under water – a very special experience of nature!
Tourist information: Corso Vittorio Emanuele n. 39
Market: on Saturdays
Restaurant tip: Osteria del Tempo Perso, Via G. Tanzarella Vitale, 47 (near the cathedral)
Contact us by email or phone (Mon - Fri 09:30 h - 17:00 h):
0049 941 / 56 76 46-0
