Share The Article
Southern Italy is one of Europe’s top summer destinations, owing to its plethora of pastel-hue towns lining turquoise seas, picturesque pebble beaches, and Old World allure.
Perhaps it might be surprising to some that, unlike the well-connected North, getting around the South without a car can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you’re planning on going from coast to coast.
Lucky for those of us who don’t want to miss out on either, and who are keen on exploring Southern Italy in depth, Italian authorities have heard our plights.
A new high-speed train has been announced, set to link Naples, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast, to Bari, the main transport hub for Puglia, drastically shortening travel times, and making travel across the “ankle” of the Italian boot far less complicated:
Naples To Puglia In Just 2 Hours
Traveling in Southern Italy is definitely not for beginners.
Be it the subpar public transportation, which is either too slow compared to its Northern counterparts or, in some cases, even non-existent, or the crazy traffic if you’re driving, it can be quite the adventure, to say the very least.
It’s no wonder depopulation trends have accelerated in recent years, or that tourists often restrict their movements to a well-serviced Naples and its neighboring Amalfi when visiting the region.
However, thanks to the EU’s post-pandemic Recovery Fund, a brand new high-speed railway is now under construction.
By 2028, the cities of Naples and Bari will be connected by a 90-mile, two-track line.
It will replace the much slower current line, and halve the 4+ hours journey time to just 2 hours.
All the destinations served on the already-existing route, which includes inland medieval cities like Foggia, Orsara, and Benevento, will also be revamped, and the line will now curve further south to reach the remote Hirpinia.
All of this without adding travel time.
This is part of an Italy-wide project to revitalize the railway industry in the south of the country, to the tune of €60 billion.
Italian authorities hope that improving connectivity in the region will promote tourism in under-visited areas, alleviating the pressure on places like Amalfi, and stem the exodus of young people to the North.
Naples: Italy’s Diamond-In-The-Rough
Naples is one of Italy’s main cultural hotspots, and a bustling port city best known for its maze-like historic center, lined with skinny, ocher-colored buildings and family-owned trattorias, and, well, for being rough-around-the-edges.
We’ve talked about it at length before, but Naples isn’t your typical Italian destination:
It feels less like your usual, polished European open-air museum, and more like a chaotic, beautiful, all-the-same urban sprawl:
A place where locals go about their business, nonnas with supernatural strength are seen carrying their heavy grocery bags as they instinctively dodge motorbikers (that shouldn’t be driving down that alley, anyway), and fish market odors and salt air invade your nostrils without much of a warning.
Naples is a vibe, and one not many will be fond of, but we for sure love its authenticity, the $5 Margherita pizzas sold at Di Matteo, and the historic sights.
From Castell dell’Ovo, a monumental harbor-side fortification offering killer views of the Gulf of Naples, to the Centro Storico, a labyrinth of alleys and picturesque piazzas, all backdropped by an imposing Vesuvius, Naples is sure to steal your heart, regardless of its crude manners, if you give it a chance.
There is the city of Naples itself, and then there’s the fact that the Amalfi Coast is a short one-hour drive away, not to mention world-famous archeological zones like Pompeii and Herculaneum.
We won’t downplay it, Amalfi is nothing short of a hellhole in summer, what with the crowds and overpriced services, but it is truly beautiful.
Rugged coastal drives, cliffside resort towns, vintage appeal, and all.
That being said, it is not all that the South has in store.
Bari: Italy’s Most Underrated City?
Puglia is a lesser-known coastal region lining the Adriatic arm of the Mediterranean, boasting unspoiled coastal scenery and equally charming cities, one of them being Bari:
An equally-offbeat coastal treasure of Italy, except it’s a little more polished than Naples, Bari is deep-rooted in ancient tradition, having served as an important trading hub from the time of the Hellenes, to the Romans, to the modern era.
It is still one of Italy’s busiest ports, at that, and a gateway to the Balkan Peninsula, with cargo and passenger ferries departing regularly for Croatia, Albania, and the wider Mediterranean, but it has far more to offer on the culture front:
Beyond the glitzy marina, where you’ll find all your luxury yachts, big ships, and upscale eateries, there is a timeless historic core criss-crossed with winding alleys, only large enough for two people to walk side by side.
There seems to always be a smell of freshly-caught fish in the air, or focaccia being prepared by a local nonna through a half-open door, and wherever you turn, you’re bound to end up in tiny piazzas, hidden courts with laundry hanging from balconies, and ornate Baroque churches.
Bari is best experienced exactly like that, by getting lost in its streets, though if you need some guidance, we’d suggest you start with the St Nicholas Basilica, the most prominent religious edifice in the city, and the saint’s final resting place (that’s Santa Claus, y’all!)
Also, don’t miss out on the newer San Sabino Cathedral, which features stunning crypt mosaics and rose windows, or the medieval Castello Normanno-Svevo.
There’s no Bari without its chatty nonnas, and you’ll see a fair few of them sitting outside their front doors up Strada Arco Basso, making orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta) by hand, as tradition compels them to, and if you’re feeling hungry, you can always swing by Orecchietteria San Nicola.
Situated near the basilica, it is famous for its orecchiette with turnip, and reasonable prices: pasta dishes start from an affordable $13-14.
Last but not least, no visit to Bari is complete without its adjacent Puglia Coast:
Towns like Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Ostuni, and Alberobello seem to have been plucked straight out of a fairytale scene. The former features whitewashed dwellings hanging from sea cliffs, and the latter is famous for its trulli, conical-roofed, rustic houses dating back centuries.
But wait, don’t go just yet! You can learn all about Puglia (and all its best-kept secrets) here.
Ready For Your Trip? Check The Latest Entry Requirements For Your Destination Here
↓ Elevate Your Travel↓
Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!
️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Please visit:
Our Sponsor