BARI & THE TERRA DI 59 Bari Puglia Ruvo di (camps) and castles Barletta Castel del Monte castra Murge Barbera Biomasseria ( p81 ) and then sit down to a long ) and then sit down to a long p81 ( Lama di Luna Masseria Minervino Minervino Murge ( p76 ) Ruvo di Ruvo di ( p81 ) are utterly authentic, and the rural and religious traditions traditions authentic, and the rural and religious utterly are ( p72 ) in Ruvo ) in Ruvo p72 ( Barletta ( p71 ), ( p82 ) terra Basilica di San Basilica di San Bitonto Festa di San Nicola Festa ( p73 ) and ( p80 ), Puglia’s most Masseria Barbera Masseria Trani ( p72 ), ( p64 ) in Bari p64 ( Museo Nazionale Jatta Museo and lazy lunch at ( p66 ) and pay your respects to the relics to the relics ) and pay your respects p66 ( Christmas in the of Father Nicola Puglia Puglia Castel del Monte Castel tourist sight famous and frenzied in esque architecture Luna Lama di Biomasseria studying a few of the 2000 artefacts of the 2000 housed studying a few in the di Puglia of the the medieval mysteries over Puzzle Roman- Tour the finest examples of Puglian at the eco-friendly oven or make pizza in a wood-fired grove of olive Ride bikes across acres Join the weekend walkabout in unspoilt Join the crush at the myths by Acquaint yourself with the Greek

HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS More than that, Bari and its More Really, Emiliano is right, Bari should be much better than it is. This region has the richest has the richest region This it is. than Bari should be much better Really, Emiliano is right, that rise along the coast like a massive curtain likethat rise along the coast a massive wall. of the region have deep, deep roots. Just spend a day in Bari during the Festa di San Nicola Just spend a day in Bari during the Festa deep, deep roots. have of the region you’ll experience a sense of community and or visit ’s oldest country fair in Bitonto and It may not be to belong to another era. an almost pagan sense of celebration that seems this space. Barcelona, but Italian enthusiasts should watch Bari may still be considered the Bronx of southern Italy, but that old reputation is wearing is wearing but that old reputation Bronx of southern Italy, the be considered Bari may still Michele mayor is convinced that Bari Emiliano, the city’s tough anti-mafia thin these days. is the next Okay, sea attracting Barcelona: a city on the alike. big business and tourists so but you can’t deny that to see Bari as the new Barcelona, of the imagination it is a stretch lookingthings are up these days and Bari airport is certainly traffic with all seeing lots of flights. those Ryanair and Easyjet di Bari cathedrals and the magnificent Terra Venice heritage on the Adriatic after architectural always been partial and princes have to and lengthy history. Pilgrims embody its impressive network of an extensive of the centre it, and in the past it was Bari & the Terra di Bari Bari di Terra the & Bari www.lonelyplanet.com 58 © Lonely Planet Publications Planet Lonely © BARI & THE TERRA DI BARI and granted itmany privileges, which allowed of toaregional Bari Swabia elevated capital peror anddefender of theFaith, Frederick II preached thefirst here. crusade a few years later, in1095,Peter theHermit the focusof first Bari’s pilgrimtourists,and Nicola of Myralandedinthecitymakingit Pope. Inshortsuccessiontherelics of San a Lombardmercenaryandstrong-arm of the few decadeslater itfell toRobert Guiscard, of Rome,anda tothesee became attached West.In1025thecity totheLatin tine East ahuge culturalshift fromtheByzan- to see or Byzantinegovernor. Middle Ages of the‘catapan’ itbecametheseat andintheearly toanepiscopalsee elevated position ontheViaTraiana. InAD465itwas velop asacity,situated asitwasinastrategic under theRomansthatitreally started tode- wastradingwiththeGreeks. Butitwas Bari Vecchia.Bari on alimestonepromontorywhich isnowthe lyrian village; asmallcollectionof farmhouses before the BronzeAge. Itstarted life asanIl- isanoldcity,datingback3500yearsBari HISTORY have agoodtime. boisterous knowhowto Barese whocertainly bythefinerestaurantsbe disappointed orthe onlytoNaplesinthesouth.Youwon’t second hides aprosperousandlively university town, ferry Still,thedrabexterior orthestation. hotel forthe ratesand high andheadstraight people take onelookatitsconcrete carapace the busiestportsonAdriatic,butmost themarketcapital, of thesouthandoneof from atourist-friendly city.ItmaybePuglia’s glamorous gone fromlookinglike toamodestly aghetto renaissance of thelate 1990s,theoldtownhas tious plansfortheplaceand,sincecivic cafés nowabound.Thecitycouncilhasambi- town centre, where restaurants, shops and intherenovated abeer should sample old the region’s of capital crimeandcartheft Anyone wantingproof that isnolongerBari pop 328,500 60 BARI But despite thechanges, stillafarcry Bari’s Looking eastwardsitwasn’tlongbefore Assuming the cloakof HolyRoman Em- With theadvent of was theNormans,Bari AI • itr BARI ••History citta vecchia . To all intents and purposes itisathriving To allintents andpurposes onlytoMilan’s. tember trade fairissecond market of nowitsSep- thesouth,andeven asthemain was inaugurated, confirmingBari mercial heart.In1930theFieradelLevante com- eminent positionassouthernItaly’s the vagariesof WWII,ithasretained itspre- in44municipalities.Despite people, taking area some1.5million tan thatencompasses region. portinthe again becamethemostimportant Murat (Napoleon’sbrother-in-law), once Bari conceived. Undertheguidanceof Joachim walls, soanambitiousplanof expansion was withinitsown Thecitywassuffocating self. wasashadow18th centuryBari of itsformer shrunk tojust3000inhabitants. plague,thepopulationhad after adevastating rest By1657, thecitytoitsknees. brought and successive boutsof famineandcivilun- intodecline.sank Disinterested government became partof theKingdomof Naplesand of BonaSforza, herdaughter, in1558,Bari was abriefperiodof respite, butonthedeath uphercourthereset inthe15thcenturythere period of of decline. WhenIsabella Aragon of theSwabiansushered inacenturies-long of Frederick in1250andthefallfrompower the citytoexpandandflourish. Butthedeath 10pm Sat, 10am-1.30pm & 5-9.30pm Sun) Bari’s largest 10pm Sat,10am-1.30pm &5-9.30pm Sun)Bari’s h Feltrinelli Libreria Bookshops INFORMATION Fiera diLevante. of towntowardstheferry terminal andthe new town,andwhich headsnorthwestout theoldand the east–westaxisthatseparates is intersected byCorso VittorioEmanueleII, running north–southisCorso which Cavour, ments are located. Themainthoroughfare chia, theold townwhere allthemajor monu- square, Vec- it’sabout1kmnorthwardstoBari front of Fromthe themaintrainstation. fromPiazzaAldoMoroin Orient yourself ORIENTATION problems. cause ficking, andillegalimmigrationcontinuesto hasnowgivensmuggling waytodrugtraf- the cityhasitsshare of problems.Cigarette urban area. withabalancedeconomy Buteven Today Bari sitsatthecentreToday Bari of ametropoli- When theBourbonscametopowerin noon-9.30pm Mon, 10am-9.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am- noon-9.30pm Mon,10am-9.30pmTue-Fri, ( % 080 520 75 11; Via Melo 119; 080 5207511;ViaMelo lonelyplanet.com need inFeltrinelli. you literature ifyoucan’tfindeverything maps andtourist mainlytotheuniversity.Italsostockssome store catering 158; Bari internet caféwitheight fastcomputers. €4; 4) Themainpolicestation. lonelyplanet.com night services. This changes sixmonths every services. night Pharmacies system operate arotation for Services Medical Netcafé Access Internet Police station Ambulance Emergency Mondadori Libreria Laterza Libreria literature onthecity. ofmapsandtourist bookshop hasafairlygoodselection literary talks. gallery.Italsohosts anart bookshelves arrangedlike Sat) Adesignerbookstore withplateglasswindowsand 136; ViaSparanodaBari erza.it; Cerignola BARI &TERRADI h POTENZA 9am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1.30pm Sat)Anefficient 9am-10pm Mon-Fri, h ( % FOGGIA 9am-8.30pm Mon-Sat)Aconvenientbook- ( % 080 524 17 56; Via Andrea da Bari 11;perhr 080 5241756;ViaAndrea daBari SS16 ( % Spinazzola 118) ( % BARI••Information 080 529 11 11; Via Gioacchino Murat 080 5291111;ViaGioacchinoMurat Puglia Canosa di ( Murge Minervino % 080 521 17 14; www.librerialat 080 5211714;www.librerialat 080 5218343;ViaSparanoda Montegrosso Battaglia Canne della h 9am-8.30pm Mon- Castel del Monte Barletta Corato MATERA

