Ostuni: a continuous touristic success
Ostuni, known as the White City because of its fairy tale old town, which is entirely painted with white lime, together with Taranto and Santa Maria di Leuca, is one of the ideal corners of the Salento peninsula.
As a famous tourist centre, has received several blue flags prizes and the five sails of Legambiente for the clean waters of its coasts and for the quality of services offered.
The town's name derives from the greek and means new city (Astu-neon). The city was built in the early centuries of the Christian era to the top of the hill where now lies the old town and its particular geographical location has made it strategic for many nations, of which there are still traces. Throughout the territory, there are several megalithic monuments (specchie) and characteristic and large wall belonging to the ancient Messapian city of Kaili (Ceglie).
This year Ostuni made it again in achieving a tourism boom. What are the reasons for this success?
Ostuni is situated in panoramic location on top of a hill with the consequent presence of steep slopes, especially in the historical center that overlooks the sea, more gentle, however, towards the central Piazza della Liberta.
Among the important architectural monuments are the Romanesque Cathedral, fifteenth century, the Romanesque-Gothic facade situated on the hill of the old town, the small church of St. Mary's of Star of the fifteenth century. restored in the '800, located along the walls where you can see the plain olive groves and the sea.The art of baroque column Sant'Oronzo (patron saint of Ostuni) located in Piazza della Liberta', built in 1771 and 20.75 meters high, in the same central square, which since 1860 has maintained the special triangular shape, the church of San Francesco and the building used as a residence hall.
Of significant importance is the local church of Saint Vito Martyr known by locals as "Monacelle", in this place lays the Museum of the Southern Murgia Pre-Classical in which is kept the mold of Delia, the prehistoric mother discovered in 1991 and dating back the Paleolithic, more than 25000 years ago.
The narrow lanes around the old town, called Earth neighborhood by Ostuni's citizens, are paved with chianche, i.e. 'tiles' polished white limestone of local stone, covering the bottom of the lanes.
Leaving the old town, there is the scenic road that skirts the eastern part of the old town: on the one hand we go along the Aragonese walls, with tipycal towers embedded in urban dwellings, on the other side the breathtaking views of the plains and of the Adriatic Sea. On the coast we find the towers of St. Leonard Aragon, Villanova and Pozzelle.
Scattered in the old town are numerous souvenir shops, restaurants, shops selling products from agriturismi di Ostuni, bars and pubs mainly around the cathedral.
Being a seaside tourism town, Ostuni is busier in the middle months of summer.
A place with an antique flavour with alleys full of staircases, arches and small squares, in a maze of little streets that make everything fabulous and magical, with the sunlight reflecting the white of the houses.
As a famous tourist centre, has received several blue flags prizes and the five sails of Legambiente for the clean waters of its coasts and for the quality of services offered.
The town's name derives from the greek and means new city (Astu-neon). The city was built in the early centuries of the Christian era to the top of the hill where now lies the old town and its particular geographical location has made it strategic for many nations, of which there are still traces. Throughout the territory, there are several megalithic monuments (specchie) and characteristic and large wall belonging to the ancient Messapian city of Kaili (Ceglie).
This year Ostuni made it again in achieving a tourism boom. What are the reasons for this success?
Ostuni is situated in panoramic location on top of a hill with the consequent presence of steep slopes, especially in the historical center that overlooks the sea, more gentle, however, towards the central Piazza della Liberta.
Among the important architectural monuments are the Romanesque Cathedral, fifteenth century, the Romanesque-Gothic facade situated on the hill of the old town, the small church of St. Mary's of Star of the fifteenth century. restored in the '800, located along the walls where you can see the plain olive groves and the sea.The art of baroque column Sant'Oronzo (patron saint of Ostuni) located in Piazza della Liberta', built in 1771 and 20.75 meters high, in the same central square, which since 1860 has maintained the special triangular shape, the church of San Francesco and the building used as a residence hall.
Of significant importance is the local church of Saint Vito Martyr known by locals as "Monacelle", in this place lays the Museum of the Southern Murgia Pre-Classical in which is kept the mold of Delia, the prehistoric mother discovered in 1991 and dating back the Paleolithic, more than 25000 years ago.
The narrow lanes around the old town, called Earth neighborhood by Ostuni's citizens, are paved with chianche, i.e. 'tiles' polished white limestone of local stone, covering the bottom of the lanes.
Leaving the old town, there is the scenic road that skirts the eastern part of the old town: on the one hand we go along the Aragonese walls, with tipycal towers embedded in urban dwellings, on the other side the breathtaking views of the plains and of the Adriatic Sea. On the coast we find the towers of St. Leonard Aragon, Villanova and Pozzelle.
Scattered in the old town are numerous souvenir shops, restaurants, shops selling products from agriturismi di Ostuni, bars and pubs mainly around the cathedral.
Being a seaside tourism town, Ostuni is busier in the middle months of summer.
A place with an antique flavour with alleys full of staircases, arches and small squares, in a maze of little streets that make everything fabulous and magical, with the sunlight reflecting the white of the houses.
Source...