Bari & Valle d'Itria

Bari's old town and the Basilica of San Nicola, plus the trulli of the Valle d'Itria, the White City of Ostuni and the clifftop town of Polignano a Mare.

Bari is the capital of Puglia in southern Italy. It sits on the Adriatic coast and is the gateway to the Valle d'Itria. This destination has three parts. The first is the city of Bari: the Basilica of San Nicola, the Cattedrale di San Sabino, the castle and the orecchiette pasta street in the old town on its peninsula, plus the seafront promenade and Teatro Petruzzelli in the new town. The second is the southeast coast, with the clifftop town of Polignano a Mare, the fishing port of Monopoli and the ruins of Egnazia. The third is the inland Valle d'Itria: the trulli of Alberobello, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Cisternino and the "White City" of Ostuni, with white trulli and ancient olive groves scattered across the valley. The seaside cathedral at Trani to the north of Bari and the Castellana Caves to the southeast are also classic day trips. The best seasons are May–Jun and Sep–Oct, when the weather is mild and you can swim. July–August is hot, the seaside towns are packed and accommodation is expensive. Getting around: a train runs from Bari airport straight into the city, coastal towns can be reached by Trenitalia trains, and the inland valley has FSE private rail and buses but with few departures. Driving is the best option (watch out for the ZTL restricted zones in old towns). We suggest 4–6 days: 1 day in Bari, 1 day in the seaside towns and 2 days in the valley towns, with one night in a trullo if you like. Many shops close in the afternoon (about 1:00–5:00 pm), and some are closed on Sundays.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries