The old town, with its succession of narrow winding streets, is the ideal starting point for a visit of the city. Its political and commercial heart is located in two adjoining squares: piazza Ferrarese and piazza Mercantile, always packed with people and places to go, and always at the heart of controversy as regards the ongoing urban recovery programmes to transform the area into what it deserves to be: the elegant centre of the second most important city in Southern Italy. Piazza Mercantile also boasts the so-called Seat of the Nobles, the ancient city hall building and the column of Justice, to which bad debtors and thieves were tied and exposed to public wrath. Nearby is the entrance to the house of Niccolò Piccinni, the 18th century composer to whom the city conservatory is dedicated. The Basilica of San Nicola, also overlooks this square, symbol of the city and a masterpiece of Apulia Romanesque style.

The tour of the city continues with a visit to the church of San Marco, built by the Venetian merchants present in Bari in the 12th century. From Piazza Odegitria we then take the strade del Carmine, named after the church and monastery built in 1640 but subsequently thoroughly transformed, the ashlar work facade featuring few details of its original construction. A little further ahead we reach the Early Christian basilica of San Sabino, interesting in terms of the contrasting styles. The trulla is on the left, a circular building assumed to be the ancient baptistery (although recent restoration work has not confirmed this theory) and today used as the vestry. Of particular note is the dome resting on an octagonal drum, and the large 13th century window decorating the rear facade of the basilica.

After a fill of art, you could yield to the temptation of delicious Apulia cuisine: orecchiette, of course, (known as "chiancarelle" in dialect), particularly famous with broccoli, as well as the "strascenate" and "cavatijdde" served with spare rib sauce and filled with cheese, parsley and lard. As a main course (or starter) there is a great variety of seafood delights, the real speciality of the area: mussels, clams, baby octopus, oysters, anchovies. All served with the excellent Apulia extravergine olive oil. One of the best places to savour these specialities is at La Pignata.

Behind the cathedral of San Sabino is the imposing Castle, the fortress dating back to the Swabian era commissioned by Fredrick II and subsequently expanded in the Angevin era and by the Aragon kings. The Mediaeval style of the building is immediately obvious from the double lancet window in clear Gothic style. Passing over the drawbridge across the moat we reach the interior which fully reflects 16th century spirit. For those seeking an insight into local art history, a stop at the Civic history museum is a must. Further examples of clear local cultural stratification are: the convent of Santa Scolastica built in the early 13th century, but with a facade in distinctive Baroque detail and the delightful Piazza Santa Maria del Buonconsiglio featuring fragments of Roman and Early Christian columns.

Art once again, but from a different century. Visit to the 19th century city: Palazzo Mincuzzi, reminiscent of the great French department stores in Art nouveau style, such as Galeries Lafayette in Paris or the original and renowned Rinascente store in Piazza Colonna, Rome. By crossing Corso Cavour we reach the famous Petruzzelli theatre, opened with the work entitled "Gli Ugonotti" by Giacomo Meyerbeer and the venue for a host of great composers from Rossini to Verdi and Bellini. Not to be missed is the Provincial art gallery: with its fine exhibition halls dominating the mediaeval town and the old port and which host numerous fine 16th century works (by Tintoretto, Veronese and Giordano, to mention but a few) to the modern artists of the Italian 20th century such as Giorgio Morandi and Giorgio De Chirico.

Aperitifs in the centre at one of the bars along via Cavour followed by an evening at the Piccinni Theatre, a historic venue dedicated to fine prose and which each year features some of the most interesting theatrical events of the entire national programme. After the theatre you could try one of the night spots in the centre for a nightcap.