Bari, Apulia regional capital, concentrates its treasures in its medieval historic centre: the Basilica of Saint Nicholas which enshrines the Patron Saint’s relics beneath the alter in the crypt; the Norman-Swabian Castle whose towers and bastions protect the entrance to the city and dominate the sea today as a thousand year ago; the Cathedral of San Sabino, splendid example of Apulian Romanesque architecture. The modern part of Bari has its own charm, too. It takes the name of Murat quarter from its French founder Joachim Murat and is laid out on a rectangular grid-plan. It boasts many notable monuments, including three prestigious theatres, namely the Teatro Piccinni, the Teatro Petruzzelli and the Liberty-style Teatro Margherita which has a unique peculiarity: its pillars are based in the sea. A walk along the promenade should not be missed: elegant buildings overlook the sea, such as Kursaal Santa Lucia theatre, Albergo delle Nazioni and Palazzo della Provincia with the most important art gallery in Apulia.     
Leaving Bari and heading toward the northernmost part of Apulia we will reach the Gargano promontory characterized by a high and rugged coast. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Adriatic Sea because it is a perfect blend of sea, nature and culture. In the easternmost part of Gargano, we reach Vieste. Surrounded by long sandy beaches and a crystal-clear sea, Vieste (like Peschici and Rodi Garganico) is perched on a rock overlooking the sea, a defensive position against the frequent Saracen incursions. The “chianca amara” is a sad memory of these attacks: it is a stone in the historic centre on which the Turkish pirate Draghut Rais slaughtered several local people. The numerous watchtowers scattered all over Apulia had the aim to spot potential danger from the sea. The old town preserved its medieval structure with its narrow winding streets, white-washed houses, small squares and scenic viewpoints. The jewels of the town are the Swabian Castle, rebuilt in 1242 by Frederick II and restructured in the 16th century, and the Cathedral in Apulian Romanesque style with a late-Baroque tower bell.
Absolutely worthy a visit are the trabucchi spread across the coastline going from Vieste to Peschici.  These ancient fishing tools are wooden constructions made of a platform anchored to the rock that extends over the sea with long wooden arms supporting a huge net where fish is caught. Nothing is more romantic than a dinner in a trabucco at sunset, caressed by the sea breeze while the red of the sky slowly blends and fades in the red of the sea.
The Nature Reserve of Foresta Umbra, the heart of the Gargano National Park, is just 27 km from Vieste. It extends over an area of 400 hectares, at an altitude of about 800 meters, with a wide variety of flora (almost 2000 species of plants, such as beech, oak, Turkey oak, hornbeam, lime and maple, and more than 60 varieties of wild orchids) and fauna (as badgers, hedgehogs, wild cats, foxes, roe deer and even wolves, hawks and nocturnal birds of prey). A true paradise not only for hikers and nature lovers but also for children who deeply appreciate the path around the artificial lake full of carp, cat fish, turtles and toads along with the deer area where the animals, protected by a fence, interact with the visitors.