How to Spend 48 Hours in Bari: Best Things to Do, See, and Eat

As the biggest city in the region – and the second biggest in all of southern Italy – Bari makes a great base for day trips around Puglia and beyond. And while I wouldn’t necessarily spend too long there when you’ve got so many stunning towns nearby, it definitely deserves more than a quick glance on your way out.

Sure, it’s busy, a bit chaotic, and even a little gritty in places, but if you want a real feel for the south of Italy without the crowds of, say, Naples, Bari is absolutely worth your time.

You can easily tick off the main highlights in a day, or stay for 48 hours if you want to properly eat your way around the city (which, let’s be honest, is the best thing you can do in Bari anyway!).

From visiting the famous Orecchiette Street to strolling through Bari Vecchia and seeing the final resting place of the real-life Santa Claus, this guide covers all the best things to do in Bari. And, because I’ve done a lot of food research, you’ll also get a full list of the best places to eat and what to try – because if you love food, Bari is going to spoil you.

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How to get to Bari

Bari’s got its own airport with connections to over 100 destinations – mostly to other European cities, but you can also seasonally book direct flights from New York’s JFK airport. From there, you can easily get to Bari Centrale station in around 20 minutes – you can purchase your ticket on the Ferrotramviaria website. You can also catch a bus to other cities, or grab a taxi with fixed fares.

If you’re travelling from other parts of Italy, Bari has great connections with all parts of the country. The journey from Brindisi takes just over an hour on the express train, or an hour and 20 minutes on a regular one. You can get your ticket on the Trenitalia website.

The Bari Centrale station can be a little overwhelming to navigate at first, as it has 3 main areas, but you can quickly get the hang of it. Trains operated by Trenitalia and Ferrovie del Sud Est all depart from the main station. FSE is the company you’ll be using if you’re taking a train from Bari to Alberobello, which I’ll also describe in full detail in my Alberobello guide soon.

If you’re coming from the direction of Piazza Aldo Moro, you’ll see two smaller buildings on the right. One is for Ferrotramviaria to get to the airport from Bari Centrale. The other is for Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, a company that operates trains between Puglia and Basilicata (where places like Matera are located). There’s also a small cafeteria where you can buy public transport tickets to get around Bari.

The general rule of thumb in Italy is that if you want to find public transport tickets, look for bars, cafeterias, and tabacchi shops, that are small convenience shops selling tobacco products and sometimes serving as bars too!

Where to stay in Bari

If you’re looking to cram in as many Bari attractions as possible, I’d recommend staying somewhere in the Bari Vecchia district. It’s a nice 15-minute walk from the train station, and this way you’ll be within walking distance from all of the main attractions.

If your priority is taking a lot of day trips, there are also plenty of places to stay around the Bari Centrale station. We ended up going for this area, as we wanted to take 3 different day trips during our time in Bari.

We chose Lux 10 – Stazione & Università Apartment*, which was literally opposite the train station, in a building with lifts – perfect if you’re carrying lots of luggage.

Now, full disclosure – there was a problem with the lock, which meant that the handle literally kept falling out. Thankfully, my boyfriend fixed it, but if I was on my own, I’d likely be stuck inside until someone came to help me (which could take a while, as the manager didn’t even respond when I reported it via WhatsApp).

Plus, it was definitely a modern flat, so if you’re after that homely feel, this might not be the place for you. There was also a big stain in the bathroom that the cleaner missed, and there weren’t enough toiletries for a 3-night stay. The kitchen also didn’t have any cooking essentials, so it’s definitely better for eating out (which you’ll want to do in Bari anyway!).

But, all that aside, the flat was really spacious and comfortable (with two balconies and a separate room for our suitcases), and the building was very quiet. We paid €367.86 for 3 nights, plus €2 per person per night in city tax, which you could pay online.

You can find the available accommodation options for your dates below:

Best things to do in Bari

Walk around Bari Vecchia

It feels almost silly to include Bari Vecchia – Bari’s Old Town – on this list, because you literally couldn’t miss it if you tried. Still, it totally deserves its own section.

Even though Bari is quite a popular city these days, the Old Town still has that authentic, lived-in charm. People often leave their doors wide open and either sit outside or let you peek into their homes as you walk past. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s day or night – you’ll see people of all ages out hanging out together.

