Bari and its strong personality. The capital city of Puglia encapsulates many different identities worth discovering. An authentic beauty at times austere, at times gentle, at times in fine rustic. A city that remains in the hearts of those who look at it with eyes full of curiosity.
If you're wondering what to see in Bari in a day, follow our itinerary through the city's intricate alleys and good living rooms. Discover the beauty of its unseen sights and fill your eyes with wonder.
Entering Old Bari is like completely immersing oneself in a riot of different sensory stimuli. In fact, what makes visiting it truly essential are its scents, sounds and colors that certainly do not leave the visitor indifferent.
Having to necessarily make choices to visit bari in a day, it is advisable to start from here: narrow streets and small stores where authentic life flows. A place where you can breathe in folklore and archaic culture.
A very ancient origin: the historic center of Bari, in fact, is a peninsula overlooking the sea whose first rock settlement dates back to the Bronze Age, about 4,000 years ago. The succession of different eras is often visible even today by carefully scrutinizing the arches, palaces and structures we encounter along the way.
We walk through the historic center beginning with one of the most eloquent evidences of the past but also of contemporary life: places of worship.
Old Bari is an internationally renowned place of pilgrimage; its focal point, in fact, is the Basilica of St. Nicholas, which houses the venerated relics of the saint of the same name.
Its importance is evident from the outside: stopping at the center of the square, one can admire the basilica's architecture in all the austere and simple majesty of Apulian Romanesque.
There are many festivals dedicated to St. Nicholas that the city celebrates. Among the many events is the festival in honor of the saint that comes to life from May 7 to 9 with solemn celebrations and many cultural events to commemorate and re-enact the Translation of St. Nicholas.
Among the 25 churches to see if you're in Bari for a day is certainly the Cathedral of San Sabino dedicated to the 500 AD bishop originally from Canosa di Puglia.
The Apulian Romanesque style is also evident here. Next to it stands the bell tower overlooking the old city of Bari with its beautiful central rose window and statues depicting Our Lady of Odegitria between St. Sabinus and St. Nicholas.
Among the things to see in Bari in a day, one cannot overlook a detour to its most beautiful theaters, true good salons of the city's bourgeoisie of yesterday and today.
The largest of the city's theaters is the Teatro Petruzzelli, the fourth largest theater in Italy. Completed in 1903, it was frescoed by Raffaele Armenise, decorated in pure gold and, equipped with heating and electric light, unparalleled innovations for the time.
In 1954 it was declared a "Monument of Historical and Artistic Interest." The theater has hosted the world's most important operas and plays as well as much music (classical and light) with important national and international concerts. It has also been the setting for several world-famous films.
Bari's Margherita Theater is another beauty of the city recently converted to a museum after restoration. It now houses the Apulian capital's first contemporary arts center, BAC (Bari Arte Contemporanea).
Finally , Bari's Piccinni Theater is the oldest of the city's three major theaters; in fact, it was opened in 1854. The hall, rich in gilded elements and embellished with lighting, is decorated with figurations by Luigi de Luise and Leopoldo Galluzzi. The curtain presents the image of the tournament given in Bari by King Manfred in honor of the Eastern Emperor Baldwin.
"If you don't know where "N-dèrr'a la lanze" is then you are not from Bari." Below the waterfront is a place of tradition that has remained unchanged over the centuries and is much loved by Bari's people of all ages. It is the San Nicola pier, better known as "N' dèrr'a la lanze" (literally "at the foot of the boats": the wooden boats, gozzi, are called "lanz" in dialect. In the old days, fishermen used to arrive here and throw the fish ashore to sell).
Today the area is yes by day home to fishermen but by night it is home to Bari's movida; direct contact with the sea is assured.
The look of the place, on the other hand, is virtually unchanged: the small boats painted blue are always there, the fishermen selling the day's catch as well. In short, the scents, colors and sounds of this timeless place do not disappoint expectations.
If you've been inspired by our tour of Bari, all that's left to do is to look for the right and convenient place to stay for your vacation. Choose your ideal rental solution among the vacation homes in Polignano or among the vacation homes in Monopoli, perfect places to be able to see the city while remaining in contact with nature and the most beautiful sea in the province.
Thanks to the vast catalog of Barbarhouse you have at your disposal different types of facilities, from comfortable houses by the sea to charming country villas with swimming pool. Your comfort is at the center of the attentions of our reality.
