[Italy] A glimpse of Puglia in Bari

Italy is never a bad idea – history, culture, architecture, beautiful surroundings, great weather, excellent and diverse cuisine are to be found wherever and whenever you set foot in this country. Beginning of May was time for a girls trip to get a taste of the sunny Puglia. With a first stop in Bari. (Revisited Bari in October 2023, updates in the article).

The City

Bari is the capital city of the Puglia (or Apulia) region in Italy, on the Adriatic Sea, in southern Italy. It is the second most important economic center of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas.

With a population of about 330 000 people, Bari has one of the most unique and amazing old towns. Narrow streets, with 3 stories buildings and old TV antennas up on the terraces, with laundry hanging outside the balconies spreading out a fresh smell, with old ladies sitting in front of their houses, socializing and making fresh pasta.

Bari is an excellent option for a city-break, but also the perfect start of a Puglia tour. The city itself offers everything you would need and expect when talking about Italy – great food, local authenticity and history, lots of sunny days with the option of having a swim at the nearby beach.

We spent three days in Bari, enough to allow us to wonder around the city center, mingle in with the locals a bit in the evenings, have a warm swim in the sea, enjoy some local food and relax in the typical Italian “dolce far niente” style.

Days would start with a stop at Il Salumiere Nino for a panini with “salame, formaggio e pomodori secchi” and then a relaxed hour in the morning sun enjoying the panini next to a cappuccino. We would continue with long walks around the city, admiring the narrow streets of Bari Vecchio or the beautiful Baroque and Art Deco architecture of the historical center. Mixed with stops in restaurants for sea food, fresh fish, risotto, pasta and wine. Adding a bit of the summer feeling (even if it was October) with a proper swim in the still warm waters of the Adriatic sea at Pane e Pomodoro Beach.

To add an extra context to our stay in Bari, we also took two of the Free Walking guided Tours which gave us a broader perspective on the city.

Free Walking Tour Bari is a very nice option for a guided tour. Anna, our guide was exactly what we were looking for. We had a three hours tour of the old town with great stories about the people, the culture, the lifestyle and the cuisine of this city.

Old town Bari (or Bari Vecchio, how the locals call it) is home to a big family of people who live in between its walls. Although it’s a mixture of all sorts of nationalities, people living here like to spend their time together. You will see them gather on warm summer nights just outside their houses, in the nearby piazza, put a big table in place and have dinner together. Nothing fancy, they just like to be together, laugh and talk out loud, this being their own way of building a community.

Women of Bari Vecchio wake up early every morning and prepare fresh pasta just outside their houses and leave the pasta in the sun all day to get dry. There’s a specific type of pasta that you will find on the narrow streets of this lovely city. Oriechiette (translated would mean “small ears”) are the famous pasta that Bari produces and that are available in many restaurants of the city.

But outside of Bari Vecchio is as vibrant as the inside narrow streets. Students and youngsters gather at local bars, the beach is always a good option to enjoy the sun, the local fishermen provide fresh fish every morning and the local markets fresh vegetables.

The Gastronomy

Every region of Italy has its specific in terms of gastronomy that goes far beyond the classical pizza and pasta stuff. Puglia and Bari have a mixture of everything, plenty of vegetables (agriculture being one of the main activities here), plenty of sea food and plenty of meat.

Street Food – Walking on the streets of Bari Vecchio, you shouldn’t miss the Sgagliozze and the Popizze. Sgagliozze is fried polenta and Popizze are made from the pizza dough, they look like small doughnuts, they are fried and served with salt. You will find these small booths all over the place selling freshly fried sgagalizze and popizze.

Oriechette dishes – one of the traditional local pasta dish is served with horse meat ragu or with turnip tops, but also oriechette with sea food or aged ricotta are also quite famous.

Cheese – The most known is canestrato pugliese (after the canestri, or baskets, in which it is aged), which is often grated on pasta.

Seafood – as lots of people living in Bari Vecchio still go fishing early in the morning, the city has a lot to offer in terms of sea food. You will find lots of fresh fish and sea food in every restaurant you go. What’s really traditional in this area are the octopus dishes, the sea hedgehog dishes and a very Bari specific dish with potatoes, rice and mussels.

Pasta a l’Assassina – one of the most delicious pasta recipes I have ever tried is typical barese and a mandatory try when in the city.

The restaurants & other places to check out

La Cantina di Cianne Cianna – hidden away on a small street, with a very nice summer terrace, this place has a very traditional “barese” menu with all the classics – oriechiette, sea food, horse meat.

Pizzeria di Cosimo – this place is perfect for enjoying an authentic pizza experience. It’s where the locals go in the evening for having pizza. You order, you wait your turn, you eat outside on their terrace facing a lovely small piazzetta. Everything happens fast, as there are others waiting in line to get their share of pizza. The menu offers a large variety of pizzas, for every taste. Another option of excellent pizza (the locals say it’s the best spot in Bar – Pizzeria Da Donato).

La Tana del Pulpo – cozy and small place in Bari Vecchio, perfect for sea food (especially the octopus) and fresh fish.

Le 2 Aquile – our favorite spot in the city (and confirmed by the locals) in terms of food – pasta, fresh fish, excellent raw starters and risotto. Another must try place, also recommended by the locals – Osteria Le Arpie.

Urban L’assassineria urbana – for the absolute best pasta a l’assassina!

Panetteria digesu – for the best barese foccacia. Plus the area around this place is very much worth checking out, full of small local shops with cheese, wine, salami.

Il Salumiere Nino and Salumeria Meraviglie – best places to try out some local cheese and salami, plus they make panini, which is always a good idea for a snack.

Gelateria Gentile – for the absolute best ice cream in town!

Enoteca De Candia – oldest wine shop in town, with a huge diversity of local wines.

Mercato Santa Scolastica – for fresh local fish, sea food and vegetables. Plus the neighborhood around it not to be missed.

Small fish market on Molo Sant’ Antonio – a few local fishermen come here every morning with their daily catch – fresh fish, octopus and other sea food. I loved the idea of having fresh oysters right on the spot for a very decent price!

Some bars that the locals recommended – Cabaret Voltaire, Zaum (also a book store), Birrificio Babylon (for craft beer and a super nice small piazza to spend time outside).

New Records and Wanted Record – for new and second hand records.

In the area

Dy trip in Polignano A Mare

The beautiful Trulli Houses in Alberobello

Map of the trip

Plus an extra map from the team of Free Walking Tours with lots of places to discover, HERE.

And an extra blog post on the same region, from our friend Guillaume, for 716lavie.com, HERE.

Photo gallery