Hello everybody!
Last time I talked about a trip to beautiful Rome, and today I will talk about Bari! We continue to travel in Italy:)

Bari - the capital of Puglia and one of the most distinguished cities in southern Italy, combines seaside charm with historical charm. This major Mediterranean cruise port and university city is also known for its old town with magnificent churches, picturesque courtyards and other hidden attractions.

The city itself is home to 320 thousand inhabitants, and in the urban agglomeration there are approximately one million. The locals speak a specific Barese dialect, which comes in part from the old, Norman French. It is supposedly one of the most expressive Italian dialects, spoken by about two million people.

ATTRACTIONS
Despite the quality of life, the city has various attractions that attract tourists.
Petruzzelli Theater - was built to raise the cultural level of Bari to the level of other Italian cities. The theater was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. This is the fourth largest theater in Italy, which received its name from the Petruzzelli brothers. These were merchants who encouraged the city authorities to build it.

- Normanno-Zvevo Castle is a medieval fortress built on ancient foundations. It was completed in 1132, but soon it was destroyed, then built and strengthened at the beginning of the 13th century. For some time the fortress served as a barracks and a prison. The castle is surrounded by a moat, currently overgrown with grass.
- St. Nicholas Basilica - Romanesque basilica was built during the Norman government over a long hundred years, was completed in 1197. A legend is also connected with the appearance of this sacred building, saying that the church seemed to be a hiding place for the Holy Grail, the cup from which Christ drank at the last supper. The basilica with a simple facade is located near the sea. Inside the church there is also a ticket office, where there are often valuable gifts brought by pilgrims in honor of the patron saint of the church, St. Nicholas..

FOOD
The national cuisine is distinguished by an abundance of vegetable dishes, mouth-watering pastries and traditional pasta with various sauces and side dishes. Travelers consider "orecchiette" - pasta with spices and turnips - to be one of the most original and exotic national dishes. Many consider this delicacy a classic example of home cooking. You can try it both when visiting local residents and in prestigious restaurants of the city. For the preparation of pasta, special pasta is used, which in shape resemble small shells. No less popular is the dish "Tiella", whose name can be literally translated as "terracotta pot". It is prepared from selected rice, potatoes and mussels, generously seasoning the dish with spices and aromatic herbs.

Some of Bari's restaurants are well-known far beyond the city limits, and Villa de Grecis Eventi is an excellent example of international cuisine. Its location was a chic historic villa with a lush garden, now it is often used for weddings and banquets. The luxurious restaurant is always ready to offer its guests a huge selection of seafood and specialty desserts. Here you can taste rare meat delicacies and the best vintage wines brought from different countries.

See you soon!