The patron saint of Oria is Saint Barsanuphius, celebrated on 30 August.
The town is known for the Torneo dei Rioni, also called the Palio di Oria, which in summer re-enacts the era when the town, conquered in 1062 by Robert Guiscard, was granted as a fief in 1190 by Tancred of Lecce. The palii from past editions are displayed in an ancient church no longer used for worship, now used as an auditorium and exhibition space. The municipal territory also holds the Swabian Castle and the cathedral basilica of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.
