Old Bari is a maze of alleys where life unfolds outdoors. Women roll out fresh pasta on tables in front of their homes, children play among the hanging laundry and the scent of fried fish drifts in from the port. From Bari you can reach Polignano a Mare, Alberobello, Matera and the Salento in less than 2 hours.
📅 Best time to visit
April-June and September-October. Summer is hot but the sea makes up for it. Winter is mild.
🏛️ Why visit Bari
🍽️ Local cuisine
Orecchiette with turnip tops, focaccia barese, rice with potatoes and mussels, fried panzerotto, sgagliozze (fried polenta), burrata from Andria and raw fish. Apulia is the gastronomic paradise of the South.
🗺️ Neighbourhoods to explore
Bari Vecchia for the old town. Lungomare Nazario Sauro for the promenade. Pomodoro for the port. Polignano a Mare (30 min) for the cliffs. Alberobello (1h) for the trulli.
✈️ How to get there
Karol Wojtyla Airport (BRI) is 10 km from the centre, connected by shuttle bus. Bari Centrale has trains throughout Apulia and to Rome/Milan.
💡 Practical tips
- Rent a car to explore Apulia: trulli, sea and masserie are off the bus routes.
- Eat fried panzerotto at Panzerotto Bari Vecchia — it costs 2€ and it's amazing.
- Ferries to Greece, Croatia and Montenegro leave from Bari.