"BARI" Top 5 Page for this destination Bari by Ronaldinho86

With this page,I don't want to sing Bari's praises,but only to describe it and to underline also the good points that this city has,however without forgetting the many faults.
On this internet site,I have read many hasty judges,commonplaces and cazzate about Bari and Puglia and I want to explain you how are REALLY .
I think that Bari,its province and the entire Puglia have a lot to offer,so IT ISN'T TRUE that this is an ugly part of Italy,on the contrary it's considered the land of the light with a great cultural heritage;every kind of tourist can find what he looks for in Puglia: beautiful beaches,great landscapes,beautiful cities,historical sites,nature reserves,unique villages,fabulous food and much more.And this is demonstrated by the increasing number of Italian and foreign tourists who decided to visit this region,become one of the principal touristical destination in Italy.I live in Bari and I'm observing with my eyes this fact.For example,2 years ago,I visited Castel del Monte and there were a lot of people,Japaneses too!!And Bari is become a stage of many cruises in the Mediterranean Sea...then I think that there might be a reason!
Bari is also an university town,seat of the "Università degli Studi di Bari" and of the "Politecnico di Bari" (one of the most impotant one of Italy),highly appreciated by foreign students (maybe too...!?!).
But Bari and the "Terra di Bari" are neglected by the visitors yet compared with Salento,and I think that this is a mistake because Bari is a beautiful place.But not certainly the port area......so I don't think that people who have to take a ferry,staying in Bari few hours,can give an objective opinion about this city,maybe quoting commonplaces without any concrete check.

Basilica di San Nicola

- Bari is a nice city,but I know that however it isn't so marvelous and full of things to visit as Florence,Venice,Rome...these cities are the most beautiful in the world.
Bari has its force in its province,so I think that it,together with its surroundings,really deserves a visit.
- I know that the Southern Italy is famous as a high crime area and this can be true,but not completly.Bari isn't a "far west" or the "pickpockets" country"!!During the last years,It is changed radically and it's become more more safe.8-9 years ago,the Old Town was considered "off limits",few occasions excepted.Now,thanks to requalification and restoration works promoted by the municipal administrationan and to the Police's action,it has been given back to the Baresi,and it's becoming an organic part of Bari.So tourists can visit it,during the day,without many problems...but,certainly,however it's useful to pay attention to the pickpockets here and not to be inexpert.And in the "Borgo Murattiano",the commercial center of the city,is also possible to walk without any problems.
So,don't worry : if you haven't a bodyguard,it isn't a problem!
Some peripheral areas are more dangerous...but I think that in many cities (all over the world,not only in the Southern Italy...) there is this situation and it isn't right to label an entire city as a dangerous place.So don't be afraid to come here in Bari!
- Bari isn't a great touristic destination yet,so there aren't many receptive structures and English isn't a widespread language in the city(but it doesn't mean that none speak English,don't be afraid,there isn't problem!).The inhabitants of Bari aren't so accustomed to see tourists yet.
- Traffic is very very caotic in Bari and the research of parking is very very hard,so it's better to walk.
- The rythm of life,in Bari such as in other parts of the Middle-Southern Italy,about many aspects,is different from the rest of Italy.An example?Night is long in Bari : in the center you can find restaurants or pizzerias,open till midnight (and more in the weekends)!This is unthinkable in other parts of Italy,where the kitchens close at 10.30 p.m.
Another typical aspect is the pleasure to stay together : a bar,a square,a street corner,are all places where people,during the night,pass the time together.It's difficult to express these concepts (especially in English!...),but visiting Bari,these aspects become evident...
- An advice:read the more recent tips about Bari (if possible,written by people who have really visited and "lived" the city,not by who stayed here few hours waiting for a ferryboat in the port) to realize how it has changed and how it's changing.
- Sorry,maybe my English isn't so perfect...

