Margaret Theatre (Teatro Margherita) is a former theatre in Bari transformed into a museum of contemporary art. Its history dates back to the early 20th century when it was constructed to replace the Varietà Margherita, a wooden theater that faced strong criticism from local entrepreneurs and the Petruzzelli family, who saw it as a potential rival to their own Petruzzelli Theater.

Built between 1912 and 1914 near Bari's Old Port, the Margherita Theater was designed in the Art Nouveau style by architect Francesco De Giglio. It was a pioneering structure in Bari, utilizing reinforced concrete and featuring a unique construction on pillars. To access the theater, a pier connected it to the mainland due to its surrounding water. The grand opening of the theater took place on August 22, 1914.

The building itself showcases Art Nouveau influences, with a rectangular layout and a prominent façade adorned with a wide arch. Flanking the arch are two towers with decorative pinnacles, complemented by large windows bordered by pilasters featuring Corinthian capitals. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a spacious entrance hall crowned by a dome embellished with stucco and frescoes dating back to its inauguration in 1914.

The Bari Promenade stretches for kilometers along the Adriatic, curving like a ribbon between the sea and the city. Its origins lie in the 1920s and ’30s, when Bari was being reshaped under Fascist rule to look modern and monumental. The waterfront, once hemmed in by medieval walls, was opened up into a wide, sweeping promenade meant to show Bari’s role as both a regional capital and a city that embraced the sea. Even as politics and architecture changed, the Lungomare quickly became what locals fondly call their “front porch.”

Generations of Baresi have come here to walk, talk, and watch the horizon. Old photographs show Sunday promenades with families dressed in their best, while fishermen sat on the stone balustrades, swapping news of the day’s catch. One story often repeated is how young couples would sneak away from the crowded squares into the quieter stretches of the Promenade, finding a bench or a corner of sea wall to claim as their own, with the sunset as witness. Such rituals helped make the promenade not just a street but a stage for everyday life.

Along the way, landmarks rise into view: the medieval walls of Bari Vecchia, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, Ferrarese and Merchant Squares, the Swabian Castle, and the more modern architecture of the Murat Quarter, itself the result of Napoleon’s brother-in-law, Joachim Murat, who ordered a new district built in the early 19th century. The promenade has framed all these layers for nearly a century, giving Bari one long walkway through its history.

The seafront still pulses with life. Cafés spill into the street, fishermen mend their nets in the sun, and at night the lamps curve like pearls along the seafront. For visitors, a stroll here is less about reaching a destination than about stepping into Bari’s rhythm, where sea and city have always belonged to one another.

Ferrarese Square, opened in 1612, has always been more than just an open space in Bari-it is where the city’s commercial, spiritual, and social rhythms meet. It owes its name to Stefano Fabri, a 17th-century merchant from Ferrara whose trade house anchored the square and linked it closely to the port. From the beginning, it was conceived as an extension of the Merchant Square, helping to handle the flow of goods and people arriving from the Adriatic. Its position, right at the edge of the old city walls, made it a natural threshold between medieval Bari and the expanding neighborhoods that grew outside the fortifications.

The square’s layered history is still visible today. Parts of the Roman Trajan's Appian Way, the road that once tied Rome to the Adriatic, were uncovered during recent renovations. Baroque facades, 19th-century buildings, and the Vallisa Church apse stand nearby, while the Starita Palace, built over an old arsenal, reminds visitors of Bari’s centuries as a seafaring hub. Over time, Ferrarese Square became the backdrop for markets and gatherings, and it still carries that energy forward, now filled with cafés, restaurants, and the hum of nightlife.

The square also plays a central role in Bari’s devotion to Saint Nicholas. Each May, during the saint’s feast, pilgrims crowd into the square as the statue of the beloved patron arrives by boat, greeted with fireworks over the Adriatic. For many, this moment blends faith with celebration, turning the square into a stage for both devotion and joy.

Today, to linger in Ferrarese Square is to feel Bari’s past and present in one glance: Roman stones underfoot, Venetian and Baroque walls around, and locals chatting over espresso as music and festivals animate the air. It is the kind of place where the city’s story is not just remembered-it is lived.

