Some Highlights of Bari in Puglia - Fish to Fortifications, Bari, Italy

Bari may be a large commercial port and the capital of Puglia in Southern Italy but I had no sense of this when I arrived there. I was immediately drawn towards its attractive sea front which I made my starting point.

The Lungomare Nazario Sauro, a magnificent seafront terrace runs along the old harbour, the Porto Vecchio. This terrace is dominated by a majestic pink building built on pillars grounded in the sea that stretches out beyond the promenade into the water. As I passed by a car screeched to a halt beside me and a young girl leapt out and scurried into the building clutching a violin to her chest. I guessed this building must have cultural connections. I was right. Teatro Margherita was built in the cove of the old port between 1912 and1914. Designed in the Liberty Style and built using a mixture of metal and cement it was the first of its kind in Bari. The building was closed in 1980 probably due to the cost of maintaining it. It was renovated in 2009 and since it re-opened it has become the most important centre for contemporary arts in Bari.

Just beyond Teatro Margherita and in front of Bari Yacht Club is the fish market. As I approached I could hear slapping and slurping noises. It was the fishermen either slapping the freshly caught octopuses on the wall or shaking them around in buckets of soapy water to soften them ready to eat. I strolled past stalls piled high with mussels and stopped to admire bowls of cuttlefish. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).