Italy Review
  • Home
    • Contact
    • The Italy Review Network >
      • City Guides >
        • Florence Review
        • Milan Review
        • Naples Review
        • Pisa Review
        • Roma Review
        • Venice Review
      • Region Guides >
        • Northern Italian Regions >
          • Friuli Venezia Giulia Review
          • Liguria Review
          • Lombardy Review
          • Piemonte Review
          • Trentino Review
          • Valle d'Aosta Review
          • Veneto Review
        • Central Italian Regions >
          • Abruzzo Review
          • Marche Review
          • Molise Review
          • Tuscany Review
          • Umbria Review
        • Southern Italian Regions >
          • Amalfi Coast Review
          • Basilicata Review
          • Calabria Review
          • Puglia Review
          • Sorrento Review
      • Island Guides >
        • Capri Island Review
        • Elba Review
        • Ischia Review
        • Ponza Review
        • Procida Review
        • Sardinia Review
  • Things to see in Italy
    • Cities of Italy >
      • Major Cities of Italy >
        • Rome
        • Venice
        • Florence
        • Milan
        • Naples
        • Turin
        • Verona
        • Genoa
        • Bologna
        • Palermo
      • Beautiful Italian Cities >
        • Pisa
        • Siena
        • Ravenna
        • Lecce
        • Mantova
        • Syracuse
        • Perugia
        • Pavia
        • Lucca
    • Towns and Villages of Italy >
      • Seaside Towns of Italy >
        • Sestri Levante
        • Vieste
        • Positano
        • Tropea
        • Sorrento
        • Cefalu
        • Amalfi
        • Polignano a Mare
      • Lakeside Towns of Italy >
        • Varenna
        • Orta San Giulio
        • Bellagio
        • Sirmione
        • Molveno
        • Trevignano Romano
        • Desenzano del Garda
      • Scenic Towns of Italy >
        • Alberobello
        • Bassano del Grappa
        • Sarzana
        • Susa
        • Brisighella
        • Grottammare
      • Hilltop Villages of Italy >
        • Castelluccio
        • Civita di Bagnoregio
        • Roccascalegna
        • Apricale
        • Muro Lucano
      • Historic Towns of Italy >
        • Matera
        • Albenga
        • Chioggia
        • Assisi
      • Hill Towns of Italy >
        • San Gimignano
        • Taormina
        • Ravello
      • Picturesque Villages of Italy >
        • Finalborgo
        • Rasiglia
      • Mountain Towns of Italy >
        • Bressanone
      • Vineyard Towns of Italy >
        • Barolo
      • Fishing Villages of Italy
      • Mural Towns of Italy
      • Spa Towns of Italy
      • Ghost Towns of Italy
    • Italian Islands >
      • Phlegraean Islands
      • Capri
      • Tuscan Archipelago
      • Sicilian Islands >
        • Aeolian Islands
        • Aegadian Islands
        • Pelagie Islands
      • Sardinian Islands >
        • La Maddalena Archipelago
      • Pontine Islands
      • Tremiti Islands
      • Venetian Lagoon Islands
      • Borromean Islands
      • Lake Trasimeno Islands
      • Isola San Giulio
      • Monte Isola
      • Palmaria
    • Lakes of Italy >
      • Lake Garda
      • Lake Como
      • Lake Maggiore
      • Lake Trasimeno
      • Lake Bracciano
      • Lake Orta
      • Lake Tenno
    • Landmarks of Italy >
      • Man-Made Landmarks of Italy >
        • Castles of Italy
        • Squares of Italy
        • Roman Monuments in Italy
        • Towers of Italy
        • Bridges of Italy
        • Modern Landmarks of Italy
        • Monuments of Magna Graecia
      • Natural Landmarks of Italy >
        • Rivers of Italy >
          • River Po
          • River Adige
          • River Tiber
          • River Arno
        • Mountains of Italy
        • Mountain Ranges of Italy >
          • The Italian Alps
          • The Apennines
          • The Dolomites
    • Religious Buildings of Italy >
      • Cathedrals of Italy
      • Basilicas of Italy
      • Abbeys & Monasteries of Italy
      • Baptisteries of Italy
      • Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
      • Religious Sanctuaries of Italy
      • Chapels of Italy
    • Cultural Institutions of Italy >
      • Archaeological Sites of Italy
      • Gardens of Italy
      • Museums of Italy
      • Palaces of Italy
      • Art Galleries of Italy
      • Theatres of Italy
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy
    • Italian Beaches >
      • Best Beaches in Italy
      • Beach Resorts of Italy
    • Parks of Italy >
      • National Parks of Italy
      • Nature Reserves of Italy
      • Regional Parks of Italy
      • Italian City Parks
    • Ski Resorts of Italy
    • Italian Coastal Areas
    • Mountain and Valley Regions of Italy
    • Wine Regions of Italy
  • Travel
    • Airports of Italy
    • Italian Ferry Ports
  • Italy Hotels
  • Italy
    • Regions of Italy >
      • Northern Italy >
        • Lombardy
        • Emilia Romagna
        • Piedmont
        • Veneto
        • Liguria
        • Friuli Venezia Giulia
        • Trentino Alto Adige
        • Valle d'Aosta
      • Central Italy >
        • Tuscany
        • Lazio
        • Marche
        • Abruzzo
        • Umbria
        • Molise
      • Southern Italy >
        • Puglia
        • Campania
        • Calabria
        • Basilicata
      • Island Regions >
        • Sicily
        • Sardinia

