While the region of Puglia in Italy's heel is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, its capital Bari is often missed. That's a shame, though – this port city is more laidback than many of its northern cousins and certainly doesn't scrimp on culture, cuisine or history
Italy is flush with romantic and refined destinations for a weekend away, but while the crowds flock to Rome, Venice and Florence, those in the know head south to get an authentic taste of the ‘bel paese’ (beautiful country).
Bari is the regional capital of Puglia – the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot – and sits on the Adriatic coast, with mild winters and hot summers. Once regarded as a slightly seedy port, it’s now a cultural and foodie hotspot, with an easy-going vibe typical of the country’s south. It also has a unique melting pot of influences, having been conquered by the Normans, Turks, Spanish and Austrians, because of the region’s rich soil and strategic location.
The old town is a charming labyrinth of narrow streets and architecturally stunning churches, while the rest of the city features chic Liberty-style buildings – the Italian equivalent of Art Nouveau. You’re never far from the sea either and locals love to flock to the streets of an evening, staying up late feasting and having fun.
Here’s how to get the best out of a short trip to Bari.
Friday
Check in at: Palazzo Calo. This chic but comfortable aparthotel is in the heart of Bari, so well located for exploring and nap breaks. The 12 rooms feature wooden beams and exposed limestone walls, but have all the mod cons. Breakfast is included and the rooftop terrace has wonderful views of the cathedral bell tower.
Explore: Bari Vecchio. The city’s old town is a maze of whitewashed streets, where people live above tiny shops, bars and restaurants, and the paths bustle with daily life as a result. Here you’ll find Bari’s most ancient and important buildings, including the walled Castello Svevo (Swabian Castle), built in the 12th century by the Normans as a fortress but now home to exhibitions, and Cattedrale di San Sabino.
The jewel of the suburb is Basilica di San Nicola (St Nicholas) – the resting place of the real Father Christmas. His bones were liberated from his native Turkey by 62 Bari sailors in 1087 and are kept in the building’s crypt. It’s a fascinating structure for many reasons, such as the quirky double pillars erected when an earthquake in the 16th century destabilised the archways. There’s also a gilded wooden ceiling and a Russian Orthodox chapel beneath the Catholic cathedral, which is a place of pilgrimage for Eastern Europeans, fellow devotees of St Nick.
For a real insider’s experience of Bari Vecchio, book a guide from ToursByLocals.com, who can offer everything from a two-hour food or art-themed group walking tour to a personal one-to-one for half a day, all led by professional guides from the city.
Enjoy an aperitif at: Ciclatera Sotto il Mare. This all-day bar and café on Via Venezia has prime views across the harbour and the the former city walls. The bar staff mix delicious negronis and spritz, but outside tables are limited so get there early to bag a spot.
If you want a pre-dinner stroll, follow the remaining section of the walls around the headland, which extends up to the port area. From here, ferries carry passengers to Albania and Greece.
Dine at: La Tana del Polpo. This homely backstreet restaurant is one of the best spots to enjoy Bari’s famed seafood. The name means The Lair of the Octopus and the décor reflects this, with decorated plates and a giant sculpture on the ceiling. The menu also has a wide seasonal selection of fish and shellfish, along with pasta and other Puglian fare – it also does a mean tiramisù. It’s small size and quality cooking mean you should book ahead if you can, even on a Monday.
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Saturday
Get an early start: Visit Bari’s old harbour with its vibrant blue wooden boats and see the fishermen selling their wares on the dock. Seafood remains one of the city’s largest industries and both restaurants and home chefs buy the freshest fish here daily, as they have done for centuries.
Look out for them pounding and shaking the octopus to tenderise the meat, which many locals will slice and eat raw like sushi. Sea urchins are another Puglian delicacy, eaten as they come or mixed into pasta. After selling out, the fishermen will hang around to play cards, joke about and drink beer. You can try their produce at El Chiringuito, a shack on the harbour with a reggae soundtrack. It’s open all hours and serves oysters and other shellfish at bargain prices.
Enjoy some art at: Museo Teatro Margherita (Museum by the Sea), a pink Liberty-style theatre dating from between 1912-1914, which reopened as a gallery in 2018 after a decades-long restoration. It stands at the top of the tree-lined Giardino Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, overlooking the harbour. There’s no permanent collection but there is a changing programme of art and photography shows, which have included Van Gogh and Banksy.
If you want to check out modern local work, Puglia Design Store is around the corner, opposite the tourist information office, and home to both exhibitions and crafts for sale. In the square where it stands, Piazza del Ferrarese, you can spy a remaining piece of Roman road – Via Appia Traiana, which is part of the famous Appian Way.
Get lunch at: Mastro Ciccio. This cool deli-café makes the best sandwiches in the city and is famed for its ‘U Pulp’ octopus sarnie with burrata and roasted tomatoes. There’s also a delicious selection of salads, pasta and stuffed panzerotti – a sort of savoury turnover that is like a small calzoni.
