Puglia is full of beautiful places, from the natural splendor of the Gargano peninsula, to the white cottages of Alberobello, the caves of Polignano, the elegance of Lecce and our favorite and best kept secret - the tiny town of peace, piazze, pizze which we wrote about here.

Many tourists are drawn to these and, although many fly into Bari, they quickly leave in search of the touristy spots of Puglia. That is a huge mistake. In many ways it is in Bari that the heart and soul of Puglia is to be found. Here is a city that is no Disneyland tourist attraction.