While Bari isn’t short on things to do, it’s really the allure of surrounding Puglia that attracts visitors in their droves. With a coastline that stretches 800km north and south of its capital, rolling landscapes studded with historic villages, and some serious wine country, there’s something here to suit all tastes.

The UNESCO World Heritage Castel del Monte, a 13th-century octagonal structure crowning a hilltop an hour’s drive out of Bari, should be on every itinerary. With no known purpose—although it was later turned into a prison and used as a refuge during the plague—it’s a fascinating feat of architectural genius. The drive out there is spectacularly scenic, and you can chase your visit with lunch in the pretty hamlet of Andria, in the heart of some of Puglia’s finest vineyards.

Sun-worshippers will relish the chain of white sandy shores and pebbled coves along Puglia’s coast. Head south from Bari and you’ll discover the pretty private beaches fringing Polignano a Mare, while further north, the shallow sprawl flanking historic Giovinazzo is popular with families.

Hire a car with Avis in Bari for easy access to Puglia’s remotest beaches, furthest-flung sights and pretty historic villages.

While Bari isn’t exactly famed for its tourism, its history cements it as a definitive place of culture and interest. The port’s easy access to the Adriatic’s wealth of seafood made Bari an ideal stronghold for the Romans, with its harbour first mentioned in 180BC.

The old city crowds into the base of a peninsula in the south of the harbour, and is punctuated by the remains of Bari’s rich past. The gleaming white 12th-century Romanesque Cattedrale di San Sabino is its grandest landmark. A few steps away is the imposing Norman Castello Svevo, a sprawling fortress that’s now home to a collection of fascinating museum artefacts. Nearby, the Basilica San Nicola guards the remains of Bari’s patron saint and is a popular pilgrimage site.

Absorb Bari’s laid-back pace of life over an espresso at one of the cafés lining the elegant Piazzas Mercantile and del Ferrarese. Early risers should head to Porto Vecchio to watch fishermen bringing in their daily catch to sell on the waterfront—including the freshest oysters you’ll ever taste.

Sobald Sie in unserer Mietstation ankommen, werden Sie von uns bestens betreut. Ob Sie nun einen knuffigen Kompaktwagen für einen kleinen Abstecher in die Stadt, eine elegante Limousine für eine Geschäftsreise oder einen geräumigen Minibus für einen Familienurlaub benötigen: Das perfekte Auto steht für Sie bereit.

Vielmieter erhalten ein Upgrade – und zusätzliche Tage kostenlos – durch die Anmeldung bei unserem Treueprogramm Avis Preferred.