10:00

Basilica of Saint Nicholas

Set aside about 75–90 minutes for the basilica, taking in the Romanesque façade, the interiors and the crypt, depending on liturgical activities and the day’s visiting arrangements. Access and any contribution for specific areas may vary: check the official website before you go. For the visit, plan on an indicative cost of €0–10 per person, excluding any additional services.

Reach it on foot from the center or the station by following the signs for Bari Vecchia; out of respect for places of worship, wear appropriate clothing.

12:00

Cathedral of Saint Sabinus

Reach the cathedral with a walk of about 5–10 minutes through the narrow streets and allow 45–60 minutes to take in the façade, the interior and the Romanesque architectural features. Check the official website in advance for access, any tickets for visitable areas and possible restrictions linked to religious services; as a reference, allow €0–10 per person. After your visit, stop for lunch in a trattoria in the historic center (about €15–30 per person) and leave the afternoon free to wander the alleys at an unhurried pace and head back toward the seafront, with an optional dinner of about €20–40.

The streets of Bari Vecchia are partly cobbled: comfortable shoes will make the walk easier.

10:00

Norman-Swabian Castle

Set aside about 1–2 hours for the visit, focusing on the walls, courtyards and architectural elements that tell the story of the complex’s different phases. The castle sits on the edge of the historic center: from the train station you can expect about a 20–25-minute walk or a short ride on public transport, depending on your departure point. Budget for a possible ticket of around €5–15; check the official website for prices, visiting arrangements and availability.

After your visit, plan on a lunch break of about 1–1.5 hours in the city center, choosing a place based on the menu and your budget; for a simple meal, allow roughly €10–20 per person. Leave time to walk south at a relaxed pace: the transfer to the theater usually takes about 10–15 minutes on foot.

15:00

Petruzzelli Theater

Spend the afternoon on the exterior and, if visits or public activities are available, on the interior spaces: admire the façade and the building’s details, rebuilt after the 1991 fire, and learn more about its theatrical history. This stop is in the city center and can be reached from the castle with a short walk; allow about 1–2 hours for the visit or for a stop in the surrounding area. Guided tours and any performances have variable costs, roughly from €0 to over €50 depending on the activity: check the official website for dates, tickets, and conditions.

Leave the rest of the afternoon for a break and a leisurely walk through the center, without adding any other fixed stops. If you want to attend a show, plan your evening around the program and book through official channels; for a simple dinner, allow roughly €15–30 per person.

10:00

Bari Seafront

Spend about two hours walking along the Adriatic waterfront, choosing a stretch of the promenade and taking it slowly among harbor views, buildings overlooking the water, and scenic benches. The route is mostly flat; bring water and sunscreen on hot days. The walk is free; allow about €3–8 for a coffee or a drink. Around midday, take a lunch break nearby, budgeting roughly €12–25 per person, then reach Bari Centrale on foot or with a short urban ride to catch the regional train to Polignano a Mare: the journey usually takes about 30–40 minutes, but schedules and duration should be checked on official channels.

Buy or validate your ticket according to the carrier’s instructions and plan the transfer so you have enough time to reach the station.

14:00

Polignano a Mare

From the station, allow about 10–15 minutes on foot to reach the center and the sea viewpoints; overall, plan on three or four hours to wander among alleys, squares, and cliffside panoramas. Pause to take in the different coastal views and stop for ice cream or a snack, with an estimated cost of €4–10; access to public areas is free, while any activities or visits may have their own costs. To return to Bari in the evening, check the updated train times in advance: the trip usually takes about 30–40 minutes and the ticket can cost roughly €3–6 each way, depending on fare and service.

The viewpoints and paths can be crowded: keep back from the cliff edges and check official sites for any tickets and visit information.

09:30

Monopoli

Depart Bari around 08:30: by car, the journey takes approximately 40–60 minutes, depending on traffic and parking. Spend about three hours wandering through the historic center, the squares and the harbor, taking in the pale facades and boats along the waterfront; plan for an informal lunch break, roughly 15–30 € per person. The walking visit is generally free; any entries or purchases will vary in cost.

To continue to Alberobello, allow about 40–50 minutes by car; check parking, traffic conditions and connections in advance if you are traveling without a car.

