Bari

Bari is the capital of Italy's Apulia region and a busy Adriatic port, known for its atmospheric old town, Bari Vecchia, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and a long seafront promenade. The city combines a working harbour, a compact historic core and a lively university population with an authentic southern Italian character.

The city's layered history is visible around the old town, from the Norman-Swabian Castle and the Romanesque Cathedral of San Sabino to the 19th-century grid of the Murat district and the grand Teatro Petruzzelli. Bari Vecchia's narrow lanes open onto small piazzas, where women still make orecchiette pasta by hand outside their doorways.

Neighbourhoods such as Bari Vecchia, Murat, Madonnella and Libertà each offer a different atmosphere, ranging from medieval alleyways and pilgrimage churches to shopping streets, seafront walks and everyday neighbourhood life. Museums and cultural sites include the Pinacoteca Metropolitana, the Swabian Castle and the archaeological collections of the Santa Scolastica complex.

Bari is also an important business and logistics centre, with the Fiera del Levante trade fair, a major commercial port and several universities. Its food scene, from focaccia barese and fresh seafood to street food and regional wines, plus a busy calendar of festivals and events, attracts both leisure visitors and business travellers.

As a gateway to Puglia, Bari is well placed for day trips to Polignano a Mare, Alberobello's trulli, the Castellana Caves and the beaches of the Adriatic coast, making it a practical base for exploring southern Italy.