Ostuni

Day 1: The White City’s medieval heart Start with Ostuni’s signature sightlines and the glow of white limewashed stone. This first day is about getting your bearings in the labyrinth and learning to read the city’s stones, from defensive alleys to Gothic flourishes.

• Morning: Arrive at Piazza della Libertà for coffee and orientation, then walk up Via Cattedrale, pausing to admire carved portals, balconies and the cathedral’s rose window framed by the Arco Scoppa. Wear shoes with grip for the smooth chianche and avoid driving into the ZTL; park below and enjoy the climb as part of the experience.
• Midday: Seek shade for lunch in a courtyard trattoria, then step into the Church of San Francesco and the former Franciscan convent that is now the town hall. In high summer, use this hottest window to rest or visit interior spaces while the alleys glare brightest.
• Afternoon: Get purposefully lost in the vicoli: climb external staircases, peek into tiny corti (quietly—these are semi-private), and spot edicole votive in the walls. Follow the city walls along Via Panoramica for views over the “sea of olives” to the Adriatic; a tuk-tuk tour from the piazza is a good option if steps are a challenge.
• Evening: Time sunset for golden light on the cathedral façade, then join the passeggiata back down to the piazza for an aperitivo. Dine in a vaulted room (volte a stella) and enjoy the warm evening when façades are beautifully lit; stones can be slick after rain.

Day 2: Masserie, olive groves and rural architecture Today connects town and countryside, tracing how fortified farmsteads shaped the region. Expect ancient olive trees, underground mills, and thick stone walls that keep interiors cool without modern technology.

• Morning: Pre-book a guided tour at Masseria Brancati to see monumental olive trees and a frantoio ipogeo (underground oil mill) that reveals the area’s industrial architecture. Closed shoes are best, and morning visits are cooler and less crowded.
• Midday: Stay for a light masseria lunch or picnic under olive shade; in summer, pair with a quick coastal dip before the afternoon heat builds. Spring and autumn bring gentler light, ideal for photographing dry-stone walls and farm chapels.
• Afternoon: Visit Masseria Lo Spagnulo to compare towers and crenellations, or, for design lovers, arrange a visit or coffee at a contemporary project such as Masseria Moroseta to see traditional materials (tufo, thick walls, vaulted ceilings) reinterpreted sustainably. Note the climate-smart techniques—high thermal mass, courtyards, and lime plasters—that echo Ostuni’s vernacular.
• Evening: Return to town for a cooking class in a historic kitchen or masseria, learning how spaces and seasons shaped local foodways. Alternatively, book dinner on a terrace with views back to the hilltop skyline; stargazing is rewarding thanks to low light pollution outside town.

Day 3: Details, stories and slow discovery Your final day is for fine-grained detail: small churches, craft traditions, and quiet corners. Move slowly, watch the light, and notice how everyday life animates ancient stone.

• Morning: Visit the Church of San Vito Martire (Museum of Pre-classical Civilisations of the Southern Murgia) to pair archaeology with Baroque interiors. Then wander on a “detail hunt”: mascarons on palazzi, iron balconies, and the famed Blue Door viewpoint—be respectful of residents and don’t block narrow alleys for photos.
• Midday: Join a hands-on workshop if available: limewashing demos often occur in late spring; otherwise try a stone-carving or ceramics session with local artisans. Refuel with friselle, burrata and tomatoes in a shaded spot.
• Afternoon: Complete a full circuit of the walls via Oronzo Quaranta, stopping at overlooks for wide shots of the white city. If an exhibition opens a noble palazzo, step inside to see interior vaulting styles; otherwise pop back into smaller shops and cafés to spot barrel vs. star vaults over your head.
• Evening: Book a rooftop terrace or panoramic bar for blue-hour views of the cathedral, perfect for photography as lights switch on. Savour a final dinner in the centro storico, then stroll the piazza one last time—cooler air, softer light, and the gentle murmur of neighbours remind you this is a living city.

By Air

• Brindisi (Salento) Airport – BDS: approx. 35–40 km; 35–45 minutes by car/taxi. Shuttle bus to Brindisi railway station, then regional train to Ostuni (20–30 minutes). Seasonal Pugliairbus services may run direct to Ostuni—check current schedules.
• Bari (Karol Wojtyła) Airport – BRI: approx. 100 km; 1 hr 20–40 minutes by car. Airport train to Bari Centrale (≈17 minutes), then regional train to Ostuni (≈50–80 minutes). Seasonal coaches may operate—check Pugliairbus.

By Train

• Ostuni (FS) is on the Adriatic line (Bari–Brindisi–Lecce), served mainly by Trenitalia Regionale/Regionale Veloce and some Intercity services.
  • Bari Centrale → Ostuni: ≈50–80 minutes.
  • Brindisi → Ostuni: ≈20–30 minutes.
  • Lecce → Ostuni: ≈45–60 minutes.
• The station is about 2.5 km downhill from the historic centre; local STP Brindisi buses and taxis connect the station to town (≈10 minutes).

By Car

• From the north/west: A14 or A16 to Bari, then SS16/SS379 southbound; exit for Ostuni/Villanova.
• From Brindisi/Lecce: SS379 northbound; exit for Ostuni.
• The historic centre is a ZTL (limited-traffic zone). Park in signed car parks on the lower slopes and walk or take a local shuttle/tuk-tuk up to the old town.