Car Hire Bari Airport

Driving is a real pleasure in this part of Italy. The Puglia coastline and countryside is packed with delightful villages, charming towns and soothing scenery.

Bari itself is a striking coastal city, well-connected to other places via an extensive road network. If you’re heading straight for the city, the airport is about 20 minutes away – simply follow the signs and the SS16.

If you haven’t driven in Italy before, you’ll be in a left-hand drive car on the right-hand side of the road. All overtaking is on the left. Seatbelts are compulsory and it’s illegal to use a mobile phone while driving.

In Bari itself there’s a top speed limit of 50km/h. On autostrade, the main Italian highways, you can drive up to 130km/h – all speed limits on other roads will be well signposted. Many of the autostrade in Italy are toll roads, with booths and lanes for paying by cash or card.

The old centre of Bari, like many other Italian cities, operates a Zona Traffico Limitato, or ZTL. It runs seven days a week and restricts access to cars without permits, enforced by video cameras. Don’t worry, there plenty of paid on-street spots and car parks nearby. If your hotel is in the ZTL zone, tell them your licence plate after collecting your hire car and they’ll ensure you can get access for your arrival and departure. 

Exploring Puglia from Bari is the perfect way to make the most of southern Italy. Drive south on the coastal SS16 for Lecce, one of the prettiest places in the country, passing Brindisi on the way. Heading west will take you to Trani and Barletta. Road trippers will find vibrant Naples only a few hours away via the A14 and E842.

In Bari, the oldest parts of town are juxtaposed perfectly with the youthful vibe delivered by the city’s university. There’s a real sense of life to the place, with proud neighbourhoods and bustling seafood restaurants around every corner. Here on the Adriatic, life is simple and sweet.

Bari’s basilica and bones

Bari’s centre is a hive of activity full of picturesque streets and piazzas, with old buildings bringing to life the city’s history as a major port. Cafes line Piazza Mercantile, the perfect place to catch some sun and immerse yourself in Puglia life, before taking a tour of the main sights.

Unpick the city’s history at Bari Cathedral, where the basement excavations span Roman and ancient Christian ruins. There are also Byzantine elements, topped off with the current Romanesque church originating in around the 13^th century. The Norman Castello Svevo is an imposing 12^th-century fortress that today is mainly used to host a variety of exhibitions.

However, the biggest show in town is definitely the Basilica di San Nicola, an 11^th-century Norman church with a bright white exterior. Fishermen had stolen the remains of St. Nicholas – the origin of the story of Father Christmas – from Turkey and whisked them back to Bari. This robust and much-visited church was designed to house them. It’s open daily and the interior is remarkable.

Perfect Polignano

While Bari’s waterfront is an active port, the surrounding area is full of brilliant beaches lining the Adriatic coast. Drive south of Bari to reach the beguiling town of Polignano a Mare, a place with its own medieval history of invasion and occupation.

It’s a popular spot for visitors thanks to its limestone caves and balconies overlooking the sea. Culture fans will enjoy the Museum of Contemporary Art Pino Pascali, housed in the modern palace and displaying works by the local artist demonstrating his wonderful Mediterranean style. 

The pebble beach of Cala Porto is lovely too, hemmed in by cliffs and the alluring aquamarine water. There are numerous restaurants with sea views, but Antiche Mura is a favourite as it’s carved into the stone and serves highly-rated fish dishes.

Going underground

Heading inland rather than down the coast, you’ll find national parks and curious towns. Matera to the south is home to an elaborate cave structure that dates back thousands of years and is regarded as one of the world’s oldest settlements. Wandering through this underground city is like hopping in a time machine back to the Biblical era.

Above ground, the Trulli houses of Alberobello, south-east of Bari, are perfect for a day trip with a hire car from Bari Airport. There are well over a thousand of the iconic 14^th-century houses with their unmistakable conical roofs here. Some are still homes, many are shops, and others you can use as accommodation, offering a unique insight into the region.

Hertz car hire at Bari Airport lets you uncover the vast array of culture, history and natural highlights in and around the south-east Italian coast.