Dining in Bari

Dining in Europe > Bari
Hotels in Europe > Hotels in Italy > Bari Hotels

If your hard days shopping or sightseeing has left you feeling ravenous, there are many places in Bari where you can sit, eat and feel refreshed. The cuisine in Bari offers a wide range of traditional specialities that combine delicious flavours with colours of vegetables that have been kissed by the Pugliese sun, and which can add a extra something to any dish. Vegetables such as turnip tops cooked with traditional orecchiette pasta or cavatelli, or red-yellow peppers filled with meat or rice and baked in the oven. These dishes can be tasted in the majority of restaurants in Bari. As well as these specialities, there are other traditional delights and recipes that are based on the farm produce that comes from the province, some dishes are also linked to economics as hard times can prevent people from being too extravagant. Those who are firm believers in the adage 'far di necessitą virtł', (necessity is the mother of invention) created dishes flavoured with 'poor' fruits of the earth. Sun-dried tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, or sweet olives fried simply in a pan, aubergines (egg-plant) or artichokes in oil. These dishes can all be tried at farmhouses and Masserie (large farms), which are spread throughout the Province, marrying wholesome, 100% natural flavours. There are several farmhouses this type of cuisine to diners, especially in the murgiana area Masseria Lago Milecchia in Noci or Agriturismo Villa Curri Barsento in Alberobello (which combines good food with an enchanting panorama), not forgetting Angiulli Nuova in Putignano. There is a rustic feel here and you can also take part in various activities including horse riding and archery. If you are located quite far from the countryside, Ai due archi is situated in the city but still maintains a rustic feel. If you want something a little more worldly and elegant, there are many places to try both in the Province and in the city itself. There is the hotel restaurant Castellinaria, the ristorante Villa Maria for special occasions, or how about the hotel restaurant Grotta Palazzese which allows you to try all the different dishes typical of the grotte della scogliera. Bari is a city with ports as well as being close to the country, this means that it also has a cuisine that relies heavily on the 'fruits' of the sea: bass, mussels, oysters, clams, cuttlefish, cod, sea bream, prawns, lobster, anchovies, sole, which are cooked in various ways in soup, baked, fried or boiled so that everyones taste is catered for. If you want to cook seafood at home, the best place to buy fresh fish is Via Nicolai (located in the center of town, close to Ateneo Barese). This is a very evocative place, and will take you back into time, with fishmongers shouting out their wares. If you'd rather have your seafood prepared for you, there are plenty restaurants that serve splendid seafood dishes: Osteria Pericci, or the Ristorante Nuova Vecchia Bari, which unites both traditional and modern recipes. If you want a quicker, lighter meal, such as a pizza or salad, a light snack or a first course, then try the Gibson Pub, loved by those who prefer international cuisine. If you prefer to spend the evening with friends, eating 'panini' (Italian filled rolls), pizzas and listening to good music, then you need to try the Hard Rock Pub and the Pub Barbanera.

Entertainment in Bari

Bari and its outskirts just have to be visited -there is so much history, tradition, folklore and good food, and there are places that are of interest to everyone all the year round. The city is popular not only in summer, when the hot wind and the humidity level pushes people in the direction of the sea, but also in the winter when the city is decorated for the winter festivals and the ancient suburb opens its doors to display presepi (nativity scenes), various scenes and fills the air with various aromas and perfumes. Spring and autumn offer their own delights: long treks in the woods, on horseback or on foot, the tasting of local products and outdoor sports. There is something to do in every season, you can organize a day at the beach, spend time shopping, dine out, visit the cinema, theatres, pubs, museum, churches, participate in a traditional festival and round off the day with a night in a comfortable hotel 'so much to do!'

Down by the sea
The coastlines in Puglia are amongst some of the most beautiful in Italy, and Baris is no exception. There are many kilometers of coastline and you can choose between sand, pebbles and rocks. Children can make their sandcastles, whilst the more daring can take a dive from the rocks, whereas the sun worshippers might prefer to stretch themselves out on the pebbles, avoiding the inconvenience of rocks, or sand between the toes!

Shopping
This is known as a womans favourite sport! There are many wonderful shops to visit in Bari. In the centrally located, main street (Via Sparano) you can buy anything. If you want a really special item of clothing for your loved one, you can try Societą Anonima C.I.M.A. a shop renowned for its exclusive, high quality underwear and bathing costumes. If you want to indulge your cravings for household items, then 'Casa & Casa' may be just the place, with an incredible choice of goods for the home. There are many clothes shops for babies, children, women and men. If shopping makes you hungry and you want to try something really 'out of this world', something traditional, and different, then you have to venture into the historical center of the city. This is the home of the family run bakery, the old ladies who make orecchiette pasta, home of the wood fuelled ovens, which are used for bread, calzoni, focaccia and the traditional tielle as well as various cakes and pastries.

Cinemas and Theatres
If you love busy places, then try out Warner Village at Casamassima, complete with 9 screens, a games room and a nearby hypermarket. Even if you stay in Bari, there are quite a few cinemas: Cinema Armenise, Cinema Carella,Cinema Nuovo Palazzo, Cinema Galleria, Cinema Esedra, Cinema Nuovo splendor, Cinema Orfeo. Each one is a little different from the other, but they have some things in common: comfort and great sound system. If you need something a little more cultural, a play is might be just what you are looking for. You will need to inform yourselves as to what is on at the time of your visit, some of the popular theatres in Bari are: Teatro Casa di Pulcinella, Abeliano, Piccolo Teatro, Teatro dell'Anonima, Fantarca, Cineteatro Vignola and Kursaal Santalucia.

Museums and churches

The churches and museums in Bari are unmissable: it is always a pleasure to take a look at history, and to immerse yourself in culture. A 'piece of stone' can tell us a lot more about this area, than a heavy history book ever could. With this, lets have a look at the museums: Museo della Cattedrale, Museo Nicolaiano, Museo Archeologico, Museo della Gipsoteca, Pinacoteca all of these will broaden your mind and give you an appreciation for the past. On your way between one museum and another, you cannot help but stop into one of the numerous Christian churches.

Nightlife
There seems to be a nightspot on every street! There are fashionable places, economic places, trendy spots, or elegant 'locali' for all tastes and all pockets. If you love pizza, there are pizzerias for every kind of pizza: Bella 'mbriana, Paisą Tarantini, Runner Pizza (home deliveries only), the choice is yours. If you fancy something a little more exotic then try Movida. If you are in Bari or in the surrounding areas, you have to try the delicious local dishes cooked in a traditional way eg Ristorante Garden Federico II, Osteria Il Convito delle Muse and Osteria Al Gambero close to the port of Bari. If all this is not enough for you and you need something sweet too, then you should visit the patisserie at Palo del Colle. La Fornarina and Bar Pace also offer relief for the sweet-toothed.

Dining in Europe > Bari
Hotels in Europe > Hotels in Italy > Bari Hotels