Ostuni is one of Italy’s most impressive hilltop towns, cascading down the hillside in a whitewashed jumble that has earned it the title of Puglia’s ‘White City’. Watched over by the historic towers of Ostuni’s 15th-century duomo and surrounded by immense bleached-white fortress walls, the town is a self-contained maze of winding streets that are ripe for exploration.
Exploring on foot is the only option within the centro storico, and the steep streets can be exhausting, but plenty of courtyard cafes provide welcome refreshment along the way, and the views from the top of the town are well worth the meandering climb. One of the town’s less obvious strengths is the impressive wine heritage gained from numerous nearby vineyards, so be sure to book into a local wine tour to really take advantage of Ostuni’s location.
