Should you’ve been ready for the summer season season to die down to begin planning your budget-friendly, chilled Italian getaway, solely to seek out out, in utter shock, costs have not dropped, nor have crowds dwindled?
Yeah, we have all been there. Imagine it or not, at this level, Italy is pricey and crowded no matter season, and for these heading to the standard spots—Rome, Amalfi, Florence, and Venice—there’s simply no escaping the overtourism curse.
Right here at Journey Off Path, we have now an intensive journey historical past in Europe underneath our belt, and we have change into specialists at figuring out one of the best journey dupes over time. It is no completely different in Italy’s case.
Should you’re hoping for ‘regular’ costs, a extra laid-back really feel, and most significantly, direct flights, this lesser-known Italian metropolis must be excessive in your fall journey wishlist:
A Bustling Port Metropolis Most Vacationers Skip
The capital of Puglia, Bari is a busy port metropolis lining the Adriatic Sea. , reverse of the Amalfi Coast, close to the heel of the Italian boot.
Though it’s removed from being as well-liked as Positano or Salerno, it in reality hosts nonstop flights from New York (JFK) this summer season, and via October 15, making it an accessible getaway for Individuals craving some tradition.
And do not you are concerned, Bari has loads of that:
It’s one in every of Italy’s most historically-significant cities, spanning over two millennia of recorded human exercise, and with the type of architectural wealth you possibly can solely discover in top-notch Mediterranean hubs: we’re speaking monumental cathedrals and that picture-perfect, maze-like Previous City.
One Of The Most Lovely Previous Cities In Italy
Bari Vecchia, the Previous City, is a labyrinth of cobbled alleyways lined with centuries-old stone homes, and whether or not you select left or proper, chances are high you will find yourself in a small piazzetta bordered by cozy cafes or dominated by an imposing Baroque church.
Talking of church buildings, do you know Saint Nicholas—as in, the good-hearted bearded man often known as Santa Claus within the jolliest time of yr—is buried beneath the Eleventh-century Basilica di San Nicola? Situated proper within the coronary heart of Bari Vecchia, it is without doubt one of the metropolis’s details of curiosity.
Should you’re fascinated by the Center Ages, you possibly can’t skip Castello Normanno-Svevo, a Twelfth-century coastal fortress constructed within the Twelfth century.
Now open as a museum, it gives lovely views of Bari from atop its ramparts, and it has quite a few galleries and hidden chambers able to be explored.
An Underrated Meals Scene
Bari is probably not as well-known for its delicacies as Rome or Florence are, however the gastronomy right here is on a par with Italy’s prime foodie locations.
When visiting Strada Arco Basso, a pedestrian passageway flanked by skinny, stone buildings, you will discover Italian nonnas crafting Bari’s signature orecchiette (an earlobe-shaped pasta) by hand. Maintain strolling down the road, and you may hit Nunzia.
One in every of Bari’s most conventional eating places, it’s identified for selfmade pasta, particularly their orecchiette con cime di rapa, and principal dishes common solely €10 (or round $11.52 on the present change charge).
Close to the Mercato del Pesce (Fish Market), there are a number of no-frills trattorie promoting grilled octopus, sea urchin, oysters sprayed with lemon, and seafood fritters, often for underneath €20 ($23).
On the whole, consuming out in Bari will set you again €30–40 ($34.56–$46) every time. That’s, when you’re going for a full course with a starter, dessert, and drinks. Should you’re simply snacking or solely getting a principal and a glass of wine, you will be saving up large time.
Accommodations From Solely $61
Meals shouldn’t be the one factor that is budget-friendly in Bari. Lodging might be simply as cheap, particularly in comparison with different locations in Italy.
This fall, a double room in a guesthouse within the middle of Bari will set you again $61-a-night for two adults, or solely $30.50 per visitor.
Comparable listings for personal rooms within the space have nightly charges starting from $72 to $95, which is considerably cheaper than the common resort charge in Rome ($210-a-night, based on Budget Your Trip), or on the Amalfi Coast (a whopping $345).
Fly Direct From The U.S. To Bari
This fall, Individuals can fly nonstop from New York (JFK) to Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI), with Neos Air, an Italian service.
The route operates as soon as weekly on Tuesdays, and it has been operating since June 3, 2025. It is set to finish for the season on October 15, 2025, that means U.S. passengers nonetheless take pleasure in direct hyperlinks to Bari (and the broader Puglia area) via mid-fall:
- Outbound (JFK→ BRI): departs JFK 4:00 PM native time, arrives to BRI at 8:00 AM of the next day
- Return (BRI → JFK): departs BRI 11:30 AM, arrives at JFK 1:50 PM on the identical calendar date
In September, round-trip nonstop fares begin at an affordable $957, whereas in October, they common $1,000.
Discover Past Bari
Should you’re visiting Bari this fall, be sure you head out of town to go to Puglia’s smaller, quaint cities, like Polignano a Mare, the place whitewashed homes are perched atop coastal cliffs, overlooking a scenic seashore, and Alberobello, distinguished by its trulli (conical-roofed homes).
Additional south, the coastal metropolis of Brindisi gives each medieval attraction and a relaxed coastal environment, and inland, Lecce is oftentimes known as the ‘Florence of the South‘:
Residence to a plethora of Renaissance and Baroque monuments, in addition to well-preserved Roman-era monuments, it’s one in every of Puglia’s best-kept secrets and techniques. Learn extra about Lecce right here.
Subscribe To Our Newest Posts
Enter your e mail handle to subscribe to Journey Off Path’s newest breaking journey information, straight to your inbox.