Hit the shops: South of the old town is the Murat district, where you can find everything from high street brands like Benetton to the Italian fashion royalty of Gucci and Prada, as well as plenty of cafés to fuel your spending spree with espresso.
The areas around Corsa Cavour and Via Sparano are best, and on the former you can also spot Teatro Petruzzelli, an ornate red opera house dating back to 1903 where greats such as Pavarotti have graced the stage. It was destroyed by a fire in 1991 – which was found to be an insurance scam – and the theatre only reopened in 2009, under ownership of the city, after years of legal wrangles. Take a look at Palazzo Mincuzzi too, one of the city’s finest Liberty buildings. It was originally built in 1928 as a family residence but is now a department store, with ornate styling both inside and out.
Cool down with an ice cream from: Gelateria Surbetta. It might be small but this ice cream parlour makes gelato packed with flavour. The strawberry is a particular triumph, tasting just like the fruit, while the lemon sorbet is the ideal thing for a baking hot afternoon. They also serve granitas and vegan options.
You’ll find a shady spot to enjoy your scoops a few blocks away at Giardini di Piazza Umberto I, right beside the university and Bari Centrale train station.
Relax on the beach: Bari has three sandy beaches for getting some downtime but the best is the quirkily-named Pane e Pomodoro (Bread and Tomato) to the south of the old town. It’s a 15 to 20-minute walk from the centre along the Lungomare Nazario Sauro, one of the most famous seafronts in Italy, but you can also take a bus, taxi or e-scooter.
A harbour breakwater means the sea never gets choppy or too deep and there is plenty of white sand. Changing huts, toilets, showers, lounger hire and cafés are all available.
Dine at: La Uascezze. Hidden under some archways, this rustic and romantic restaurant takes its name from a dialect word exclaimed at times of gathering and joy. You’ll be able to try local specialities like patate, riso e cozze, a baked dish of potato, rice and mussels which has similarities to paella and originated around the time of Spanish rule in the 16th century.
Make sure you sample some fave e cicoria too, a fava bean puree with chicory that exemplifies the simple but delicious peasant cooking of this region. Pair your dinner with locally produced wine, such as primitivo, negroamaro and Locorotondo DOC.
Party into the night at: Piazza Mercantile. You’ll find high spirits into the wee small hours in the bars and restaurants around Bari’s most important square, which was the commercial centre of the city from the 14th century. You can also see the Colonna della Giustizia (Column of Justice), where debtors were once tied and lashed.
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Sunday
Get breakfast at: Boccia Pasticceria. This neighbourhood bakery near the promenade is the place to refuel with a shot of strong coffee and a pastry after a late night. The counters are crammed with various styles of croissant (the pistachio cream is a delight), along with delicate cakes and beautifully decorated biscuits.
Step back in time: Walk back along the seafront, taking in the grand ‘Largo’ squares that line it, and head to Santa Scolastica Museo Archeologico Bari. Housed in a former Benedictine monastery and 16th century defensive bastion, the museum is as much of an exhibit as the treasure trove of artefacts inside.
Grab a quick lunch at: Panificio Fiore. This family bakery in the shadow of the Basilica is famed for its focaccia Barese, which it has been making daily for more than a century, using the same wood-fired oven. It’s crispy on the base, fluffy on the top and made with the freshest tomatoes and olive oil, plus olives, salt and oregano. It was voted the best in Italy in 2019. The building itself is a deconsecrated 13th-century Byzantine chapel.
Buy some tasty souvenirs: Walk along Strada delle Orecchiette in the old town, where Italian nonnas handmake orecchiette (‘little ears’) pasta in the street. You can pick up a bag of this local delicacy to take home for a few euros and it will last about a week kept in the fridge.
If you have space in your case, Il Salumiere Nino deli is a foodie paradise with meats hanging from the ceiling, a fridge full of creamy burrata and shelves of Apulian wine. Your best buys are local olive oil and bags of taralli, moreish rings of crispy bread dough in a variety of flavours.
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Extend your stay
Have more than a weekend to spare? Bari is the gateway to the rustic Puglia region and the rural Valle d'Itria (Itria Valley) can be reached by train or car within an hour. Here you will find the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello, famed for its distinctive trulli houses, and the white city of Ostuni. Further south you will find stunning beaches on both the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, while university city Lecce is regarded as the Florence of the south thanks to its many historic buildings.
Getting there and around
Bari Karol Wojtyla International Airport is approximately five miles northwest of the centre, with direct services from London Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh airports, courtesy of British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air. The flight takes around three hours.
A taxi from the airport into town will set you back around €25 or you can take the Ferrotramviaria FM2 train downtown to Bari Centrale station in 17 minutes for €5. An alternative and leisurely option is to travel across Europe by train – the full journey from London takes 18 to 24 hours, where you can change via Paris, Milan or Rome.
The city itself is very walkable but there are plenty of taxis and the AmTab bus network too.
Find out more about Bari at Puglia Tourism.
Lead image: Fabio Dell/Shutterstock