There were three main spots outside our neighborhood that we explored: Lungomare di Bari, Bari Vecchia, and Murat.
Lungomare di Bari is the seaside walking area. It’s hard to tell from a map just how busy the road right next to this promenade actually is, but it is close to a highway in terms of volume. The coastal views were nice but the traffic noise and air pollution dampened our enthusiasm some.
There is a small beach, Pane e Pomodor, as you go south away from town.
Also, the sun sets away from the water in Bari, so if you want color, sunrise is the better option.
Bari Vecchia is the old town, known for tight, wandering alleys, old defensive walls and churches like Basilica Pontificia San Nicola and Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale San Sabino.
On our last day we stopped by the famous orecchiette alley to see the pasta being made, and Leandra bought a 1/2 kilo bag for 2,50€. We ate 2/3rds of it on our trip and were surprised that it took ~30 minutes to cook!
Murat is a central neighborhood roughly between the train station and the old town with lots of shops and some restaurants. Several buildings have been renovated including Teatro Petruzzelli and Teatro Margherita, and there is the pedestrian-zed Palazzo Mincuzzi. There has also been some recent effort to add greenery in the form of flowers and trees around here.
