# Off the beaten path

> A place to be enchanted - Oria is a small town in the province of Brindisi, with less than 15,000 inhabitants, and to me it is simply beautiful, like a well-kept jewel.

- **City:** Oria 
- **Venue:** Oria
- **Categories:** [Beautiful places](/en/beautiful-places.md)
- **Location:** 40.4993413, 17.6388796 (Oria, BR, Italy)
- **Directions:** https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=40.4993413,17.6388796
- **Available languages:** en, it, de

## About
- Its history is marked by Messapian settlements, Jewish scholars and doctors who established a cultural community and heritage here. It is situated on a hill, with the majestic castle built between 1225 and 1233 by order of Emperor **Frederick II** at the top.
- The narrow streets of the old town are decorated with flowers and lemon trees. Beautiful palaces, the cathedral **Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo** in a panoramic position, churches and small churches, alleys, squares, fountains, everything to explore and photograph, what can I say, I am in love with it.
- For lunch I recommend the **Osteria Luce**, in the same place since 1898!
- Leaving from the houses of Alchimia, you can get there in about an hour, there are two possibilities: passing Cisternino, Ceglie Messapica and Francavilla Fontana or taking the highway to Brindisi, then Latiano and finally Oria.
- PS: the castle – a national monument, but privately owned – cannot be visited inside; in recent years it has been under confiscation for illegal building, what a shame!

## Photos
- https://media.wonderfulpuglia.com/shoutem/7169efbae90d70f171f7b0322f2809804a978421.jpg
- https://media.wonderfulpuglia.com/shoutem/7f1cedc272d9a7d21ab0d3c2cea0e199b8308354.jpg
- https://media.wonderfulpuglia.com/shoutem/1426aec45220a248c3426fbcb42bc4019a707e09.jpg
- https://media.wonderfulpuglia.com/shoutem/962966ea69dad61464343ba4cb68a98481360cc3.jpg
- https://media.wonderfulpuglia.com/shoutem/654552d88baea634a5372b92a7d087e18c5edca7.jpg

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*Source: PugliApp — Caroline's Puglia travel guide. JSON: `/api/places/off-the-beaten-path?locale=en`.*
*Other languages: [it](/it/place/puglia-incontaminata.md) · [de](/de/place/weg-vom-rummel.md)*