Bari

Bari​


Sitting at roughly the midway point of Puglia's Adriatic coast, Bari is the biggest and most important city in the region with its largest population.

Being the regional capital of Puglia and the capital of its own province, Bari is one of the key administrative centres of southern Italy as well as a vital transport hub with commercial ferries heading east to Croatia, Greece, Albania and beyond. It's impossible to talk or write about Bari without giving mention to the city's patron saint; the bones of San Nicola (Saint Nicholas) are housed in Bari's main visitor attraction, the Basilica di San Nicola. 
The basilica is situated in the older part of the city known simply as "Bari Vecchia" (Old Bari), which tends to be the most interesting area to visit with other sights including the Cattedrale di San Sabino, the Norman/Swabian castle ("Castello Normanno-Svevo") and the bustling Piazza Mercantile all within a very short walk of each other. Bari Vecchia and the aforementioned attractions occupy the small peninsula which also has two ports, the older of the two again appendaged to mark out the difference between "Porto Vecchio" and "Porto Nuovo". Of the two ports, Porto Vecchio (Old Port) is the more attractive and comprises a mixture of small pleasure craft and fishing boats while Porto Nuovo (New Port) is where you'll find the large, commercial ferries that cross the Adriatic.

Bari's new town couldn't be more different to Bari Vecchia; the city suffered heavy bombardment during World War Two and as a consequence much of it had to be rebuilt. However, relatively new as this side of the city is, it's not without its own charm. Walking away from Bari Vecchia you encounter two theatres, the first one Teatro Margherita straddles the old and new towns while the arguably grander, more beautiful Teatro Petruzzelli lies within the new town's network of modern, straight roads. A short walk from Teatro Petruzzelli takes you into the city's commercial district where you'll find a large variety of shops; designer shoppers will make a bee-line for Via Sparano where the likes of Gucci and Prada tantalise with their attractive window designs while most people will find the prices more palatable in the art nouveau Palazzo Mincuzzi, currently sporting the colours of Benetton.

Transport options are plentiful for visitors to Bari; it has its own airport (10km from the centre), sea port and mainline railway stations as well as being situated along the A14 motorway known as the "Autostrada del Sole", connecting Bari to the north with the major cities along the Adriatic coast before heading inland to Bologna, while to the south lies Puglia's second biggest city: Taranto.