The Infamous Column, stands as a compelling relic of the city's judicial and civic past. Dating back to the mid-16th century, the column was commissioned by the Spanish Viceroy Pietro di Toledo and is widely associated with public shaming practices aimed at insolvent debtors.

Though concrete documentation is scarce, tradition holds that those unable to pay their debts were once displayed here-hands bound to the column and humiliation enforced. Today, it serves as a reminder of how communities once balanced justice and spectacle.

Architecturally, the monument features a white marble column rising from four concentric steps, crowned by a spherical finial. At its base reclines an ancient lion sculpted from Apulian limestone breccia-likely repurposed from a Roman tomb dating to between the 1st century B.C. and 1st century A.D. The inscription on its collar, “guardian of justice”, reinforces its symbolic role in watching over the city.

Originally placed near the Sea Gate by the old port, the Colonna Infame later found a home in its current location, aligning with the area’s historical role as Bari’s civic and commercial heart.

Merchant Square has been the stage for Bari’s public life for centuries, a place where power, trade, and daily routine came together in full view of the Adriatic. Established in the 13th century at the edge of the Old Town, it quickly grew into the city’s commercial heart. Merchants set up stalls, officials read out proclamations, and townspeople crowded the space to hear news or celebrate feast days. It was also the starting point of the Francigena street, the medieval pilgrims’ route leading to the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, tying the square to both faith and commerce. Linked to the port by the fortified Tower of Sant’Antonio, the square was a gateway for traders and travelers alike.

The square also carried a darker side of justice. For centuries, the Pillar of Justice stood in plain sight, where bankrupt debtors were chained as a warning to others. This ritual of shame left an indelible mark on the memory of the place, a reminder that commerce in Bari was not only opportunity but also risk. Over time, the square took on layers of meaning-Palazzo del Sedile housed the city council, while its clock tower marked the hours of both labor and leisure.

Even catastrophe could not silence the square. After the fire and explosions of 1601, the ruling House of Sforza oversaw a renewal that gave Merchant Square new life, linking it directly to Ferrarese Square and reinforcing its role as the city’s business center.

The square no longer chains debtors, but it still chains people’s attention. Cafés and restaurants spill out onto the stones, and journalist Lino Patruno once compared it to a model that never stops winning hearts, “as if it were for the first time.” For visitors, Merchant Square remains what it always was: the beating civic and social heart of Bari.

Since 2010, the Nicolaian Museum has provided a close and engaging look at the history of Bari’s revered patron saint, preserving centuries of devotion and artistic tradition. The museum unfolds across three levels, each designed to evoke different aspects of the basilica's legacy.

The ground floor features evocative rooms with objects, projections, and interactive installations spotlighting key eras in the city’s past-from antiquity through the Byzantine to the Romanesque periods. Descending to the lower level, visitors discover showcases of ex-voto-votive offerings, including contributions from the Orthodox community. The upper floor holds the true treasure of the museum: a room filled with richly varied offerings to the basilica and Saint Nicholas, arranged in a way that emphasizes their spiritual and historical value over strict chronology.

Beyond its artifacts, the Nicolaian Museum enriches visitors’ understanding of Bari’s religious and cultural roots. Parchments, chalices, sacred vestments, illuminated manuscripts, reliquaries, and paintings-many dating from medieval to Renaissance periods-illuminate the enduring legacy of Saint Nicholas and the art that grew around his veneration.

The Archaeological Museum of Santa Scolastica is a rich trove of Apulian history housed in the former Benedictine monastery of Santa Scolastica. This site retains layers of history through its architectural transformations-from its legendary founding around the 10th–11th centuries to the additions of a 16th‑century defensive bastion.

The museum’s origins trace back to 1875, when Professor Nitto De Rossi began assembling a collection that would lay the foundation for what opened to the public in 1890 at the Ateneo Square. It wasn’t until 2001 that the museum relocated into the restored monastic complex, and after extensive renovations, its new exhibition spaces finally opened around 2018.

