The city of Bari in Italy is the capital of the Apulia region, a rather large port connecting Italy with Greece, Croatia and Montenegro, as well as the second most important economic center of the southern part of the country. There are no large enterprises, the economy is developing due to the agricultural sector, trade, transport and tourism. Bari owes its tourist attraction to the Orthodox courtyard church, which contains the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as to numerous castles located in the vicinity of the city.
But do not think that Holidays in Bari - These are only excursions to religious and historical places. Bari is also a long coastline washed by two seas at once - the Ionian and Adriatic. The coast has many excellent beaches where you can not only enjoy the sea and the sun, but also go deep-sea swimming or go on a small cruise on a boat or yacht.
Bari is a port connecting Italy with Greece, Croatia and Montenegro.
The history of Bari in Italy is closely connected with the Greeks who ruled here in the 5th century BC, and then with the Romans who captured the coast during the Pyrrhic War. Initially, the city was an ordinary fishing harbor, which later turned into a large trade and economic center thanks to the construction of the Trajan's road connecting Rome and Brundisium.
In the IX century, Barium (as Bari was once called) fell into the hands of the Saracens, who founded the Bari Emirate here, and also built a powerful fortress. Then the Byzantines passed the power over the fortress, from them to the Normans, then the duke dynasty ruled the city, which led to its decline, and after the dukes - Isabella of Naples, who managed to restore the former greatness of Bari. Isabella was replaced by her daughter Bon Sforza, after whose death the duchy again became part of the Kingdom of Naples.
Castello Zvevo Castle was erected in the XII century.
Climate and weather in Bari
The climate in Bari is typically Mediterranean - very warm and dry summers and mild winters. In summer, the temperature reaches + 28 + 30С, in winter it almost never drops below + 5С, negative temperatures are very rare here. Precipitation occurs infrequently; the greatest number of rainy days falls in the autumn months.
Warm weather in bari It begins in April, and in May, when the sea warms up to + 20С off the coast, the beach season opens, which lasts until mid-October, and in the warmer years, until early November.
How to get to Bari
Get to Bari city in Italy You can either independently or by choosing an organized tour. In any case, the fastest and most convenient way is a plane. Despite the fact that there are no direct flights from Russia to Bari (2016), airlines offer a wide variety of options for flights with transfers (you can find the most convenient flight here).
Palese Airport, which accepts both domestic and international flights, is located 8 kilometers from the center of Bari. The airport and the city are connected by a bus route, operating from 5:00 to 23:00.
Ferries connect Bari with the Greek islands of Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos.
In addition, you can take a taxi from the airport - this is somewhat more expensive than a bus ride, but much faster and more convenient, especially if you have a lot of luggage. More details about all the ways to get to Bari from the airport BlogoItaliano painted in this special article.
You can also order a taxi to Bari from other cities in Italy: in particular, there is an option to order an online transfer from Naples and Rimini. You can calculate the actual cost of such a trip here.
Another type of transport that allows you to get to the city is the train. From Rome to Bari train station, the train takes about 4 hours, from Taranto or Benevento - about 1.5 hours, from Caserta - 3 hours. You can find tickets for convenient dates here.
You can get to Bari by car - private or rented. In the case of car rental, we recommend using the Rentalcars car rental price comparison service - the easiest and most convenient way to rent a car in Italy without overpaying. In more detail about him and other useful life hacks for motorists BlogoItaliano wrote in the article Rent a car in Italy: 5 most useful services for auto trip.
In addition, thanks to the numerous ferry routes, you can easily reach both from Greece to Bari and Bari to Greece. In particular, ferries connect Bari with the islands of Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, as well as the cities on the mainland - Patras and Igoumenitsa. During the high season, it makes sense to buy ferry tickets in advance online (link to the service), and how to do this is described in detail here. By the way, this is a great way to diversify your trip to Italy: go to Corfu for 1-2 days - one of the most interesting and fashionable Greek islands.
Hotels in Bari
Bari has a lot of excellent hotels that can satisfy any needs of tourists: these are elite five-star apartments, and more modest but no less comfortable economy class hotels.
To book hotel in bari better in advance, especially if the time of your trip coincides with any Orthodox holidays - during this period many pilgrims flock to the city who want to bow to Nicholas the Wonderworker, so stress can arise with available rooms at an affordable price.
The best selection of hotels with photos, detailed maps, distances to attractions and reviews of tourists is located at the link below. It is also possible to book a room online.
What to see in and around Bari
For those who like to attend organized excursions, we immediately recommend that you take a closer look at the assortment in Bari on this page. Those who are accustomed to relying on themselves should start with the fact that Bari is divided into two parts - the Old and the New Town. The Old Bari, located between the two harbors, houses ancient buildings dating back to the pre-Roman period, as well as many churches, a basilica and a palazzo.
Walking around the old part of the city, you should definitely visit Castello Zvevo Castle - a magnificent building surrounded by powerful walls, built in the XII century. Now the castle houses a historical museum, which often hosts various exhibitions and other cultural events. No less interesting is the Bari Cathedral, built in the XII-XIII centuries, the church of St. Mark, built in honor of the liberation of the city from the Saracens, as well as the palaces of the nobles.
The Basilica of St. Nicholas, erected in Bari in the XI century.
But the main attraction of the city of Bari, which brought him world fame - Basilica of St. Nicholas, built in the XI century, after the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were brought to the city. The basilica is built in the Romanesque style in the shape of a Latin cross. Both the exterior and the inside of the basilica are decorated with relief carvings, columns, and many sculptures.
Not far from the entrance to the basilica there is a sculpture of St. Nicholas - once a year, during the celebration of St. Nicholas Day, the faithful take the statue out of the temple and solemnly march along the streets of Bari. In the lower part of the temple you will see a miraculous column, which was brought from Turkey along with the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - it is believed that touching this column promises healing from diseases.
Cancer with the relics of St. Nicholas in the Basilica of St. Nicholas
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Patriarchal Metochion of St. Nicholas was built in Bari with a church and premises for pilgrims from Russia. Funds for the construction of the Compound were collected in all Russian churches, and Emperor Nicholas II, who donated 10 thousand rubles, also contributed.
The Compound received the first pilgrims in 1914, and less than a year later the buildings were transferred to the Italian Red Cross, and later to the city municipality. And only in 2008, by the decision of the Italian government, the temple and the courtyard were returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.
New Bari, dating back to 1819, is a city of art and culture. This part of the city is built on the example of European cities of that time: long straight streets, many squares with fountains, parks, gardens. In the New Town, the Petrucelli Theater is a magnificent two-story building with beautiful white decor, painted inside with frescoes by Rafael Armenise. Such celebrities as Frank Sinatra, Lisa Minelli, Ray Charles, Riccardo Muti, Luciano Pavarotti performed at the theater.
The White Cave in the Grottoes of Castellana
The Provincial Pinakothek is also noteworthy - tourists coming to rest in Bari are given the opportunity to see collections of works by famous Italian artists.
In the vicinity of the city you can find many medieval castles, as well as the famous caves of Castellana - a complex of underground labyrinths, the total length of which is about 3 kilometers.
Bari beaches
Due to the very long coastal strip washed by the Ionian Sea on one side and the Adriatic on the other, beaches in bari enough to accommodate everyone.
Bread and Tomato Beach is a 10-minute walk from the city center
The largest beach, bearing the funny name "Bread and Tomato", is located a 10-minute walk from the city center. There are many excellent beaches in the vicinity of Bari - Monopoli, Barletta, Polignano a Mare.
