Polignano is a breathtaking fisherman village erected above cliffs in the coast of the Adriatic Sea. With a white and limestone palette of buildings and beautiful views to offer, this town is located just 30 minutes away from Bari.

Things to do

Walk around all the charming alleys and find the best view of the ocean; for us, it was Terrazza Balconata Lama Monachile for sunset time and Balconata Santo Stefano for sunrise. Admire the words of the local artist Guido Il Flaneur, who writes poetry and iconic phrases on the walls, stairs, and doors of the town.

Swim in turquoise water with a view on the cliffs and the city

Cala Porto is the most famous and picturesque beach of the town, it’s worth to have a dip there to refresh yourself late in the afternoon. Be sure to explore the cave on the left side that will make you cross the cliff from the inside and take you to a natural diving platform. If you decide to jump, make sure there are no rocks under you.

Experience a nice hotel during your stay

If like us you are spending there just a short amount of time, we think it is definitely worth to put some money in a nice hotel with a rewarding view of the sea.

We were invited to stay at Aquamarea Hotel, an incredible place with an unbeatable location, a clean and gorgeous design suggest a sober luxurious stay.
With only four rooms, we were offered the Aquapietra room, which is basically built into the rock of the cliff giving a feel of coziness and protection.

With delightful decoration touches, this was the perfect place for us to spend our night.

The hotel has two terraces with the best view in town, the first at ground level, for people looking to drink a beer or a coffee. The second, a rooftop overlooking the iconic Lama Monachile where the bar and restaurant are located.

During the evening we ordered some perfectly executed cocktails prepared by Giuseppe the mixologist, we sipped our drinks and had a board of cheese and antipasti enjoying an epic sunset.

The staff was top level and made our stay lovely, always greeting us with smiles and offering us their help. We were received warmly by Linda who made herself at our disposition and gave us some advice on what to do in the town.

Enjoy the Italian dolce vita

It’s the moment to chill out, grab an Aperol spritz or a local wine at a terrasse and watch the local life pass by right in front of your eyes. We recommend you La Vineria, the smallest and cutest bar we have ever seen, we took craft Italian beer and nice wine paired with olives and biscuits. Sat down at a table of the street to enjoy the nightlife.

Walk to Port’Alga

We started to walk very early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise. Go all along the coast road and prepare your best accent to say « Bon Giorno » to all the nonos walking in the street. On arrival, admire the authentic fisherman houses untouched by time, and the wooden boats floating in the little port.

Apparently, most of the tourist skip Bari and do not take time to explore around, but we thought that spending an afternoon there will give us the opportunity to observe the authentic old Italian lifestyle which is a really cool thing to see.

Bari is quite a big city, we advise you to stay inside the walls of the fortified old town. It’s where you will see all the locals making their day: neighbors gossiping, nonas making orecchiette (fresh typical pasta) and kids playing on the street.

Don’t miss the church of Saint Nicola de Bari which is to our better knowledge the main attraction and features original architecture, big frescoes painted on the church’s tall ceilings and a huge underground tomb dedicated to the patron Saint Nicola.

Where to eat in Bari?

Trattoria L’ Elfo

As Italian as it gets! Just enter, grab a sit and let the dance of amazing dishes arrive at your table even without asking for them. Authentic and delicious cuisine. Be sure to say yes to the Primitivo vino de la Casa.
It was 30€ for the two of us and credit cards are not accepted!

Panificio Fiore Bari

Go there to find presumably the best focaccia of all Italy, winner of the best focaccia in town contest for several years now. These guys know their stuff, continuing with a tradition of more than 500 years of making bread! Order a huge slice of focaccia for just some pocket change!