For many years Bari has been viewed more as a place that you pass through while being on the way to another destination; travellers by ferry being the most obvious example of this. However, as the city has developed over recent years it's become more popular with visitors looking for a genuine experience of southern Italy while the emergence of Polignano a Mare as a holiday hotspot has also benefited Bari which is just a 40 minute drive away. Heading north from Bari along the Adriatic coast are some of Puglia's most picturesque fishing towns such as Trani, Giovinazzo, Molfetta and Bisceglie, all less than an hour's drive from Bari and ideal for day-trips.

​​Category: Major Cities of Italy

Region: Capital of Puglia

Regional district: Metropolitan City of Bari

Population: 320,862

Top sights: Basilica di San Nicola, Castello Svevo-Normanno

Recommended accommodation: The Nicolaus Hotel

​
Close by: Polignano a Mare, Trani, Giovinazzo, Molfetta, Bisceglie
Public transport: Buses, ferries, mainline train stations

By car: Alberobello - 52 mins (55 km), Lecce - 1 hour 37' (151 km)
By air: Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport - 21 minutes by car (11 km)

Main train station: ​​Bari Stazione Centrale (city centre)

Italy Review is a series of 36 website guides to Regions, Cities and Islands of Italy, with each website written exclusively in English. Using the green links below you can quickly jump to any of the individual websites where you'll find photos, blogs and useful information.

REGION GUIDES A - L

Abruzzo Review
Amalfi Coast Review
Basilicata Review
Calabria Review
Emilia Romagna Review
Friuli Venezia Giulia Review
Lazio Review
Liguria Review
Lombardy Review
REGION GUIDES M - V
Marche Review
Molise Review
Piemonte Review
Puglia Review
Sorrento Review
Trentino Review
Tuscany Review
Umbria Review
Valle d'Aosta Review
Veneto Review

CITY GUIDES

Florence Review
Milan Review
Naples Review
Pisa Review
Roma Review
Turin Review
Venice Review
Verona Review

ISLAND GUIDES

Capri Island Review
Elba Review
Ischia Review
Ponza Review
Procida Review
Sardinia Review
Sicily Review
Picture