Make sure to stop by Largo Albicocca, also known as the Square of the Lovers. There used to be an apricot tree here, and couples would exchange fruit as a token of love (hence the name). Today, it’s beautifully lit up in the evening, and you’ll often see padlocks on the railings keeping the tradition alive.

Piazza Mercantile is another spot you should visit – and keep an eye out for the Column of Justice while you’re there.

It was used to punish people for not paying their debts or committing petty crimes. They had to sit on the lion statue with their bare bums up in the air and their hands tied to the column – then stay like that for a day or two while everyone they’d wronged (and random passersby) could walk past and heckle them. You can still see the marks on the column.

And of course, there’s Arco Basso, also known as Orecchiette Street – but more on that in a bit!

Basilica di San Nicola

If there’s one place you absolutely have to visit in Bari, it’s the Basilica of Saint Nicholas.

Saint Nicholas was a bishop who lived in what’s now Turkey between the 3rd and 4th century AD. Known for his generosity and the miracles he performed to help the poor, he’s actually the person who inspired the figure of Santa Claus!

After Muslim Turks invaded the area where he was buried, a group of Italian sailors and merchants decided to bring his remains somewhere safer. In 1087, they brought the relics to Bari, and construction of the basilica began.

It finished in 1197, and ever since, it’s been a major pilgrimage destination for both Catholics and Orthodox Christians. You can go in for free – and yes, Saint Nicholas’s tomb is still there, in the crypt underneath the basilica.

What’s wild is that ever since his burial (first in Turkey, now in Bari), his relics have been exuding a mysterious liquid known as the Manna of Saint Nicholas. Italian scientists confirmed it’s just water – probably from condensation, which makes sense when you think about it (the tomb’s underground and right by the sea!)

Still, because it’s in direct contact with his bones, many people consider it sacred. Every year on 9th May – the anniversary of his arrival in Bari – a group of church officials opens the tomb and collects the Manna. Once it’s diluted with water, tourists can even buy little vials of it.

And as a Pole, I was surprised to learn that the marble tomb of Queen Bona Sforza is behind the main altar. There aren’t any signs about it in the cathedral, so if I hadn’t read about it beforehand, I’d have had no idea it was there!

Museo Nicolaiano

We actually ended up here completely by chance. While looking for a shop that sells the Manna of Saint Nicholas, I spotted a small one just behind the Basilica. Inside, you can buy various religious items, including the Manna – priced at €15 as of June 2025.

Turns out, the Museo Nicolaiano is in the same building. Entry normally costs €8, but the clerk asked if we wanted to visit for free – maybe because we made a purchase, or just because it was nearly closing time.

The museum tells the story of Saint Nicholas and his connection to Bari. You’ll find ancient relics, paintings, old parchments, bottles once used to hold the Manna, and other objects from the Basilica’s archive. It’s a peaceful little space, and there’s even a café if you fancy a coffee break.

The ticket is quite pricey, so unless you’re really into this slice of history, I wouldn’t go out of your way. But if you are, it’s definitely worth a look – we wouldn’t have gone there otherwise, but seeing 1,000-year-old objects that looked surprisingly modern was genuinely fascinating.

Stroll along the Lungomare promenade

One of my favourite things to do in Bari was walking along the seafront. Since Bari Vecchia is surrounded by water, you can start your walk pretty much anywhere.

The left side mainly overlooks the ferry port and isn’t that scenic (you also can’t get close to the water). If you head right, this is where you’ll find locals hanging out or walking down the promenade.

We saw entire families – four generations deep – set up deck chairs and spend the evening drinking, snacking, and chatting. One group even brought along a full-sized chest freezer. Yes, a freezer. I have no idea what was in it, but I respect the commitment.

Coming from a country where older generations often stay home and public spaces are mostly full of younger people, it always warms my heart to see everyone – young and old – out enjoying life together.

Just past the beautiful Teatro Margherita, you’ll reach Porto Vecchio and Molo San Nicola. It’s a great spot to grab lunch as the fishermen come back in with the day’s catch.

Bari is the place to go if you want to try fresh seafood, and sea urchins are a big local delicacy. But just so you know – there’s currently a 3-year ban on harvesting them for sustainability reasons. So, if someone tries to sell you some, give it a pass – as this means they didn’t harvest them legally.