*PLEASE,RATE MY TIPS IF YOU THINK THEY'RE USEFUL FOR YOUR VACATIONS*

I trulli

I think that Bari is an ideal destination for a weekend,but more days are necessary if you want to visit some of the villages and towns of its Province(very reccomended).

Bari is the ancient capital of the Puglia,characterized by a cosmopolitan past influenced by many different cultures.Viewed from above,it has the shape of an eagle with outstretched wings.
It can be divided in 3 parts : the Old Town (Bari Vecchia),the Borgo Murattiano (the commercial and economical center desired by Gioacchino Murat in 19th century) and the modern part,around them.
The 2 more interesting parts of the city are the Old Town and the Borgo Murattiano.
The Old Town,flanked on 3 sides by the Adriatic Sea,has at its center the Basilica of San Nicola,the masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque,built in the 11th century and dedicated to the Patron Saint of the city.The other main attractions are: the Romanesque Cathedral of San Sabino,with its high bell tower which dominates Bari's skyline;the Norman-Swabian Castle rebuilt by Federico II in the 13th century;the ancient wall,crowded during the summer nights,where it's possible to eat or take an aperitif enjoying a great view of the city and the sea;Piazza Ferrarese and Piazza Mercantile,centers of Bari's nightlife.But,walking in the labirynth of lanes of the Old Town,it's possible to discover many other churches,palaces,handcraft's shops,trattorie...and maybe you could see old women while they prepare the famous "orecchiette",a typical Apulian kind of pasta.The Old Town is also the center of Bari's nightlife,very crowded during all the night,with its restaurants,pizzerie,pubs and bars.
The Borgo Murattiano,characterized by perpendicular streets,is the commercial center of the city,separated from the Old Town by a wide boulevard,Corso Vittorio Emanuele II,full of life during the night,in which are situated The Piccinni Theatre,dedicated to the great Barese compositor Niccolò Piccinni;the rococò Palazzo del Governo built in the 19th century;the Fizzarotti Palace,with its Venetian Gothic facade.The other main street are:Corso Cavour,the tree-lined road with its palaces in Art Nouveau style,on which stands the Camera di Commercio and the Petruzzelli Theatre,one of the most important theatre of Italy, damaged by a fire in 1991 and now closed;and Via Sparano,heart of the Borgo Murattiano,the fashonable pedestrian street,that goes from C.so Vittorio Emanuele II to Piazza Aldo Moro (seat of the Railway Central Station),passing through Piazza Umberto I,a big square seat of the University of Bari.The main constructions in via Sparano are the beautiful Mincuzzi Palace and the S. Ferdinando's Church.The southern Lungomare of Bari is characterized by buildings of the Fascist period:the Acquedotto Pugliese palace and the Palazzo della Provincia,seat of the Pinacoteca Provinciale with its great collection of Apulian paintings,stand out from the others.
Out of the center,the most interesting attractions are : the Russian Church of San Nicola;the San Nicola Stadium,the architectural jewel by Renzo Piano; Torre a Mare,a suburb very animated during the summer nights.

The Province of Bari is characterized by beautiful and unique places such as : Alberobello,UNESCO World Heritage,the "Capital of the trulli",the typical drywall constructions with prehistorical origins characterized by conical roofs;Trani,with its Romanesque Cathedral and its harbour full of life;Castel del Monte (near Andria,BA),UNESCO World Heritage,the castle built on a hill in the 12th century by Federico II,the emperor who loved Puglia and the "Terra di Bari",characterized by its octagonal form and wrapped by a halo of mystery;Polignano a Mare,an old village with its cliffs falling vertically to the sea and its breathtaking view(and its ice-cream parlours...);Castellana,with its famous caves;and many other such as Barletta,Conversano,Giovinazzo,Bisceglie,Monopoli-Capitolo(if you like sea and nightlife),Altamura.

• Pros:A beautiful city with a beautiful Province
• Cons:Not a touristic destination yet,so...
• In a nutshell:"Se Parigi avesse il mare,sarebbe una piccola Bari" - "If Paris was by the sea,it would be like a small Bari"