Bari

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city was contested by Lombards and Byzantines. Arab forces controlled it during an emirate that lasted from 847 to 871. Byzantine authority was restored later in the ninth century, and the city became the capital of the Byzantine theme of Langobardia, an important administrative territory in southern Italy.

Norman forces captured the city from the Byzantine Empire in 1071, ending the last major Byzantine foothold in Italy. In 1087, sailors brought the relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra, an event that led to the construction of an important shrine for the saint. During the following centuries, the port also served as a departure point for Crusaders travelling east.

The city was destroyed by William I of Sicily in 1156 and later revived under the Swabians. Frederick II strengthened its fortifications during the thirteenth century. In subsequent centuries, the city passed through Angevin, Aragonese, Spanish, Sforza, and Venetian phases. Venetian rule was associated with port expansion and stronger commercial activity with markets across the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean.

A decisive urban change began in 1813, when Joachim Murat ordered expansion beyond the medieval walls and the development of a new quarter based on an orthogonal street plan. The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries brought rapid population growth and major civic institutions. During the Second World War, the strategic port suffered a devastating German air raid on December 2, 1943.

The municipal territory extends for roughly 40 kilometres along the Adriatic, between Giovinazzo to the north and Mola di Bari to the south. Much of the city occupies a broad, low-lying coastal basin. Inland, the terrain gradually rises toward the first slopes of the Murge, while municipal elevations range from sea level to about 131 metres.

The historic centre occupies a small peninsula between the old and new harbour areas. The old town preserves a dense street pattern developed over many centuries, while the nineteenth-century Murat district immediately south of it follows a regular grid. Later neighbourhoods expanded farther inland and along the coast, creating a continuous urban area around the historic core and central railway corridor.

By road, the city is about 88 kilometres from Taranto, 117 kilometres from Brindisi, 134 kilometres from Foggia, and 154 kilometres from Lecce. Naples lies roughly 260 kilometres west by road, Rome around 420 kilometres northwest, Bologna about 670 kilometres north, and Milan roughly 880 kilometres northwest, making the city a major Adriatic gateway for southern Italy.

By road: The A14 motorway provides the main north-south motorway access, following the Adriatic corridor between Bologna and Taranto. Travellers approaching from Naples normally use the A16 toward Canosa before joining the A14. The SS16 forms the principal coastal and bypass route around the urban area, with connections toward Foggia, Brindisi, and Lecce.

By bus: Long-distance coaches connect the city with numerous destinations in Apulia and with major Italian cities, including Naples and Rome. Many intercity services use stops on or near Via Giuseppe Capruzzi, beside the central rail hub. Regional bus networks also link the capital with smaller Apulian towns that are not served directly by the national railway network.

By air: Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport is the closest airport, northwest of the centre. Ferrotramviaria trains reach Bari Centrale in about 15-20 minutes. Other nearby airports are Brindisi Papola Casale Airport, roughly 120 kilometres southeast by road, and Foggia Gino Lisa Airport, around 130 kilometres northwest by road, although their route networks differ considerably.

Getting around Bari: Local urban buses are operated by AMTAB, the municipal public transport company. The wider urban area also has metropolitan and regional rail services operated by Ferrotramviaria and Trenitalia. The historic centre and Murat district are compact enough for many journeys on foot, while buses are useful for outer neighbourhoods, beaches, and suburban areas.

Among the principal secular sights, the Castello Normanno-Svevo originated in the Norman period and was extensively reshaped under Frederick II. The old town's lanes lead between the castle, churches, small squares, and defensive walls. Piazza Mercantile and Piazza del Ferrarese mark the transition between the medieval quarter and the nineteenth-century centre.

The city's major cultural buildings include the Teatro Petruzzelli, inaugurated in 1903, destroyed by fire in 1991, and reopened after reconstruction in 2009. The seafront Teatro Margherita is another distinctive early twentieth-century landmark. Art collections can be visited at the Pinacoteca Metropolitana Corrado Giaquinto, housed in the historic Palazzo della Provincia on the waterfront.

Major secular events include the Fiera del Levante, an international trade fair traditionally staged in September at the large exhibition district on Lungomare Starita. The cultural calendar also includes Bif&st, the city's international film and television festival, which presents competitions, premieres, retrospectives, meetings, and awards across several city venues.

What local foods are especially associated with the city?
Typical foods include orecchiette, focaccia barese, panzerotti, taralli, and sgagliozze, the local fried polenta slices commonly prepared and sold as street food.

Can passengers travel from the port of Bari to other countries?
Yes. The port handles international ferry services across the Adriatic and Ionian seas, with routes including Albania and Greece, depending on operator and season.

What is the main pedestrian shopping street?
Via Sparano is the central pedestrian shopping axis, running through the Murat district from the central-station area toward Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.

What language is spoken locally?
Italian is the standard language used in administration, education, and tourism. The local Barese dialect, part of the southern Italo-Romance linguistic area, is also widely recognised.

Where can visitors see traditional handmade orecchiette?
The best-known location is Strada Arco Basso in the old town, where local residents are known for preparing fresh orecchiette outside their homes.

Which nearby places are practical for day trips?
Popular rail or road excursions include Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Alberobello, Trani, and Matera, the latter situated across the regional border in Basilicata.