You can also grab a drink at El Chiringuito, a no-frills bar that’s a local favourite for cold Peroni and panzerotti (fried calzone-style snacks filled with tomato and mozzarella). They actually pride themselves on selling so much Peroni that they keep smashing their own records on a regular basis!

Castello Svevo

In the old part of Bari, you’ll also find one of the city’s most famous landmarks – Castello Svevo, or the Norman-Swabian Castle.

It was originally built in 1132 by King Roger II, right at the tail end of Norman rule in the region. Less than 25 years later, it was destroyed by the King of Sicily, only to be rebuilt in the 13th century by another Sicilian ruler.

Over the centuries, the castle changed hands a few times and eventually ended up with Bona Sforza, Queen of Poland (yes, the one whose tomb I mentioned in the Basilica of San Nicola). After her death, they turned the castle into a prison, then a military barracks, and now it hosts exhibitions you can visit for €10.

It was closed when we visited, so I can’t say if it’s worth the price – but I can tell you that Gelateria Gentile, the oldest ice cream shop in Bari, is just across the street. So, even if the castle’s shut, at least you can still get some amazing gelato (and I’ll tell you all about it in the next section!).

Arco Basso street

Right across from the castle entrance, you’ll see an arch that leads into Arco Basso street – also known as the famous Strada delle Orecchiette.

Like most regions in Italy, Puglia has its own pasta shape, and here it’s orecchiette (which means “little ears”). One of the most traditional local dishes is orecchiette con cime di rapa – a pasta with turnip greens or broccoli rabe.

On this street, you’ll usually find a few Italian nonnas sitting outside their homes, shaping fresh pasta by hand and selling it to people. When we visited, there were only a couple of stalls still open – though that might’ve been because it was already around 7 pm.

Or, it could’ve been due to the scandal that broke out in early 2025, when it turned out some nonnas had been selling factory-made pasta as handmade. Yes, there’s even an official investigation underway.

The most famous nonna on the street is Nunzia Caputo, who’s become a bit of a local icon. She was even flown out to India to make pasta for the pre-wedding party of a billionaire (the one where Rihanna performed!), and she’s also represented Bari at a big travel show in New York.

You can buy her pasta or even book a workshop through her website – just watch out for some very funny mistranslations if you’re using Google Translate!

I’d also recommend picking up some taralli while you’re there. They’re crunchy, ring-shaped snacks that are popular in Puglia. The most traditional ones have fennel seeds (semi di finocchio) in them, but if that’s not your thing, there are plenty of other flavours to try!

Book a cooking class

Everyone knows Italian food is incredible, and Puglia has so many regional snacks and dishes you don’t really see in other regions (we’ll get to those in a bit!). The best part is, if you fall in love with them, you can actually learn how to make them yourself.

There are loads of cooking classes around, mostly focused on pasta and focaccia – which is a local speciality in Bari. And just to be clear, focaccia Barese is nothing like the kind you might have had elsewhere – the dough is completely different, with potatoes mixed in, and it’s more pizza-like.

We didn’t have time to squeeze in a class this time, but it’s definitely on the list for our next trip to Bari. I’ll pop a few links of classes we are considering below in case you want to book one!

Relax on the beach

If you know me, you’ll know I’m not really a beach person – but even I couldn’t resist a little beach moment while in Italy. Bari wouldn’t be my first pick for a proper beach day, but it just so happened to be where we had the most free time.

There are a few beaches to choose from, including public ones and private beach clubs (called lidos). The main ones are Pane e Pomodoro, San Francesco, and Spiaggia Torre Quetta, which is a bit further out.

We ended up going to San Francesco, where there’s a lido as well as a free communal area right next to it. Since we knew we’d only get one beach day, we chose the paid section to avoid the biggest crowds. It cost €25 for two loungers and an umbrella for the whole day, which wasn’t bad at all.

There were showers, a few bars, and everything else you might need. Even so, it was still really busy, so I can only imagine how packed the free area must’ve been. Also, the sand was ridiculously hot – like, actually painful to walk on barefoot – so I was very glad to have the loungers.

The only downside was the few vendors walking between the chairs trying to sell sunglasses, jewellery, and random dresses. They weren’t pushy though, just a bit annoying after a while.

Take day trips to the nearby towns

One of the best things about staying in Bari is how easy it is to explore the towns nearby – and there are so many, you could easily spend a couple of weeks just driving around and still not see everything.