Trani M U R G I A P L A T E A U A E T A L P A I G R U M di Puglia Gravina BARI 2pm Mon-Fri, 3-6pmTue2pm Mon-Fri, board. &Thu) Theregional tourist .pugliaturismo.com; 1stfl,Piazza AldoMoro33a; persevere! andsights, soifatfirstyoudon’t succeed, transport Theyholdallthenecessaryinformation on the desk. here iserraticanddepends onthepersonbehind Service Moro; gency call-outservice. Tourist InfoPoint Tourist Regional Office Tourist Tourist Information 8am-12.30pmSat) Mon-Fri, Post office Post nal, butexchange rates are better intown. currency-exchange boothattheferry termi- one withanATM There’s atthestation. a There are plentyof banksintown,including Money Hospital Guardia Medica services. large pharmacyforout-of-hours so check withthetouristoffice orthenearest h Matera Palo del ( 10am-1pm &3-6pmMon-Sat, 10am-1pmSun) % Colle (Piazza Cesare Battisti; Bitonto 080 5473111;Piazza GiulioCesare) Santeramo Adriatic ( % Sea ( % 080 5437004)A24-houremer- 20km 10miles 0 0 080 9909341;Piazza Aldo ( % Bari Acquaviva 080 5242361;www

Montenegro & Turkey h To Greece, Albania del Colle Gioia 8am-6.30pm TARANTO h Mola di Castellana Bari Grotte di 8am-

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61 BARI & THE TERRA DI BARI BARI DI TERRA THE & BARI