10 things to see in the city of Bari
City of the sea, good food and a popular tourist destination, Bari is the capital of Puglia in the south of the region, a popular summer holiday destination and, in the warmer months of the year, a hot spot for tourists from all over the world. The city is also well known as the resting place of St Nicholas’ relics, making Bari a favourite destination for Orthodox believers in the West.
The capital of Puglia also has a very important port, which consolidates a long merchant-entrepreneurial tradition. Since 1930, Bari has hosted the Fiera del Levante, one of Italy’s most important trade fairs.
What is a must-see when in Bari? Here’s what not to miss about this wonderful destination.
10 things to see in Bari
1. The Papal Basilica of St Nicholas
Bari is one of the most important centres for the Orthodox Church in the West, and the majestic building of the Basilica di San Nicola is testimony to this fact. It was after the fall of the Berlin Wall that this church became the sacred meeting place for Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox culture. The basilica was built at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries in Romanesque style. The crypt houses the relics of St Nicholas.
2. Bari Vecchia
The San Nicola district, commonly called ‘Bari Vecchia’ by the people of Bari, is located in the historic centre of the city and links the two ports of Bari, the old and the new. Discovering this characteristic neighbourhood, you can find women preparing the famous Apulian orecchiette pasta on their doorsteps, as well as small shops selling souvenirs and local objects.
3. Lungomare di Bari
During the Fascist period, the port was the focal point of trade: for this reason, Bari’s seafront has undergone one of the most significant urban transformations in history, and a stroll along it now reveals buildings in the late Art Nouveau style. All the buildings along the seafront are in an architectural style that combines modernity and tradition. The Barion Rowing Club is also located on the San Nicola pier, as is the characteristic Kursaal Santa Lucia cinema-theatre, decorated with floral motifs. On summer evenings, this area of the city turns into a little Miami Beach: many attractions are set up for younger tourists, making it a meeting point for the city’s youngsters!
4. Castello Svevo
Located in the area of Bari Vecchia, the Castello Normanno Svevo was completely destroyed in 1156 and rebuilt according to the wishes of Frederick II of Swabia in 1223. Currently, the castle is the headquarters of the Superintendence for Environmental, Architectural and Historical Heritage of Apulia. It consists of two parts: the keep and a bridge over the moat to welcome visitors at the entrance. The ground floor also houses a plaster casts gallery with some of the most important monumental casts in the region.
5. Corrado Giaquinto Art Gallery
The Palazzo della Provincia houses the Pinacoteca Corrado Giaquinto, consisting of twenty-two rooms with a vast collection of paintings, clothes and furnishings dating from the 1000s to the 1400s. The Pinacoteca also houses an exhibition of 19th-century works painted by Tuscan Macchiaioli, including De Chirico, Carrà and Pelizza da Volpedo.
6. Bari Underground
Archaeology and ancient history enthusiasts can take a guided night-time tour with accredited archaeologists to discover the underground passages of the Norman-Swabian Castle and the old town. In the underground part of the city, you can admire artefacts dating back to the Bronze Age, the Roman era and the glorious era of the Byzantine Empire in the West.
7. Cathedral of San Sabino
The church is one of the most beautiful in southern Italy, with a floor mosaic unearthed in 1960 and a distinctly Baroque style. The cathedral was closed to the public for a long time due to restoration work and was reopened in 2005 in the presence of Cardinal Ruini, then president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference.
8. Petruzzelli Theatre
This theatre was born from the need to contain and host the revolts of the people of Bari typical of the early 1900s. It was inaugurated in 1903 and since then all major cultural events have been held here. Part of the structure was lost after an arson attack in 1991, but since 2009 the theatre has been back in business, becoming the true heart of the city. Anyone who loves ballet and opera should visit it
9. Streets of orecchiette
In the part of the historic centre immediately after the Arco Basso, you can enter one of the city’s most traditional streets: here, you can admire the hands of the ladies preparing kilos of fresh pasta to serve the much-loved Apulian orecchiette, a traditional dish.
10. Piazza del Ferrarese
The square, which owes its name to a Ferrara merchant, Stefano Fabri, patron of the construction of the Palazzo del Sedile loggia, overlooks the Imperatore Augusto seafront and extends from the Ferrarese – Piazza Mercantile axis to the Norman-Swabian Castle. Animated by nightclubs, it is also an evocative and romantic location to admire the lights of the city, in summer there are concerts and artistic performances, and the majestic illuminations during the feast of the Patron Saint are very famous.
