I’m one of the many third-generation Italian-Americans whose great-grandparents arrived in New York City in the 1920s. From Bari to Ellis Island, Michele and Theresa Perrino ultimately planted roots in the borough of Queens. Now in 2024 — over 100 years after so many came to America for a better life — millions of tourists flock to Italy each year for a taste of la dolce vita. And just in the last ten years or so, the region of Puglia, in which Bari is the capital, has become one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in Europe. On a recent trip to Italy with my daughter Gia, I wanted to make sure we slowed down and truly savored the classic Italian lifestyle while still fitting in some sightseeing and history. Follow along for our three-week adventure.
Fregene
I flew Norse, a low-cost airline headquartered in Norway. Since we were flying into Rome, I figured it would be a good idea to stay a few days and cross off some of the Roma bucket list. But rather than stay in Rome in the middle of the sweltering European summer, I opted to stay around 30 minutes away in Fregene, a beach town on the Tyrrhenian Sea where we could easily make our way into the city. Fregene isn’t exactly the first place you think of when deciding on an Italian beach escape, but that is precisely why I chose it.
Fregene is a small beach-side community that many Romans flock to for a quick day at the beach. It is located in Fiumicino and was part of Rome until 1992. Unlike the shores of the Amalfi Coast and Positano, the beach clubs in Fregene are filled with mostly locals. You’ll catch those who live there year-round riding their bikes early morning for a dip in the sea before the hot afternoon sun, while families from Rome arrive by car. By evening, along the main strip, you can find families gathering for dinner and teenagers grabbing gelato, with some beach clubs open late into the night.
Walking around, you can tell that Fregene has a past. It was a popular vacation destination in the 60s and 70s by celebrities and a famous nightlife destination in the 80s — especially considering the amazing sunsets that occur over the Tyrrhenian. It made a comeback in the early 2000s for a few years thanks to a few of its popular beach clubs.
I chose an Airbnb just a ten-minute walk from the beach owned by Cristina, a friendly Italian who grew up in Fregene. With its own private entrance and a nice-sized yard, the second-story loft-like one-bedroom apartment is accessed by an exterior winding staircase. With a fully equipped kitchen and a small balcony, it’s perfect for a couple, two friends, or a mother-daughter duo like us.
We stayed in Fregene for four days, kicking off our first week in Italy with lazy summer days spent swimming in the sea, eating seafood on the beach, and indulging in our fair share of gelato. On our last night there, Singita Miracle Beach just so happened to be hosting its first beach party of the season. As we enjoyed music and the most beautiful fiery sunset, a woman asked me where I was from. When I told her “New York,” she smiled and asked, “How did you end up here!?” I laughed and thought to myself, mission accomplished.
Our Fregene list:
- Sunset dinner at La Nave
- Umbrella and chair rentals at Hang Loose
- Gelato from Cafe Des Amis
- Sunset drinks at Singita Miracle Beach
Rome
During our four days in Fregene, we headed to Rome for a day. Our first order of business was lunch — a margherita pizza and an Aperol Spritz with a view of the Colosseum at Oppio Cafe. After touring the Colosseum, we hopped on the 87 bus and headed to the Trevi Fountain before making our way to the Cielo Terrace rooftop, right at the top of the Spanish Steps. There we cooled off with a fresh juice for Gia and a Limoncello Spritz for me and enjoyed a view overlooking the city. Before heading home, we stopped at one more rooftop — this time at Terrazza 1919, where we watched the sunset over the Vatican.
Puglia
We flew from Rome to Bari via Ryanair, a cheap Ireland-based airline that makes traveling through Europe quite simple. We’d be spending the remainder of our time headquartered in Bari as we explored the coast of Puglia. I opted for two separate Airbnbs, the first one being a penthouse-level apartment right in the heart of Bari Vecchia, with a terrace overlooking the Basilica di San Nicola — yes, the original Santa Claus. Our second accommodation was in a classic Barese-style townhouse on the edge of the vecchia, with the Murat district — aka the French side — across the street.
Those who were born and raised in Bari will tell you that the vecchia was once a very different place. While tourists now flock to the narrow alleyways to see women hand-rolling orecchiette pasta in the streets and enjoying fresh focaccia bread, growing up, they were told never to enter the old side of town. And yet now the streets are filled with tourists from all over Europe and beyond, eager to explore the beauty of this southern region of Italy.
While Bari is a great place to stay during your visit to Puglia because it’s home to the main hub train station Bari Centrale, any Barese will tell you that it should not be your only stop. A car is truly needed to experience Puglia in totality, but you can still make your way to some of the beautiful historic towns along the Trenitalia train line.
Bari
Bari and the Puglia region, in general, is famous for its orecchiette and focaccia bread. Some of the main dishes one must try when visiting Bari are patate riso e cozze (rice with potatoes and mussels), panino col polpo (octopus sandwich) and panzerotti (similar to calzones), just to name a few.
Our Bari list:
- Spend a morning at Pane e Pomodoro (bread and tomato beach), one of the two local Bari beaches
- Mangia on orecchiette at Orecchietteria San Nicola
- Grab a Peroni at Piccolo Bar, a classic Barese hole-in-the-wall bar
- Enjoy a super informative tour of Bari with Free Walking Tour Bari
- Marvel at the intricate details of the Basilica di San Nicola
- See Bari by water on a vintage gozzo boat with Bari by Boat
- Check out the Museo del Succorpo della Cattedrale di Bari
- Grab fresh focaccia from Panificio Fiore
- Catch a sunset at La Santeria
- Buy fresh seafood from the fisherman at El Chiringuito
Polignano a Mare
Thanks to Instagram, you’ve probably seen this incredible cliffside town whether you realize it or not. A quick 30-minute train ride from Bari, this enchanting town is now packed with tourists who have chosen to choose Polignano as their Puglia headquarters or who are stopping in for the day. The white-pebble Lama Monachile beach flanked by limestone cliffs is truly magical. I have no idea how early you need to arrive to claim any decent territory on the rocky beach, but most people simply find a spot along the cliffs to place their belongings and comically make their way into the water. Some opt to cliff dive right in.
Monopoli
Another town with a stunning centro storico is Monopoli. Here you will find boutique hotels overlooking the Adriatic, no shortage of beautiful basilicas, and both locals and tourists cooling off in the sea. Upon arrival, I immediately joined suit after our sweltering 20-minute walk from the train station. After, we stopped for lunch at Micasa, where I devoured an order of mussels and a refreshing spritz. We then perused some of the cute boutiques filled with both souvenirs and beach accessories, where I grabbed a pretty visor and a little gift for my aunt.
Reflecting on my trip
Many will tell you that Puglia is so special because it’s like time-traveling to old Italy. The close-knit communities, the nonnas making orecchiette, the men outside playing cards, and the fisherman selling their day’s catch. And yet, ironically, it’s what made so many born and raised there have a desire to get out and see more. In just the last few years, Bari has been introduced to sushi and boba and new spots for those looking for crafted cocktails — not just Peronis and spritzes.
While out for drinks with three separate friends, their sentiments were all quite similar. Seemingly ten years behind everywhere else, the millennials have a desire to see it advance while simultaneously missing the days before tourists flooded its shores. They can’t wait until September when most of the crowds are gone, but the sea is still inviting enough for a swim. And while I made sure to fit in some day trips to some of the “nicer” beaches of Puglia, I was perfectly content eating fresh bruschetta on the dock at Pane e Pomodoro and appreciating what was already at my fingertips. While some tourists might visit expecting a perfectly curated southern Italian experience, I opted to relish it like a secret that I was just grateful to be let in on.
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