Sometimes, things don’t go as planned and you just need to hit pause. This is a mentality I’ve been consciously working on accepting this year and Bari was the latest…let’s say opportunity to practice?
The southern port city of Bari was our first stop on a 2-week adventure around Italy. We, like most travelers, ended up there because of it’s convenience as a transport hub rather than any particular draw from the city itself. The one and only ferry line in Montenegro docked in Bari, and from there we could easily hop a train up to Venice to meet our friends.
Unfortunately, along with a great tan we also brought back a pretty gnarly bug from Montenegro. By the time we landed and made our way to our hotel (an adventure during which i begrudgingly admitted that sometimes Google Map speaks the truth and there really is no shortcut), hopes of our day going as planned were rapidly fading. We finally accepted that it wasn’t meant to be and made the decision to lay low.
Getting There
Bari is connected by ferry to Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania. We booked a private cabin on Montenegro Lines for around $100/pp. The room was tiny, but comfortable, and a pretty great value considering it was both our transportation and lodging for the night. For the more frugal traveller they also have “deck” tickets where you basically camp out anywhere on the floor.
Stay
We splurged on the Mercure Villa Romanazzi. After a morning spent wandering the streets of Panama City waiting for our hostel to open we’ve learned to appreciate the value of a hotel with a lobby. The front desk was kind enough to not only let us hang in the lobby until our room was ready, but they also gave us wristbands for access to the pool.
See / Do
If you’re headed here for at least a day I recommend a trip out to the Sassi. I can’t speak from personal experience but everything I read sounds amazing. If you’ve been, I’d love to know what you thought!
Aside from that, the main historic area of the town is a great place to wander, checking out the architecture and shops.
Eat / Drink
Go for the side streets! After a wild goose chase around the city in search of a supposedly top rated restaurant (and I was just starting to have faith in you again, Google Maps…), we finally admitted defeat and dropped into this small Italian restaurant down a side street. Best. Decision. Ever. The food was delicious, the house wine plentiful, and the whole thing cost us around $20. There was no English menu but the waitress was so kind with our broken Italian. Yet another reminder that sometimes it’s best to throw away the guidebooks and review sites and see what you find.
Lessons & Tips
- Bari is back in the land of siestas. If you need to get anything done (including lunch), make sure you do it early. Otherwise you’ll be waiting around for the city to open back up in the evening.
- If you’re here on your way from one place to the next, try to at least take a day to wander, get lost, and eat some authentic Italian pasta. You just may find yourself wishing you had a little more time here…
Sorry you didn’t get the chance to visit the sassi of Matera. We’ve just returned from a quick tour around Puglia, which included Matera and Bari. I’ve written about it (plus pics) on my blog: retiredblokes.wordpress.com Hope you have the opportunity to take a quick look. Any feedback gratefully received. Happy travelling.
Wow, great photos! It looks like an amazing place. One more reason for us to return to Italy one of these days!