​All photos and images on the site that are marked with the © copyright symbol or with the Italy Review series logos are the property of Italy Review and must not be used elsewhere without prior permission. All written content on the website is also the property of Italy Review and its use is strictly limited to this website alone. 
  • Home
    • Contact
    • The Italy Review Network >
      • City Guides >
        • Florence Review
        • Milan Review
        • Naples Review
        • Pisa Review
        • Roma Review
        • Venice Review
      • Region Guides >
        • Northern Italian Regions >
          • Friuli Venezia Giulia Review
          • Liguria Review
          • Lombardy Review
          • Piemonte Review
          • Trentino Review
          • Valle d'Aosta Review
          • Veneto Review
        • Central Italian Regions >
          • Abruzzo Review
          • Marche Review
          • Molise Review
          • Tuscany Review
          • Umbria Review
        • Southern Italian Regions >
          • Amalfi Coast Review
          • Basilicata Review
          • Calabria Review
          • Puglia Review
          • Sorrento Review
      • Island Guides >
        • Capri Island Review
        • Elba Review
        • Ischia Review
        • Ponza Review
        • Procida Review
        • Sardinia Review
  • Things to see in Italy
    • Cities of Italy >
      • Major Cities of Italy >
        • Rome
        • Venice
        • Florence
        • Milan
        • Naples
        • Turin
        • Verona
        • Genoa
        • Bologna
        • Palermo
      • Beautiful Italian Cities >
        • Pisa
        • Siena
        • Ravenna
        • Lecce
        • Mantova
        • Syracuse
        • Perugia
        • Pavia
        • Lucca
    • Towns and Villages of Italy >
      • Seaside Towns of Italy >
        • Sestri Levante
        • Vieste
        • Positano
        • Tropea
        • Sorrento
        • Cefalu
        • Amalfi
        • Polignano a Mare
      • Lakeside Towns of Italy >
        • Varenna
        • Orta San Giulio
        • Bellagio
        • Sirmione
        • Molveno
        • Trevignano Romano
        • Desenzano del Garda
      • Scenic Towns of Italy >
        • Alberobello
        • Bassano del Grappa
        • Sarzana
        • Susa
        • Brisighella
        • Grottammare
      • Hilltop Villages of Italy >
        • Castelluccio
        • Civita di Bagnoregio
        • Roccascalegna
        • Apricale
        • Muro Lucano
      • Historic Towns of Italy >
        • Matera
        • Albenga
        • Chioggia
        • Assisi
      • Hill Towns of Italy >
        • San Gimignano
        • Taormina
        • Ravello
      • Picturesque Villages of Italy >
        • Finalborgo
        • Rasiglia
      • Mountain Towns of Italy >
        • Bressanone
      • Vineyard Towns of Italy >
        • Barolo
      • Fishing Villages of Italy
      • Mural Towns of Italy
      • Spa Towns of Italy
      • Ghost Towns of Italy
    • Italian Islands >
      • Phlegraean Islands
      • Capri
      • Tuscan Archipelago
      • Sicilian Islands >
        • Aeolian Islands
        • Aegadian Islands
        • Pelagie Islands
      • Sardinian Islands >
        • La Maddalena Archipelago
      • Pontine Islands
      • Tremiti Islands
      • Venetian Lagoon Islands
      • Borromean Islands
      • Lake Trasimeno Islands
      • Isola San Giulio
      • Monte Isola
      • Palmaria
    • Lakes of Italy >
      • Lake Garda
      • Lake Como
      • Lake Maggiore
      • Lake Trasimeno
      • Lake Bracciano
      • Lake Orta
      • Lake Tenno
    • Landmarks of Italy >
      • Man-Made Landmarks of Italy >
        • Castles of Italy
        • Squares of Italy
        • Roman Monuments in Italy
        • Towers of Italy
        • Bridges of Italy
        • Modern Landmarks of Italy
        • Monuments of Magna Graecia
      • Natural Landmarks of Italy >
        • Rivers of Italy >
          • River Po
          • River Adige
          • River Tiber
          • River Arno
        • Mountains of Italy
        • Mountain Ranges of Italy >
          • The Italian Alps
          • The Apennines
          • The Dolomites
    • Religious Buildings of Italy >
      • Cathedrals of Italy
      • Basilicas of Italy
      • Abbeys & Monasteries of Italy
      • Baptisteries of Italy
      • Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
      • Religious Sanctuaries of Italy
      • Chapels of Italy
    • Cultural Institutions of Italy >
      • Archaeological Sites of Italy
      • Gardens of Italy
      • Museums of Italy
      • Palaces of Italy
      • Art Galleries of Italy
      • Theatres of Italy
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy
    • Italian Beaches >
      • Best Beaches in Italy
      • Beach Resorts of Italy
    • Parks of Italy >
      • National Parks of Italy
      • Nature Reserves of Italy
      • Regional Parks of Italy
      • Italian City Parks
    • Ski Resorts of Italy
    • Italian Coastal Areas
    • Mountain and Valley Regions of Italy
    • Wine Regions of Italy
  • Travel
    • Airports of Italy
    • Italian Ferry Ports
  • Italy Hotels
  • Italy
    • Regions of Italy >
      • Northern Italy >
        • Lombardy
        • Emilia Romagna
        • Piedmont
        • Veneto
        • Liguria
        • Friuli Venezia Giulia
        • Trentino Alto Adige
        • Valle d'Aosta
      • Central Italy >
        • Tuscany
        • Lazio
        • Marche
        • Abruzzo
        • Umbria
        • Molise
      • Southern Italy >
        • Puglia
        • Campania
        • Calabria
        • Basilicata
      • Island Regions >
        • Sicily
        • Sardinia