Car rental in Bari

Compare & Save on car rental in Bari

Bari is the capital of Apulia, the “heel” of Italy, sited on the fertile plain of the region and bordering on the Adriatic Sea. The city has a long history, and has been a cultural centre since ancient times. Today there are two centres to the city – the old and the new, with the old town to the north, and the Murat Quarter to the south, with a promenade along the seafront and a major shopping centre. The airport, named Bari Karol WojtyŒ_a Airport after the late Pope, was upgraded in 2005 and 2006 and is a short drive from the city centre. Bari is famous for the beauty of its churches and the historic streets of the old town, and is the perfect centre for touring the region and exploring the Adriatic coast. Car rental in Bari is easy to arrange, either from the airport on arrival, or from rental companies in the city itself, and GoCarRental.com gives you information on the best deals and collection points.

Things to Do in Bari

The area to start from when exploring the city is the old town, with its narrow medieval streets and old city walls. Within the old town is the Basilica di San Nicola, where relics of St Nicholas (the original Santa Claus) are kept, and the Byzantine and Romanesque interior of the church is astonishingly beautiful. Taking a walk along the waterfront from the walls of the old town provides a long vista of the city and the harbours, and is a great introduction to the layout of the town. 

Top 3 Must See: Bari

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  Basilica di San Nicola

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  Castel del Monte

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  Alberobello, site of the trulli buildings in the Itria Valley

The Castel del Monte, built by Frederick II of Swabia, and now an art gallery, is well worth a visit for its impressive courtyard and imposing walls. Bari Cathedral houses a museum where you can see the remains of the earliest Christian chapel built on the site, as well as the ruins of a Roman building. The new town has two major shopping centres where the visitor can browse all day and come across some rare bargains. Outside Bari the Itria Valley is home to the extraordinary “trulli” houses, grey cone-shaped stone houses. A visit to the excavated ruins of the Greek and subsequently Roman city of Egnazia makes for a fascinating day out, with excavations still being carried out, and an excellent museum on site. Exploring the coast, a visit to the old village of Polignano is a must, with its dramatic cliff-top location overlooking the Adriatic.   

Drive Around Bari

If you are arranging car rental from the airport, you will find the drive to Bari an easy and well-signposted 12 km on the SP73. It is worth ensuring that you have satnav in the car, as the city is quite spread out and finding your way through the suburbs of the new town can be challenging. The SS96 will take you out of the city to the interior, and the beautiful Parco Nazionale Alta Murgia, with the scenic coastal route of SS 159 running towards Vieste.