With regular flights from London, Bari is a short-haul weekend getaway in the south of Italy. Puglia’s port town on the Adriatic Sea has a new energy and vibrant atmosphere, with renovated cultural landmarks, a large university, and opera house. It’s more urban than its Puglian neighbours, Lecce and Brindisi, but offers grander boulevards and a much better nightlife thanks to its young population.
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Sitting in the heel of Italy, Bari is home to two significant churches; the Basilica di San Nicola, built in the 12th century with an ornate 17th century gilded wooden ceiling and beautiful marble plaza outside, and the Bari Cathedral, whose crypt was built on Roman foundations. Old Bari, which sits between the two modern harbours, also contains Castello Svevo, a 12th century Norman castle built over the ruins of a Byzantine structure, which regularly hosts arts and cultural exhibitions. The 1914 Teatro Margherita, overlooking the harbour, has recently been restored and also holds temporary arts shows.
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For the modern heart of the city, head to the Murat quarter, which has a promenade on the seaside as well as the major shopping district - you can find all you need on the via Sparano and via Argiro.
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But what Bari is really known for is its food! With a similar reputation to northern Italy’s Bologna, or even France’s Lyon, Bari’s food is typically based on the surrounding local produce of wheat, olive oil, and wine, enriched with a wide variety of Puglian fruit and vegetables.
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You’ll see plenty of the ear-shaped orecchiette pasta, Barese ragù, calzoni filled with onions, anchovies, capers and olives, and the historical Sunday dish, pasta al forno, with tubular pasta, tomato sauce, beef and pork meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, and topped with mozzarella. Riso, patate e cozze is also another humble yet delicious local speciality, consisting of layered baked rice, potatoes, and mussels. And of course not forgetting the panzerotti street food pastries, stuffed with cheese and tomato, and the minestrone soup which makes the best of all of Bari’s local ingredients.
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Bari has recently attracted inventive chefs who are introducing contemporary twists on Puglia’s traditional recipes, such as veal with almonds and pistachios as opposed to the traditional Milanese recipe.
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Outside of the city, just an hour away, is the rural town of Alberobello, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here you’ll find over 1500 of the famous trulli, the traditional regional buildings made from limestone. Their thick whitewashed stone walls, supporting the domed roofs, help to regulate the temperature inside. It’s possible to book an overnight stay in a trullo, to experience the accommodation for yourself.
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Title Image Credit: Jason Chung (Image Cropped)