What a difference a few years makes. Bari, on Italy’s “heel”, is speedily moving away from its reputation as a sketchy port city. Previously, its only draw was that it was the gateway to the popular region of Puglia; now it’s morphing into a charming Italian destination in its own right, with a vibrant, youthful population. The region’s mostly balmy weather has given rise to some genuinely buzzy outdoor spaces at restaurants and bars, complementing the busy beaches and traditional culture hits nearby.
With its reinvention almost complete, this coastal city has just hit that sweet spot where it has enough going on for a city break, while also offering a peek into an authentic way of life (don’t expect to hear much English spoken). If you’re heading off into the wider region by train or car, spend a first or last night here to get a taste of urban life or spend a handy night near the airport. This is the ideal time to pay a visit to Bari, whether or not the rest of Puglia is on the cards.
