Bari

The commercial and administrative capital of Puglia, Bari, is a university town and southern Italy’s second city, more practical than postcard-perfect. While it’s not a major tourist magnet, it’s a key stop on any Italy culinary trip, thanks to its lively food culture and street-side kitchens turning out focaccia, panzerotti, and fresh seafood.

Many visitors pass through Bari en route to Greece, Croatia, or Albania via ferry, but the regenerated Old Town is worth your time. In recent years, it’s shed its rough reputation, though it’s still smart to stay alert in the maze of narrow alleys.

Brief history of Bari

Bari was already a thriving centre when the Romans arrived. Later, the city was the seat of the Byzantine governor of southern Italy, while, under the Normans, it rivalled Venice both as a maritime centre and, following the seizure of the remains of St Nicholas, as a place of pilgrimage. Since those heady days, Bari has declined considerably. Its fortunes revived briefly in 1813 when the king of Naples foisted a planned expansion on the city – giving the centre its contemporary gridded street pattern, wide avenues and piazzas. And Mussolini instituted a university and left a legacy of strident Fascist architecture. However, the city was heavily bombed during the last war, and today its compact and dynamic centre is a symbol of the south’s zeal for commercial growth. Fortunately, heavy investment in redeveloping the old centre has given Bari a new lease of life.

Top image: On the right there is Bari Cathedral (Saint Sabino), on the left there is "San Nicola Basilica" © Fabio Dell/Shutterstock