13:45

Alberobello

After the transfer, set aside about three hours to stroll through the trulli districts, lingering over the conical stone roofs and the homes’ architectural details. Fit in a break for a tasting or snack, roughly 5–15 € per person, and consider any museums or interior visits as extra paid options. For entry fees and any guided tours, check prices and availability on the official websites before you leave.

To return to Bari, allow around 60–75 minutes by car, plus the time needed to reach the parking area; leave a buffer for traffic and check access rules for the central areas in advance.

10:00

Locorotondo

Reach Locorotondo from Bari using regional connections, allowing about two hours or more depending on the route and any changes: check the official timetables and consider a bus or a rental car as an alternative. Spend about three hours in the circular historic center, wandering among the white houses, flower-filled balconies and cummerse with pitched roofs; also look out over Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and the Church of San Giorgio. For lunch, plan a stop at a trattoria or a bakery in the center: a simple meal can cost roughly €12–25 per person.

Check the connections to Martina Franca in advance: service frequency can be limited and timetables change depending on the day.

14:00

Martina Franca

Continue from Locorotondo to Martina Franca by train or bus; the trip is short, but it should be checked on the carrier’s official website because not all schedules are necessarily compatible with the visit. Allow about three hours to explore the Baroque center on foot, among Piazza Maria Immacolata, Piazza Plebiscito, the Basilica of San Martino and the streets of the old quarter; the Ducal Palace can be admired from the outside, checking the official website for any visiting arrangements and tickets. Before heading back to Bari, leave time for a coffee or a local specialty, with an estimated spend of €3–10; then allow about two hours or more for the return journey, depending on the connections.

Plan your return before you set off and leave a buffer for any waiting times; also check fares and ticket conditions on the transport provider’s official website.

10:00

Ostuni (The White City)

Leave Bari by car around 08:30: the drive to Ostuni takes about an hour, depending on traffic. Spend around three hours in the historic center, strolling among the whitewashed houses, stairways, and arches all the way to the Cathedral area; for access to the interior of buildings, check availability and costs on site or on official websites, while walking through the lanes is free. Plan a lunch break in town, with an estimated budget of 15–30 € per person, then reach Castellana Grotte by car in about 50–60 minutes.

Wear comfortable shoes: the historic center has hills, uneven paving, and narrow pedestrian passages. Also allow time to park outside the more central streets.

15:00

Castellana Caves

Arrive with time to spare to park and organize your entry: the visit is guided and the duration depends on the available route, so check itineraries, reservations, and prices on the official website before you go. The ticket may be roughly 15–25 € for an adult, but the price is not guaranteed and may change depending on the route and the conditions applied. Inside, admire stalactites, stalagmites, and karst chambers; bring a light jacket, as it is cooler than outside. After the visit, allow about an hour to get back to Bari, plus any stops and traffic.

Check the route duration and requirements in advance: some itineraries may include long stretches, stairs, or conditions not suitable for everyone.

08:00

Castel del Monte

Set off from Bari by car: the journey takes about 1 hour and 15–30 minutes, plus the transfer from the parking area to the entrance, to be checked on site. Spend around 2–2.5 hours at the octagonal castle, taking in its geometry, towers, and the relationship between architecture and landscape; consider an estimated ticket price of around 10–15 € per person, to be checked on the official website before visiting. After the visit, plan a break and a simple lunch along the way or in the Andria area before continuing to Trani.

Leaving early helps keep driving times down and leaves more room for the next stop; check the official website for access details, tickets and visitor services.

13:00

Trani (Cathedral by the Sea)

From Castel del Monte, reach Trani by car in about 45–60 minutes, depending on traffic and route, then park outside the narrowest streets of the center and continue on foot. Allow about 3–4 hours for the Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino, the seafront and the harbor, pausing to admire the pale stone of the façade and the view from the pier area; any access to museum spaces or special tours may involve an indicative cost of €0–10, to be checked on official channels. Set aside time for a break in a venue in the center and for the return to Bari, which usually takes about 45–60 minutes by car.

The historic center is best explored on foot; choose an authorized parking area and check for any traffic restrictions in the central zones.