Inside, visitors embark on a compelling chronological journey through Apulia’s past. The collections span from prehistoric tools and ceramics to Daunian, Peucetian, and Messapian geometric pottery, as well as Greek, Byzantine, Arab‑Norman, and medieval jewelry and artifacts. Reconstruction of the museum’s narration divides the exhibits into thematic sections such as Prehistory and Protohistory, Ancient Peoples of Apulia, Iapygians and Greeks, and Archaeology of Bari-plus a special display about life in the monastery itself.

Visitors are treated not only to artifacts but to the archaeological area of San Pietro, accessible directly from the monastery’s bastion, which offers real remnants of past settlements beneath its walls. Multimedia installations consciously enrich the experience, providing contextual depth to architectural and artistic heritage-particularly of Byzantine Bari and monastic life.

The Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari is more than a landmark; it is the story of how a city was transformed by faith, devotion, and legend. The tale begins in 1087, when sailors from Bari set sail for Myra, in present-day Turkey, and returned with the relics of Saint Nicholas, the miracle-working bishop whose reputation had spread across Christendom. Bringing his bones back to Bari was not just a daring act-it was a turning point that placed the city firmly on the map of Europe as a place of pilgrimage. Almost immediately, construction began on a church worthy of the saint, rising over the remains of the old Byzantine governor’s palace.

The man at the heart of all this, Nicholas himself, was born in the 3rd century. Known for his generosity and miracles, he became Bishop of Myra and endured persecution under Diocletian before his reputation as a protector of sailors, children, and the vulnerable took root. When Bari’s merchants brought his relics to Italy, they were greeted with both celebration and awe, and by 1197 the basilica was consecrated in the presence of Emperor Henry VI. From that moment, the city was not only a vital port but also a spiritual destination, visited by both Catholics and Orthodox pilgrims-a rare point of unity in a divided medieval world.

One of Bari’s most enduring traditions still recalls the sailors’ voyage: every May, during the Feast of Saint Nicholas, the saint’s statue is carried through the streets and taken out to sea before returning in a grand procession. The event blends faith and folklore, filling the city with music, fireworks, and prayers, and it remains one of Bari’s proudest celebrations.

Inside the basilica today, visitors find not just frescoes and stone columns but a crypt where pilgrims kneel at the saint’s marble tomb, often alongside curious travelers. Here, history and devotion mingle in a way that feels timeless. For Bari, the basilica was never only about architecture-it was about becoming more than a port, a city anchored in the enduring presence of its patron saint.

The Church of Saint Marcus dei Veneziani, located in Bari's historical center, has a fascinating history. It was built around 1002-1003 to celebrate Bari's liberation from the Saracens by Doge Pietro Orseolo II of Venice. First mentioned in 1187, the church is referenced throughout the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries.

The church's facade, though partially retaining its Romanesque appearance, has undergone alterations. It has a gabled double-pitched roof and two high pilasters that originally divided it into three naves. The facade features a notable rose window with a radial pattern, adorned with garlands and small columns. A small winged lion, possibly sculpted by Pietro Facitolo, is situated at the center. Below the rose window, there are two arched single-lancet windows and a round-arched portal with an intricately designed frame, dating back to the eleventh or twelfth century.

The interior displays artworks spanning different periods, from the late Renaissance to the 18th and 19th centuries. Notable pieces include an altarpiece by Umberto Colonna (1953) depicting Our Lady of the Well with Saint Mark and Saint Anthony, a stoup near the entrance featuring a relief image of Saint Anthony, and an 18th-century altar in the left aisle with a tabernacle. The altar is crowned by a niche housing a wooden statue of the Our Lady of the Well.

Bari Cathedral, formally dedicated to Saint Sabinus, carries the scars and resilience of a city that has been rebuilt more than once. Its story begins in the 6th century, when a basilica first rose on the site, tied to the memory of Bishop Sabinus of Canosa. That early church, however, would not survive the fury of King William I of Sicily-known as “Il Malo,” or “the Wicked.” In 1156, he stormed Bari and razed most of the city, sparing only the Basilica of Saint Nicholas. The cathedral was left in ruins, a victim of conquest and power struggles that defined southern Italy in the Middle Ages.

