As usual, we were looking for flights in the spring, this time a new kitten and various actions, such as ShopRoku and the like, got in the way a bit. But Terka didn’t waste time and got the ideal dates from April 6 to 9 to Bari, Italy. The flight for around 950 CZK per person is great, isn’t it?
So we flew. Before the trip, we found accommodation in the end for around 6k, but whatever. On Saturday at 2 pm we landed in Bari. We wanted to take a bus for 1 euro/person to the city center, but it was so interrupted that we took a taxi for 5 eur/person without stops instead. We go to check in. We are staying in the historic center, so ideal.
Checked in, changed clothes and with phones slightly charged, we set out for food. On the way, we encounter a weekend flea market, so we admire and think about where to have pizza. We look at the reviews and around the corner from us is L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele with a rating of 4.5 (overall 3,000 reviews), so we go. Well, it was a branch of the best pizzeria in Naples, which Terka has raved about to me several times. Okay, let’s have a pizza for two and 2x cola. We ordered at 3:49 pm and voila, 3:52 pm and the pizza is on the table. Like top!
What next? Well, we’re in the center, we’re going to the sea, where we cross the promenade back to the historic center, which we walk through completely. Beautiful architecture, narrow streets, churches, grandmothers making homemade pasta on every corner. Perfect atmosphere, just great.
Later in the afternoon it starts to get a bit cold, so we set out to change clothes and then where else but for food and wine – when we’re in Italy, right? In the evening it’s a bit harder to find a seat in the center, but it can be done. There are probably only two types of restaurants here, those that gape at complete emptiness, and those where you have to wait for a table. In the end, we chose correctly. We’re sitting, we’ve ordered, and next to us a elderly couple from Bari sits down. You know it from my articles, right? Eat where the locals eat. Food, wine and home we go, because…
On Sunday we have bought tickets for the bus to Matera. You know? Do you know what was filmed there? For example, The Passion of the Christ with Mel Gibson. But much more was filmed there. Matera is an absolutely beautiful rock town. It resembles a labyrinth of stone buildings, steep stairs and narrow streets.
People lived in the rock cellars together with livestock. Even after World War II, up to 20,000 people lived in these cave dwellings. But in the 1950s it was one of the poorest cities with a 50% child mortality rate. This forced the then Italian Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi to evacuate all the inhabitants to the other side of Matera.
What was once the shame of Italy has suddenly changed. In 1993, the oldest part of Matera is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and in 2019 Matera becomes the European Capital of Culture. Today you can find pensions and luxury hotels in the caves.
On Monday we got up early again, as just behind the main train station are the Mercato Coperto Santa Scolastica markets. According to Google, they’re open every day from 6am. We came before 8am and they were just setting up, quite large and nice, but it’s better to come here on weekends…
We are at the train station and going to Polignano a Mare. At platform 1, you can buy tickets from the machine and hop on the train. Just beware, before boarding the train you have to validate the ticket, because you can’t do it on the train!
After returning to Bari, we took a walk to the accommodation, to the historic center, dropped off our things and went for ice cream to Gelateria Gentile. We had it around the corner and every time we walked by, there was a line of about an hour and a half, but we timed it right and there were about 5 people in front of us, two medium ice creams for 7 € and damn, really top! Incomparable to the one we had in Matera.
According to Oura, we walked almost 100 km, which in 3 days is not bad, is it?
When you’re in Bari, I have some other tips for you on what you shouldn’t miss:
Monopoli
Monopoli is a coastal town that is somewhat in the shadow of Bari. The huge advantage is that you won’t run into crowds of tourists even in season. It’s more of an excursion town that Italians like to visit. Be sure to walk the authentic streets, you can try great coffee, seafood or pasta. The city and its surroundings are famous for olive oil. As for swimming, don’t expect long beaches, but small beaches and coves.
Arberobello
Arberobello is perhaps a little more famous than Monopoli. Among other things, you can find trulli there, which are such typical houses, reminiscent of a hobbit town. They have a conical shape and you can still find shops, cafes or small pensions in them. The Trulli are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
