With rain in the forecast and no activities in Florence, I decided to chase the sun and head south, all the way to the "heel of the boot" in fact. My first stop was in Bari to see the "old town" and from there visit the villages of Matera and Alberobello. Then, I planned to continue further south to Lecce.
In order to reach Bari by train, I first went north to Bologna, and then along the coast to Bari. The train ride is picturesque, with views of the hills and then the coast for many miles. Since the trains are still running at 50% capacity, travel feels safe and relaxing.
While the narrow streets of the "old town" do have souvenir stands, there is also a sense of real life-- small coffee shops, butchers, fruit and vegetable stands, non-touristy panino spots. One church was setting up for a wedding. There were elderly out doing the shopping and stopping to talk. There was an odd calmness between all the twisting streets.
In the evening, the old town filled with youngsters on scooters, teenagers, adults and families. It was exciting! I had an aperitivo while looking at the sea, then walked to Piazza Mercantile (around the corner!) and enjoyed outdoor dining at a wonderful restaurant. I was overjoyed at the sight of the bread basket alone!
In the picture, the restaurant tables are under the large umbrellas. To the right, was a woman selling squares of freshly fried polenta. (On my tour the next day, the guide said that she is there every day.)
The region of Puglia is well known for seafood, burrata, focaccia, and taralli. There would be plenty of all of that in the days ahead!
