Discover Bari: Old Town, Museums and Sea

Bari combines a medieval old town with museums, churches, theatre culture and an urban landscape oriented towards the sea. Bari Vecchia makes this connection particularly visible: the historic centre is enclosed by walls and lies on limestone rock oriented towards the sea. Added to this is the Lungomare di Bari, a promenade that runs through a large part of the city.

Historic Bari between fortress and cathedrals

At the edge of the historic centre, near the harbour area and the cathedral, stands the Castello Svevo di Bari. The imposing 12th-century fortress is now used as a museum. The first floor was reopened for public use in 2017 following restoration and musealisation work. In the vicinity of Bari there is also the Castello Normanno - Svevo, a castle.

The medieval Benedictine monastery of Santa Scolastica has an attached 16th-century bastion and now houses the Archaeological Museum of the Metropolitan City of Bari. The archaeological tour there leads from the 800s through the Middle Ages to protohistory. The Archeologia di Bari department traces the city's development from the Middle Ages to the Bronze Age on the basis of preserved archaeological layers.

Religious buildings also shape the cityscape. The Basilica di San Nicola houses the relics of Saint Nicholas and features Romanesque architecture characteristic of Norman architecture. In the museum adjoining the Cattedrale di Bari, historical, artistic and liturgical artefacts are accessible to visitors. In the vicinity of Bari there are also the Museo della Cattedrale, a museum, the Museo Diocesano Bari, also a museum, and the Palazzo Simi, a palace.

Museums, theatre and different perspectives

The collection of the Museo Civico is housed in a medieval fortified complex on the edge of Bari's old town. With advance reservation, the Museo Civico offers guided tours and educational workshops. The Pinacoteca Corrado Giaquinto is located on the fourth floor of the historic Palazzo della Provincia di Bari. It can be accessed via the main entrance on the Lungomare Nazario Sauro or the side entrance on Via Spalato; audio guides in Italian and English provide a critical explanation of the masterpieces on display.

For a visit to the Basilica di San Nicola, there is also an immersive virtual 360-degree tour of the interior. The Teatro Petruzzelli provides another cultural focal point: it is Bari's largest theatre and, measured by its size, is one of Italy's major theatres. The programme includes musicals and concerts by national and international artists.

Bari Vecchia, sea and local everyday culture

The lanes of Bari Vecchia lead through a dense historic setting with around forty churches and more than one hundred votive chapels. In the vicinity of Bari there are also Spiaggia Pane e Pomodoro, a beach, the Arco Delle Meravigli, a natural arch, as well as Piazza Garibaldi, a garden, and the Giardini di Piazza Cesare Battisti, a garden complex.

A special local scene awaits you on Via Arcobasso, which is also known as Via Orecchiette. There, visitors can watch women from Bari preparing fresh pasta. This creates a varied cultural focus for planning your trip: you can combine historic spaces, religious buildings, archaeological layers, performing arts, the waterfront promenade and local cuisine in different ways. When choosing a hotel in Bari, it helps to decide in advance whether museums and churches, Bari Vecchia, the theatre or the sea-oriented cityscape should be the focus of your stay.

More places for planning your trip to Italy: Locorotondo, Alberobello, Castellana Grotte, Conversano, Noci, Gioia Del Colle, Bari, Turi, San Paolo, Sannicandro Di Bari, Sammichele Di Bari, Ruvo Di Puglia, Putignano, Rutigliano, Modugno, Gravina In Puglia, Giovinazzo, Bisceglie, Mariotto, Capurso, Andria, Noicattaro, Impalata, Spinazzola, Gorgofreddo, Quasano, La Pergola, Losciale, Torre A Mare, Antonelli, Cellamare, Ceglie Del Campo, Bitonto, Triggiano, Cozzana, Palo del Colle, Polignano A Mare, Monopoli, San Giorgio, Bitritto, Triggianello, Terlizzi, Macchia Di Monte, Molfetta, Santo Spirito, Altamura, San Bartolomeo, Santa Lucia, Bitetto, Lamie di Olimpia, Grumo Appula, Adelfia, Poggiorsini, Santeramo In Colle, Mola Di Bari, Cassano Delle Murge, Valenzano, Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Corato, Casamassima, Cozze, Minervino Murge

For the higher-level travel overview: Apulia.