When we decided to have a summer vacation we chose Bari because of several factors, but mostly because it is not highly promoted in Romania so we knew it is very unlikely to get Romanian flavors there… And it was the case, though, as only a few citizens from our country did the same and visited the region. Now, to describe the experience. It didn’t start wonderful, as we should have departed on 2nd of August, but the flight got cancelled and we were forced to take another night and to depart on 1st of August. A flight that had 2 hours and 33 minutes delay as well. Practically, Wizzair forced us to have an extra accommodation day, but in the end, it proved to be in our best interest. Now, let the story begin, as I have mentioned we need to discuss about 10 things you should do when you arrive in Apulia, the region of Italy where Bari, the ninth city as inhabitants, is located.
1. Have dinner at Buenalleggre!
Fortunately for us, we found the perfect dinning location from the beginning, and this was Buenalleggre, a restaurant located in the heart of the Citta Vecchia. Pizza Poverella, the beer, some rum, were the menu of the evening: perfect taste, only 8 euros for the dish and very quick and gentle service. One thing did I learn from here and from the next evening experience: if you find a place to eat and you love it, stick the f*ck with it!!! We have tried to experience a different location the following evening, but the experience was so catastrophic that we returned here to repair something. The squid salad and their warm appetizers are stunning as well and one thing I was shocked about is that, letting alone the fact that Italy is great in making coffee, it is also very cheap! I mean… to pay less than 1.5 EUR at a restaurant, in the heart of the city, it is something nobody can imagines in Bucharest. And we are talking about Romania, not Italy!
2. Eat tones of gelato!
Now, I cannot recommend a specific location for gelato because all Italian gelato – or at least in Apulia – is great! I mean, for us it was without any doubt a great experience each time. Regardless we ate from Bari, Alberobello or Pogliano a Mare – I will write about each in some terms, don’t worry – the ice desert was wonderful. Also, reasonable when it comes to price. A huge ice-cream, with three giant cups, costs maximum 3.5 EUR. You cannot get something like this in Titan Park from Bucharest, of course. Flavors? All! The best, by far was, of course the one made of… figs in a nice store just against the main beach where we took a sunbath. The name of the store, a quite organic one is Latte Naura. You will find everything you need in a hot summer day there, believe me!
3. Have a walk, sightseeing and wonderful cheese in Alberobello
Initially found out by accident of Alberobello. An UNESCO heritage site, it is unique worldwide, so I knew we need to see it, even though the road-trip with the bus, almost three hours to and back was not the most comfortable. Once you are there, though, despite the killer heat, you can enjoy the eternal white of the surroundings and especially the one-of-a-kind roofs. Since the village is not that large, though, you can find plenty of time to go on a rooftop to see it better, to understand how a church looks like between these special houses and what kind of cheese the region promotes. You have several options, and all local people are incredible charming and warm. Alberobello is not an option for a trip in Apullia, it is a MUST!
4. Watch your soles when you go to Polignano a Mare!
As beautiful this location is, an ideal perfect post-cards generator, as challenging the beaches are. OK, they are wonderful, but mostly rocky. And if you don’t have specific snickers to walk on them, you have an issue. The pictures from below show you the most iconic beaches from Polignano a Mare. I don’t need to name them, because you will spot them exactly when time comes. It is harder not to. I mean the landscape gravitates around those, especially one particular: Lama Monachile. The location is only 33 kilometers away from Bari and you can reach it very facile, in 20 minutes, with a high-speed train. Italy has indeed some great options when it comes to travel via railways!
5. Walking or… running on Lungomare di Bari over and over again, day and night
The Adriatic See is great! You would want to see it day and night, and I am not exagerating. Because the topping for the wonderful landscape is exactly the promenade, Lungomare di Bari. Both for romantic walks or recreational activities, including running – managed a 3 kilometer under 4:30 pace. The portion between the entrance on the main beach of the city and the town’s harbor is exactly the one you must experience as much as you can. With its palm trees from place to place, the exotism of the location is growing exponentially.
6. Walk and observe the houses from Bari Vecchia, but watch out for… scooters!
To see the white-haired pensioners that chat just outside their kitchens, located against the waves that splash the walls of the town, can be a great thing and I strongly recommend making the experience stronger by entering the core of Bari Vechhia, it is a wonderful fully white place. Though, there is one more important catch: locals love to move with scooters, the streets are very narrow, and they don’t necessary slow down, nor are intimidated by pedestrians so you need to watch your back, just not to have any unpleasant surprise. It is quite difficult, as the general land scape will steal your attention in many ways and in many occasions, but I am pretty confident you’ll be just fine in the end, since we managed both to enjoy the walks and also to protect our integrity! 😀
7. Stay all day long on the beach island
It is just a conventional name found by me exactly now, don’t know its name or if it even has a name, but against Bari’s main beach, already mentioned above, there is a small island, 100 meters further, where you can go and lay down – on sand, this time! – all day long. It is more quiet and fewer people are joining. The cross there is just 100 meters through maybe 70 centimeters high water, but still it is a better experience than just standing on the main shore. Now, it would be a bit complicated to procure a water bottle and to go for a run – as I have did, honestly speaking – but in the end, the overall experience surpass it all. I mean, I’ve just literally stood lying on the sand and feeling the warm water touching my back. The swim in the area is also mandatory – from my perspective!
8. Eat breakfast at Spizzico, in Bari Centrale
I am not going to lie, comparing to the prices we got accustomed in Bari, Spizzico is quite expensive. A good breakfast for two, with everything needed, is around 30 euro. Of course, it is decent for this region of the world, but not quite normal comparing to what Bari is offering in terms of price. I won’t spoil the goodies you can find there, but what I can advise you is that the staff is, indeed, very polite and supportive with the needs of the customers – at least it is my impression. As a side tip linked to this, the train station in Bari – this is Bari Centrale – looks more like a building from Mexico or from Central America. The palm trees surrounding it reinforces this impression so, go there, make your pictures, drink your coffee and eat the delicious pastries.
9. Enjoy a proseco glass on the rooftop of Palazzo Mincuzzi
By chance, our accommodation was on the fifth floor of Palazzo Mincuzzi, the most impressive – or at least one of the most impressive – from Bari. Situated exactly in the heart of the shopping main street of the town, the modern center of Bari, it hosts Gucci and United Colors of Benetton stores and a wonderful rooftop with very quick access if you choose to stay at B&B Luxury Suites. Well, they are not quite luxury, but the staff is also very polite and supportive and the facility I am talking about here, deserves to book a room there. Be careful! Not at 1st floor, even though the rooms are bigger. Still, it will be a bit more complicated to reach the rooftop with all its great facilities.
10. Drink coffee as much as you can!
If Italians don’t know how to make good coffee, then nobody knows! Alongside gelato, the coffee was an often must-have with every occasion. OK, I am not an espresso guy, I like larger cups, to enjoy more the taste and the savor, but espresso is also, always, a great option in Italy. What stunned me also is that the price is also reasonable. For example, in the airport, you can drink an americano with 1.3 EUR, while in the restaurants from the center, Bari Vecchia, nowhere seems to be more expensive than 2.2 EUR which, honestly speaking, is nothing. It is not necessary a tip this one, as I imagine you know the culture next to the Italian coffee. But I prefer just to remind it, in case you are distracted by other great things in Apulia! 🙂
