Bari

With its tactical location on the picturesque Adriatic coast of Puglia, it’s hardly surprising that Bari was once a major Roman trading port connecting Italy with its various territories in the eastern Mediterranean. Today, the town’s dual harbours have carried it on in much the same vein; offering speedy ferry connections to Greece and Croatia to thousands of tourists a year, along with all the energetic characteristics you’d expect of a bustling port town.

But –as any Bari tour guide will be quick to say – this one isn’t simply a convenient stopover before heading out across the sea. In fact, Bari has some serious cultural gumption of its own, touting the rustic Bari Vecchia old town, the medieval heart of the city, and all the concomitant churches and charming alleyways. Don’t miss the Basilica di San Nicola and its Romanesque façade, or the bustling promenade of Lungomare e Murat, with its unforgettable sea-to-table fish bistros.

What’s more, Bari’s position in the very heart of the region means that it’s the perfect base for exploring the majestic beauty of Puglia as a whole, and guests are invited to break out to the tunnels of the alien Grotte di Castellana, or the UNESCO-attested rises of the Trulli of Alberobello just to the south.