THE WHITE AND THE GOLD

The White Dame and her precious liquid gold await you on this half-day excursion to one of Apulia’s best-loved towns.

Your private chauffeur will meet you at your accommodation and drive you to Ostuni. Bright chalky buildings line an intricate maze of winding alleys and steep stairways, surrounded by the seemingly endless plains of olive groves. Scattered here and there painted wooden doors and pots of blooming geraniums lend additional splashes of vivid green, brilliant crimson and bright pink to the scene. Wonderful views of the countryside stretching all the way to the sapphire waters of the Adriatic Sea can be glimpsed between the houses. The 15th century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, with its elegantly shaped facade, elaborate rose windows and splendid Gothic portals, proudly surveys Ostuni from the highest point of the town.

Ostuni is a sheer delight and a must-see for anyone visiting Apulia. The town’s most distinctive feature is its whitewashed houses, gleaming in the dazzling light of the southern sun. The practice of lime washing became popular in the 18th century when a devastating plague struck the region. Locals noticed that the illness spread less easily in places where the houses were white and attributed this fact to a miracle, which we now know is probably due to the antibacterial effect of the calcium carbonate. The lime protected the town and, over the centuries, became the symbol of Ostuni and the very reason for the long-lasting fame of this Adriatic pearl.

Your guide will be waiting at the meeting point, ready to lead you on a trail through narrow streets, up and down steps, under ancient stone archways, across charming piazzette, allowing you to get to know the layout of Ostuni’s medieval neighbourhood and its most famous attractions.

A short drive will bring you to a nearby farm whose pride is the production of top class olive oil. Here a member of staff will greet you and give you an introduction to the activities carried out on the estate, owned by a local family, now on the sixth generation of dedicated olive oil makers. However, the estate’s origins date way further back in time, as attested by the fascinating traces of ancient civilizations, which have, surprisingly, survived to this day almost intact. As you will discover on a tour of the farm, here it is possible to retrace the history and development of country life and the tradition of olive oil making from the Roman period right up to modern times. While you wander through the olive grove your host will tell you about the centuries-old – and on occasions even thousand-year-old! – trees and how, despite their age, they still thrive in this sun-blessed Mediterranean haven. Your tour will then continue with a visit to the impressive remains of a Roman era hypogeal mill, a medieval dwelling, barn and stables, a 17th century farmer’s house, an 18th century church, shepherds’ home and furnace and a mill from the 1800s now used as a small but intriguing museum dedicated to peasant culture. This is a truly remarkable real life encyclopaedia of farming through the ages. A sampling of locally produced extra virgin olive oil will allow you to savour the results of Apulia’s millenary tradition.

Lunch will be served in a restored masseria offering traditional regional specialities made with seasonal, locally grown ingredients.

In the early afternoon your chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation.