After a quick overnight stay in Bari, we packed up our bags and walked to the train station.
Bari Centrale was about a 2 km walk, giving us a brief look at other areas of the city as we made our way through the streets.
It was a quick 45-minute train ride to Monopoli. The train left Bari and followed the coastline, providing some lovely views of both the water and the almost endless fields of vines and olive trees—something the region is known for.
We arrived in Monopoli, packs on our backs, and walked about 1.5 km to our apartment in the old town.
Navigating the streets of the old town is tricky, especially when you first arrive and don’t yet have your bearings. The old town is full of dead ends and winding streets. What seems to be “just there” often requires you to take a much longer route.
On top of this, the narrow streets enclosed by tall stone buildings are not great for GPS reception, so navigation by phone is sometimes worse than just following your instincts.
We arrived at our unit and unpacked. It was a relief to get the packs off our backs and to be able to set up for an extended stay—we are in Monopoli for six nights, and this marks the halfway point of our trip.
The extended stay is designed to allow us to go slow for a few days, rest a little, and recharge. Monopoli has a few beaches, so some lazy days at the beach might be on the cards as well.
After settling into the apartment, it was time to “get lost” and hopefully discover where we could pick up some groceries for our stay.
The old town streets in Monopoli are amazing—white painted stone walls contrasting against a bright blue sky.
We wandered around trying to get our bearings and establish a few landmarks. Along the way, we discovered some amazing-looking bars and restaurants.
We found a small grocery store and stocked up on some supplies.
For lunch, we couldn’t go past the little cafe at the end of our street (there are two—we’ll plan to try the other tomorrow).
The octopus 🐙 panini was delicious and something we’d been looking forward to trying. The kids had the mixed fried seafood and a few other nibbles.
After lunch, we continued on “getting lost.” We wanted to locate the beach. When we booked our apartment, one of the attractions was a nearby sandy beach—unfortunately, it seems they are currently redeveloping the waterfront area here and that beach is closed. Bit of a pain, but that’s life.
We explored further down the coast and found a few other options not too far away.
For dinner, we headed out to a nice place Laura had seen recommended—Pinsotti.
The staff were very friendly and welcoming, and also great with the kids. H drew a picture of the restaurant’s logo—a bee 🐝—and the owner was amazed and wanted her to sign it so when she is famous he can be rich 🤑.
We ordered a selection of local food to share: Caprese di bufala, Pinsa Braciola barese, Insalata di polpo, and a bottle of local white wine. It was all delicious. The owner brought us limoncello and sweet biscuits for the kids, which was a lovely way to finish off the meal.
After dinner, we wandered the streets of the old town a bit more and out to view the port—the old town is beautiful in the evening.