Some of the most popular places are Alberobello, famous for its trulli houses; Locorotondo, a lovely little hilltop town with whitewashed streets; Polignano a Mare, with its cliffs and clear blue water; and the coastal town of Monopoli.

If you fancy going a bit further, Matera in the neighbouring region of Basilicata is a must-see place – the ancient cave dwellings there are incredible, and it’s one of the oldest cities in the world!

You could also head further south to Brindisi, Lecce (sometimes called the “Florence of the South”), and Ostuni, the white city that looks straight out of a postcard.

I’m working on travel guides for most of these – the one for Brindisi is already live, and I’ll add links to the rest here once they’re ready. So feel free to check back if you’re planning some day trips from Bari!

What food should you try in Puglia?

People often describe Apulian cuisine as la cucina povera – literally “peasant food” – but don’t let the name fool you.

It’s all about making the most of humble, seasonal ingredients. The dishes often use just a handful of simple ingredients so nothing goes to waste, and somehow everything ends up rich and full of flavour.

• Orecchiette – Puglia’s signature pasta, shaped like little ears. You’ll most often find it with cime di rapa (turnip tops), broccoli, or in a rich tomato sauce with little meatballs.
• Focaccia Barese – A thick, soft focaccia with potatoes mixed into the dough, topped with cherry tomatoes, olives, and plenty of olive oil.
• Panzerotti – Fried dough pockets filled with melted mozzarella and tomato – like deep-fried mini calzones.
• Rustico leccese – A flaky pastry from the south of Puglia, filled with béchamel, mozzarella, and a bit of tomato, then baked until golden.
• Friselle – Dry, twice-baked bread rings that get soaked in water before eating. Traditionally eaten by fishermen and farmers thanks to their long shelf life.
• Bombette – Small pork rolls stuffed with cheese (and sometimes herbs or cured meat), then grilled.
• Taralli – Round wheat crackers, similar to mini bagels or breadsticks. The traditional ones are with fennel seeds (semi di finocchio), but you can also find many other flavours.
• Pettole – Light, fluffy balls of fried dough. Some are plain, others have sweet or savoury fillings.
• Pasticciotto – A shortcrust pastry filled with warm vanilla custard, though you’ll often find pistachio versions now too.
• Sgagliozze – While polenta is more of a northern thing (see my Bergamo guide), in Bari they cut it into squares, fry it, and serve it as salty street food. The most famous spot to try them in Bari is Maria delle Sgagliozze, where they serve them straight from Maria’s doorstep.

Where to eat in Bari

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele

If you’ve already been to the original in Naples (or one of the many restaurants they’ve opened around the world), you can probably skip this one. But I hadn’t – and when we were in Naples, most places were closed (yes, really – a mid-August trip to the south is not something I’d recommend unless you enjoy wandering empty streets in 35°C heat).

So when I saw that Bari had its very own L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, I wasn’t about to miss my Eat, Pray, Love moment – even though, honestly, I didn’t even like the film that much.

We usually order different pizzas so we can try more options, but this time we both went for the classic margherita. It just felt wrong to get anything else. One thing you should know: these pizzas are massive. Like, comically large. I tried to take a photo with my hand for scale, but even that did not do it justice. So if you’re not super hungry, you might want to share one.

They also have their own line of beers – I tried the red one, which was really good, and I can definitely recommend it.

El Focacciaro

One of the absolute must-tries in Bari is Focaccia Barese – but don’t go in expecting the kind of focaccia you might’ve had elsewhere.

The dough here is made with potatoes, which gives it a soft, fluffy texture, and it’s usually topped with cherry tomatoes, olives, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. The result is something that sits somewhere between bread and pizza, and it’s perfect street food.

Locals often grab a slice to-go and eat it like a snack. When I was planning the trip, I went a little overboard and wrote down tons of bakeries to try. One of those was El Focacciaro, and when I saw they were on Too Good To Go, we grabbed two bags thinking they’d make a nice beach snack. How big could they be, right?

Turns out: massive. We ended up eating them for breakfast and dinner for the rest of our Bari stay and… well, the rest of the focaccia research kind of went out the window. No regrets though – it was delicious, and I’d really recommend stopping there.

