By the time I realized it, the whole trip was arranged (tickets bought and all that)... Still, it was my idea... Based on multiple good recommendations I just went for it - as they say - head first :) so, probably out of enthusiasm, I forgot to "do my homework", meaning to do a proper research on the spot. When reading more and more about the Bari region I discovered it's not really the best sea-side location (not even close to Greek beaches, by the way), but it's a good location to get around and visit some very original and unique locations.
In our attempt to make the best out of our one-week stay in Bari, we planned several day-trips in the region. Bari itself has a specific charm, one or two days should be suffice to feel the beat of this apuglian city. Although during the day it may seem deserted, the old town center comes to life during the evening and night: the beautiful night lights, the view of the sea, the very crowded streets and restaurants... On the one hand, there are the tourists looking for a fine dinner and a good night out; on the other hand, there are the cruise-tourists. What I did not mention, Bari is an important "gate" for the Apuglian region, due to the international airport and also due to the port. A lot of cruises arrive and part to / from Bari port, so most of the tourists are just by-passing trying to make the best of their half-day stay in Bari.
[Bari by night]
There is a very very long promenade by right by the sea. So, if you have time to spend, this is a nice location for a relaxing walk or a bike-ride :-) Also, at sunset the sky lights up in pastel colors... I only had my phone along, but there's no telling what a professional camera and an experienced photographer could come up with ;) The sea, the sky, the feeling on this sea-promenade reminded me of Venice and Venetian waters. Don't you think?
[Bari promenade]
Bari is not the best location for sun and sea bathing, it's waters are sometimes polluted and the public beach has red flag (bathing prohibited). So if you travel to Bari for sea-side you may be really disappointed. In the northern part of the city, there are however some sandy private beaches that look much more welcoming.
Once you've discovered Bari (and most opinions state that 1-2 days are suffice), it's time to further explore the Apuglian region; only by traveling around you can get the better southern-Italy experience and feeling. As we were to discover, there are some pretty impressive locations near-by.
Out of the many recommended locations, we chose a few that seemed worth seeing. Travel options go from rental cars to buses and trains. Ah... traffic there can be quite a stress... I'd go for the train :) though you don't have the full flexibility of a car-traveler...
Monopoli town is reachable by train, about one hour train ride south from Bari. The old town center, and promenade by the sea are quite romantic, but the beach is small and quite disappointing. Actually most of the recommended beaches in the region are quite disappointing, once you've seen any Greek or Croatian beach :-) ... so my advice is Avoid the beaches and stick to visiting!
We found a nice restaurant where I ate the best pasta... I don't really remember the name of the place, but it's probably listed somewhere on Tripadvisor.
[Monopoli]
Once you reach Alberobello, you will be impressed by the crowded little streets packed with shops, restaurants and flooded by tourists.
[Trulli of Alberobello]
Also part of UNESCO World Heritage and clearly a must see, the city of Matera, know for it's historical town center, Sassi. I admired the cultural richness of the Apuglian region, the unique places to visit. Every place was different, impressive and fabulous in it's specific way, but Matera topped them all...
[Matera]
Southern Italy is home to some magnificent places so be sure to cover as much as possible when coming to this region.
For me, the most impressive location was Polignano a Mare. To sum it all up, it's a breathtaking scenery, a crowded beach with clean waters and cliff divers.
As breathtaking as it looks, the beach is quite rocky and very very crowded (like towel next to towel crowded), but the water and the waves are just great! You just can't get out of the water :)
However, we found the cutest little place (Mint Restaurant) where we had this super-delicious detox meal... I remember all the restaurants on the main streets were crowded, full or tables reserved... It was quite a challenge to find a place to eat, but the search paid off because the little place on a side-road of the old town center, was just great!
[Mint restaurant]
[Polignano a Mare]
I'd like to end this post with a bit of last minute advice, if you're not familiar with the Italian way :)
If you choose public transportation, please have in mind the following: If nobody is descending from the bus / train, you usually have to wave your hand to the driver, as a sign that you want to get in... otherwise you may have the unpleasant surprise that they don't stop just pass by the station... [ just in case you are wondering, yes... it happened to us :-/ ]..
My second remark is that English doesn't always do the trick.. (yup.. also learnt that-one when ordering something and receiving something totally different). So, be prepared with some Italian basic words or just stick to places recommended by Tripadvisor and English-speaking.
Except for some misunderstandings (mainly the stuff just mentioned above), we have a great time in southern Italy, Apuglian region... Probably we only got to discover a small bit of the region, but overall we were very impressed.
