In 1506, Ostuni passed to the Duchy of Bari ruled by Isabella of Aragon and by her daughter, Bona Sforza. Under the Spanish rule, the golden age of the city began, both from the economic and cultural point of view. During the Aragonese domination, Ostuni was surrounded by new walls with circular towers and numerous buildings were built. Read More [...]
In the 17th century, Philip IV of Habsburg, King of Spain, sold the town to the Zevallo family, a family of merchants who treated the city as a personal fiefdom and oppressed the population. During this period, the plague raged in the area, but spared Ostuni because the whitewashed houses were protected by this natural disinfectant. This practice stopped the contagion and, over time, made the White City so spectacular.
GEOGRAPHY: Ostuni stands on three hills, with a maximum height of 218 meters, about 8 kilometers from the Adriatic Coast. The city, part of the Italian region Apulia, is located about 35 kilometers west of Brindisi, 37 kilometers southeast of Monopoli, 46 kilometers southeast of Polignano a Mare, 47 kilometers east of Taranto, 68 kilometers nortwest of Lecce and 78 kilometers southeast of Bari.
TRANSPORT: The closest airport is Karol Wojtyła Airport, located about 89 kilometers to the north, near Bari. You can get to Ostuni by train, coming from Bari, or from Brindisi. From Bari, a trip takes almost an hour, and a ticket costs 5.7€. A trip from Brindisi takes about 20 minutes and a ticket is 2.9€. You must also know that the Ostuni train station is located about 2.5 kilometers away from the old town, and you can get to the city by bus. A bus ticket costs 0.9€ at the ticket office and 1.5€ if bought on board.
LANDMARKS: Ostuni is known as the White City (La Città Bianca), because of the bright white buildings which make up the old town. The city is a maze of streets, staircases, buildings and arches, and the best way to feel Ostuni is to get lost in it.
Besides the white surrounding wall, the most important attractions of the city are the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the nearby Palazzo Vescovile and Palazzo del Seminario, joined by an elegant arched Loggia, the Spire of Sant'Oronzo and the main square of the town, Piazza della Libertà.