PUGLIA'S CAPITAL
Bari is the capital of the region built on a level plane along the coast it became part of the Roman empire in the 3rd century.
In the course of time it was first an arab emirate and then conquered by the Lombards, Byzantine and Saracens.
In the Eastern Roman Empire it was a naval base and the old town is organised around the court following the removal here of the remains of 
Saint Nicholas and the construction of the Basilica dedicated to the saint Bari became one of the major centre of Christianity, an arrival and departure point for the crusades and a gateway to the East.
After Norman, Aragonese and Spanish rule the urban development of the city outside the historical centre started in 1813 with the construction of the "New Town".
Important events celebrate Saint Nicholas the patron saint of the city on the 6th of December and from the 7th to the 9th of May with the "Corteo Storico della Caravella".
BARI AND ITS SOUTHEAST AREA
The area of the Murge is partly protected by the National park of the same name and has lots to see: grottos, sanctuaries, churches, the remains of military defences dating from the medieval period to the 18th century, small towns and cities.
Along the coast cities and towns such Bari, Mola di Bari, Polignano a Mare and Monopoli offer tourists a combination of clear seas, beautiful beaches and a rich historical and artistic heritage. Further inland the towns of Conversano and Castellana Grotte also offer cultural an artistic heritage of great interest.
Also inland is Alberobello which has more Trulli than anywhere else in the area although they can also be found in Cisternino and Locorotondo, towns in the Valle d'Itria. Monopoli and Fasano have their own typical dwellings - the Masseria.
The earlier of these were farmhouses fortified against the threat of marauding invaders, such as the Turks.
Later Masseria are not fortified, but both types formed autonomous dwellings for a small local community each with its own vines, olive groves and orchards, livestock and chapel.
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