For those who want to live the authentic Italian experience, without the constant hustle and bustle of big cities, Bari may be the answer. The small town in southern Italy retains its medieval air, with narrow streets and colorful buildings. All in a specific warm atmosphere, with grandparents talking from the balcony and children running in the streets. The Adriatic city may not have many museums and unique attractions, but here you can enjoy the tranquility specific to Italy!

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What do you use to get around Bari?

Public transport is a very accessible option here, and a one-day pass costs only €2.50, which can be purchased from specially arranged places near the stations. If you prefer the taxi, you should know that the rate is 1.1€ per km.

However, we recommend that you do not use these options too often, but opt for walking, so that you can admire all the picturesque places of the city. The distances between the objectives are quite small, so you have nothing to worry about.

Accommodation

As for accommodation, being a small town it does not offer a very long list of hotels. However, prices are low, and on average a room for 2 people in a central area starts from €50 per night.

Here's a short list of some places to consider:

the hotel CAVOUR 124 it is excellently located, being in the center, and having nearby bus stops, as well as a beach. The facilities are modern, being a 3-star hotel, and a room for 2 people costs €75.
the hotel Centro Città Concept it is a slightly cheaper option (with rooms from €60 per night), but still 3 stars. The difference lies in the placement of an idea further away from the central area.
If you prefer accommodation in an apartment, you can find many offers on Airbnb. This one ( https://www.airbnb.com.ro/rooms/660783026899412060 ) is probably one of the most advantageous, as you will pay 80€ for the whole place (with 3 beds, and a rustic decor), near the central area.

Activities and tourist attractions per day in Bari

If you want to make the most of your time here, it's best to leave with a well-established plan of what you want to see. For this reason, I have prepared a proposed itinerary for a city break spent here, which you can follow.

Day 1

Old Bari
Saint Nicholas Basilica
Castello Svevo

Bari Vecchia (Old Town)

Strolling through the picturesque streets of the city is in itself a must-see tourist attraction. For this reason Old Bari (Old Town) is the perfect place to walk the maze of streets on your first day in the city. You will be fascinated by the old, small and colorful houses, connected by arches and stairs and full of plants. Here you just have to take advantage of every step taken and let yourself be engulfed by the Italian spirit (and the locals standing in front of the houses will surely help you). The main buses that run here are lines 355, 569 and 797.

Saint Nicholas Basilica

In the same area, a few minutes' walk away, you will inevitably find Saint Nicholas Basilica, probably the most famous place in Bari. The imposing building was built in the 11th century, so it will take you back several centuries. Inside you will find elements from different periods, and you can enter the museum, where, among other things, church objects, manuscripts, paintings and sculptures are kept. Also here are the crypt and the relics of Saint Nicholas.

Castello Svevo

Castello Svevo is another attraction in the Old Town area that you should not miss. The centuries-old building preserves the medieval atmosphere within its stone walls, and its museum will leave you speechless. The price to admire the historical and art exhibitions is 4.50€, the schedule is between 8:30-18:30 all week, except Tuesday, when it is closed.

In the remaining evening you have to discover the gastronomy of the area, so we can only recommend that you check off as many of the things we recommend below in the article, in the section of food.

Day 2

The historical city of Egnazia
Promenade Lungomare Nazario Sauro
BEACHES

The whole area of the province is gorgeous, which is why you don't have to limit yourself to Bari!

The historical city of Egnazia

We recommend planning a short trip to the historic city for your second day here Egnatia, located 60 km from Bari. You will be able to get here by train to Fosana (lines 4429, 4441, 4427, 4419, 4377, 4411, 4407, 4405, 4401, 4397, 4381, 4421, tickets cost between 4-9€), and then by taxi for another 10 km, the whole way being along the seashore, so you will have an amazing view. The city seems detached from the desert scenery, with white rock buildings and little vegetation. and you must not miss the archaeological site with the Roman ruins of the city of Gnatia.

Promenade Lungomare Nazario Sauro

You will return to Bari at noon, and since Bari is a city on the Adriatic coast after all, this will be the perfect time to discover the seaside. You can start with Promenade Lungomare Nazario Sauro, located along the old harbor (in the Old Town), the perfect place to admire the sunrise or sunset, in a romantic and peaceful atmosphere.

BEACHES

If you want to enjoy the sea even more, you can explore BEACHES from Bari. Lido San Francesco (you can get there with the FM1 railway line) is a beach preferred by tourists, but if you want something less crowded you can choose Pane e Pomodoro or Spiaggia Torre Quetta (you can reach both by bus 569). The fact is that all beaches offer white sand, charming blue water, and lots of sun!

Day 3

Borgo Murattiano
Via Sparano

Borgo Murattiano

On the last day of your city break here you must tick off the more elegant side of the city, Borgo Murattiano, the commercial center that offers, on its streets, a foray into Art Nouveau architecture with Gothic influences. Some of the iconic buildings here are Margherita Theatre, Prefecture Palace, Fizzarotti Palace and Mincuzzi Palace, which you have to discover step by step. The main buses that can take you to the area are 355, 569, as well as the FM1 and FM2 railway lines

Via Sparano

And for those who don't want to leave without a shopping session, Via Sparano it's the perfect place for your last stop, especially since it's also in the Borgo Murattiano area. The street is famous for its variety of shops: from big chain stores (Zara), to luxury stores (Hermes) or local boutiques. You will find everything here, from clothing to cosmetics, jewelry and souvenirs, for all tastes.

Food

Being in Italy, it is to be expected that the main things you can enjoy are pasta and pizza, accompanied by a traditional wine. And of course we recommend that you take advantage of the trip to explore these dishes, because the recipes of southern Italy differ greatly from those of the popular cities of the north. Traditional here is the orecchiette pasta, which you will probably see dry and on the streets, in front of the houses of the locals. You must try them, especially since many restaurants buy them directly from the grandmothers who make them at home.

Another more novel thing to try is sgaglioze. Basically, they are slices of fried polenta, similar to chips. And if you want to see how the locals reinterpreted the famous pizza, panzerotti is what you are looking for.

We recommend that you check off a few places in your days here, such as Master Ciccio, a place with very affordable prices, and Mediterranean and Italian dishes and Ristorante Opera, which offers a local menu and exceptional tastes (with slightly higher prices). If you are looking for an interesting bar the answer is At the Ciclatera.

But don't forget: most bars in Bari close at 2pm, so keep this in mind when planning your trip.

So, although it is not a very popular city, Bari is worth visiting, especially in the warm months. Here you can experience the pure Italian atmosphere, unaltered by large groups of visitors, in a medieval setting specific to the southern part of the country. We promise you will feel exactly like in one of the vintage movies set in Italy!

In case you are thinking about a possible vacation in Bari, we will leave you a list of links to help you organize your trip:

TRANSPORT

ACCOMMODATION

TOURIST OBJECTIVES AND OTHERS

Discover authentic Italy: Bari, Sightseeing