In case you want to do your own focaccia crawl, here are the places I had on my list: Panificio Fiore, Panificio Santa Rita, Panificio Magda, Panificio Violante, Panificio Roma, Panificio Veronese. If you manage to try more than one, I’d love to know your ranking!

Al Sorso Preferito

Another local gem to try in Bari is Spaghetti all’Assassina – a dish you’re unlikely to find outside the city, let alone in other parts of Italy. The name translates to “assassin’s spaghetti”, and it was born right here at Al Sorso Preferito in the 1960s.

Instead of being boiled, the spaghetti is cooked directly in a pan with tomato passata, garlic, olive oil, and a serious hit of chilli – a technique more similar to making risotto than pasta. The spaghetti is left to char in the pan, developing a smoky, crispy edge and an intense flavour.

There are a couple of stories about how the dish got its name. One says a customer asked the chef for something fiery and different, and when the heat kicked in, they jokingly accused him of trying to kill them with spice.

Another version, told by the current chef at Al Sorso Preferito, is that the dish’s name comes from its “murderous” cooking method – the spaghetti is “killed” in the pan, hissing and spitting as it crisps and caramelises.

These days it’s not quite as fiery as legend suggests, and while it’s not something I’d eat every day, it’s definitely worth trying once. If you want to taste it at Al Sorso Preferito, book ahead – we turned up minutes after opening and only just snagged one of the last tables. If you have no luck getting a table, you can also head to Urban – L’Assassineria Urbana, where Stanley Tucci gave this dish a go.

Gentile

I don’t usually go out of my way for gelato – I’ll almost always choose a pastry instead – but Gelateria Gentile completely won me over. If I’d had the stomach space, I’d have happily stopped there every day just to work my way through the flavour board (and, to be honest, the pastry case too).

It’s the oldest gelateria in Bari, with roots going back to 1880. What’s a bit different here is how they serve the gelato. You don’t pay per scoop, like in most places. Instead, you choose your waffle cone or cup size, and they’ll fit in as much as it can reasonably hold. If you’re not sure, you can just say how many flavours you want to try and they’ll suggest a size that works.

I’d also recommend picking up a sporcamuss. It’s a local Pugliese pastry whose name roughly translates to dirty mouth – which makes sense once you get a face full of flaky puff pastry, custardy filling, and powdered sugar. Messy, but totally worth it.

Caffé Cognetti

Now, I’m about to say something that might ruffle a few Italian feathers: I’m not the biggest fan of Italian coffee. There, I said it. I don’t really do espresso, the whole “no cappuccino after 11” thing grates on me, and while most coffees in Italy are perfectly fine, they rarely blow me away.

So when I found Caffè Cognetti in Bari, which is a proper specialty coffee spot, I was genuinely excited. We tried the espresso tonic, which was so refreshing I could’ve happily downed two in a row, but I went for an iced latte instead (and was thrilled to get an actual iced latte, not just hot coffee poured over ice cubes, as you sometimes get in more traditional places).

The pistachio tiramisu was unreal too. I’m not even a massive tiramisu fan, but this one was so creamy, rich, and light all at once – I’d order it again in a heartbeat.

The only downside was that, like in many cafés in Italy, there’s a €1 per person coperto charge if you want to sit and have your coffees brought to the table (paid once, not for each cup). Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing if you’re planning a trip to Puglia.

Casa Saicaf x Salvatore Petriella

Saicaf is a coffee brand that started right here in Bari back in 1932, so of course we wanted to give it a try. One evening, while walking through the city, we spotted Casa Saicaf – a beautifully designed, modern café – and made a mental note to come back.

The coffee itself is exactly the kind I mentioned earlier – good, correct, does the job, but not the sort of thing you’ll be dreaming about once you’re home. But what really surprised me were the pastries.

We had Salvatore Petriella’s pastry lab – the café of one of Bari’s most celebrated pastry chefs, attached to Teatro Petruzzelli – on our list, but ran out of time to visit. So imagine my delight when I realised that Casa Saicaf is actually a joint venture with Petriella himself, meaning you can try his creations right here.

There’s also a restaurant upstairs, but oddly enough, it had a bit of a dated, 1950s look that didn’t match the sleek, contemporary vibe downstairs. Still, for a quick coffee and a truly excellent pastry, Casa Saicaf is a cool place to visit.

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Which Bari experience are you most excited to try first?

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