From that devastation, Bari slowly reclaimed its spirit. Over the following decades, a new cathedral was built in the Apulian Romanesque style, solid and restrained, a clear sign of determination rather than excess. When it was finally consecrated in 1292, the people of Bari had not only rebuilt their place of worship but also reaffirmed their faith and identity. Within its crypt, the relics of Saint Sabinus found a permanent home, making the cathedral an enduring focal point for local devotion. Pilgrims still come to pay respects, their prayers mingling with centuries of whispered hopes that have filled the space since the relics arrived in 844.

Through time, the cathedral bore the marks of change-frescoes added, baroque details layered, bomb damage during World War II repaired-but the core remained the same: a space where daily life unfolded. Baptisms, weddings, funerals, and festivals tied the community to its cathedral in ways that survived wars and rulers alike.

From the relics in the crypt to the steady presence of worshippers, Bari Cathedral embodies endurance. It reminds visitors that cities, like faith, can be shaken but still rise again.

The Swabian Castle of Bari, sometimes called the Hohenstaufen Castle, has stood in one form or another for nearly nine centuries, its stones carrying the weight of both destruction and rebirth. Its origins go back to around 1132, when the Norman king Roger II ordered its construction to secure Bari’s harbor and surrounding lands. But in 1156, William I of Sicily-nicknamed “the Wicked”-swept through the city, razing much of it to the ground, including the fortress. What could have been its end became instead a turning point, for in 1233 Emperor Frederick II rebuilt the castle on a grander scale, transforming it into one of the strongest symbols of his reign in southern Italy.

The fortress was more than a military outpost. It doubled as a royal residence, a place where rulers held court and where alliances were forged. One of its most famous anecdotes comes from 1221, when St. Francis of Assisi is said to have stayed here as Frederick’s guest. According to legend, the emperor-skeptical of Francis’s holiness-sent a courtesan to tempt him. But when she approached his bed, she saw it engulfed in flames and fled in terror. Frederick, secretly watching, was so struck by what he saw that he never doubted Francis again. The story, half miracle and half morality play, still lingers in the castle’s lore.

Over the centuries, the castle passed through many hands-the Angevins, the Aragonese, and later rulers of Spain and Naples-all of whom modified it to suit their purposes. Its moat and towers reflect a history of defense, while its courtyards and hallways recall a time of ceremony and rule.

Nowadays, the Swabian Castle no longer bristles with cannons, but it remains a cornerstone of Bari’s identity. Visitors wander through its courtyards, exhibitions, and echoing halls, while its towers still command views toward the Adriatic. To walk here is to step into layers of history-Norman ambition, Frederick’s authority, Francis’s legend-all fused into one enduring monument. It is not only stone and battlements, but a living reminder of Bari’s resilience and place on the frontier between empires.

Vittorio Emanuele II Lane may look like a typical boulevard at first glance, but it carries the imprint of Bari’s leap into modernity. In the 19th century, as Italy had just unified under King Vittorio Emanuele II, Bari was reshaping itself to match the ambitions of a new nation. The old town still kept its winding alleys and medieval pace, but this new street cut boldly through the Murat Quarter with straight lines and broad views. It was a declaration that Bari was ready to step beyond its ancient walls and claim its role as a modern capital of the Adriatic.

The street had even earlier roots, tied to a grand plan of Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, who dreamed of lining it with imposing public buildings. Only a few, like the Prefecture and Puccini Theatre, were ever realized, but after unification the road was renamed for the new king and took on a fresh purpose. Government offices, cafés, and shops filled its length, and it quickly became both a civic stage and a social promenade. Bari’s parades marched here, speeches echoed from its steps, and in the evenings locals made strolling the lane almost a ritual-pausing to chat beneath palms or in front of cafés.

By the 20th century, the addition of the Margaret Theatre at one end anchored the boulevard, turning it into a lively corridor between Garibaldi Square and the Adriatic. For visitors today, the lane is more than a busy street; it’s a walk through Bari’s 19th-century ambitions, where the pulse of a new Italy still beats beneath the rhythm of modern city life.