Ostuni, Italy

One lazy afternoon we decided to drive to Ostuni for dinner. It was only a 20 minute drive from Lecce, and we arrived just as the heat of the day was wearing off. Our evening in the la Città Bianca became one of my most memorable nights in Italy… 

This whitewashed city is on a hill next to the Adriatic sea. It’s a popular tourist destination for European tourists, but there were enough side streets to wander away from the hustle & bustle.

This chapel to Mary in the Ostuni Cathedral really struck me. I haven’t really felt a strong connection to Mary before this trip, but this blue, symmetrical place washed a sense of calm over me - I could have stood there for hours.

We ate fresh focaccia (OMG) and drank Aperol spritzes. They brought little bowls of chips with our drinks. Oh and the best olives I’ve ever eaten. More places should give you snacks with your drinks.

We finished our evening with a long dinner at Porta Nova, watching the sunset from this open air patio. We ate fresh pasta & seafood, drank aperitifs, laughed about the past, dreamed about the future. It was one of those perfect nights I’ll never forget, especially on a busy Monday like today!

Rome is up next and you can read my recap of our week in Lecce here!