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Charming Apulia
Bari Shore Trip - Charming Apulia
 



Full day private Bari shore excursion combining a walking tour of Bari's old town and Basilica di San Nicola, the underground Caves of Castellana, and the UNESCO trulli town of Alberobello. 7.5 hours.

7.5 hours (private)
private excursion
licensed guide
english speaking expert
all group sizes
sedan to full size coach
››
port or hotel
pick up either location
  • Pick up from Hotel or Port of Bari
  • Your contact will hold a welcome sign with your name written
  • Private Vehicle with English Speaking Licensed Guide
  • Included Interior Visits- Castellana Caves
Read Full Tour Description





Tour Number:
IBARI-02


Group Size (Prices in USD)*:
2 People - $966 Per Person
3 People - $710 Per Person
4 People - $542 Per Person
5 People - $444 Per Person
6 People - $398 Per Person
7 People - $348 Per Person
8 People - $407 Per Person



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TOUR DESCRIPTION
 

Alberobello & Castellana Caves Shore Excursion from Bari

This full day Bari shore trip is built for guests who want the region's three signature stops in a single outing: the historic center of Bari, an underground cave system, and the trulli town of Alberobello.

The day starts with a walking tour through Bari's old town, a former Bronze Age promontory settlement whose maze of narrow alleys still opens onto sudden sea views. You pass the Basilica di San Nicola, built to house the relics of St. Nicholas after Bari sailors brought them from Myra in 1087, and the Norman Castle, the largest building in the region, reshaped over centuries with medieval and Renaissance additions. Nearby, the Cathedral of San Sabino, raised in the 12th and 13th centuries over an earlier Byzantine church, holds its namesake saint's relics in a crypt supported by 28 Byzantine and Romanesque columns.

From Bari you head inland to the Caves of Castellana, discovered in 1938 by the speleologist Franco Anelli after centuries in which locals avoided the site over stories of monsters living underground. The system runs more than 3,300 meters (2 miles) in length and drops to about 122 meters (400 feet) below the surface, and you descend through chamber after chamber of stalactite and stalagmite formations shaped over millions of years, some colored by iron and copper in the surrounding rock, others startlingly pale where the mineral deposits are purer.

The day finishes in Alberobello, a hillside town built almost entirely of trulli, the region's whitewashed, cone-roofed stone houses. Their construction is tied to a historical theory involving heavy Middle Ages house taxes: dry stone walls, built without mortar, could be dismantled quickly to dodge inspection, and the style stuck long after the tax pressure eased. You have free time to step inside a trullo, where a single room beneath the conical roof is typically furnished with simple olive wood pieces, and to walk the old town's two historic districts before a short break for lunch on your own.

At the end of the day, your driver-guide returns you to the pier in Bari.

Please note
  • Mobility: Due to uneven surfaces, steps, and walking distances, this itinerary is not suitable for guests using wheelchairs. Please contact us for alternative sightseeing options, including private driving tours that may better accommodate your needs.

What's Included

Included

  • Pick up from Hotel or Port of Bari
  • Your contact will hold a welcome sign with your name written
  • Private Vehicle with English Speaking Licensed Guide
  • Included Interior Visits- Castellana Caves

Not Included

  • Meals and beverages not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Gratuities (optional, at your discretion)
  • Personal shopping

Tour Timing

All times are approximate and will vary based on your group's pace and interests.

  • 1
    15 Minutes
    Drive to the old town of Bari
  • 2
    1.5 Hours
    Walking tour of Bari
  • 3
    45 minutes
    Drive to Castellana
  • 4
    1 Hour
    Castellana Caves Tour
  • 5
    25 Minutes
    Drive to Alberobello
  • 6
    2.5 Hours
    Alberobello tour with free time for lunch
  • 7
    1 Hour
    Return to Bari

Resources

Port of Bari . Official Website

Visit Puglia - Alberobello . Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the Basilica di San Nicola and Bari's Cathedral?
They're two separate churches a short walk apart. The Basilica di San Nicola holds the relics of St. Nicholas, brought to Bari in 1087, while the Cathedral of San Sabino, built later over an earlier Byzantine church, holds the relics of its own namesake saint, San Sabino, in a separate crypt.
Why do the Caves of Castellana have such different colored formations in different chambers?
The color comes from what's dissolved in the water that formed each section: iron and copper minerals produce the amber and reddish tones seen in most of the cave, while the purest calcium carbonate deposits create the pale, almost white formations found deeper in the system.
Is this full day tour accessible for guests with mobility limitations?
No wheelchairs are accommodated. The day includes walking on Bari's old town streets, uneven cave surfaces with elevation changes, and Alberobello's cobblestone lanes, so it is not recommended for anyone with significant mobility limitations.
Is lunch included on this tour?
No, but there is free time built in at Alberobello for lunch on your own.

Also Available:

›The Roofs of Alberobello - Just Alberobello, for guests with less time in port.
›Bari & Castel del Monte - A shorter option pairing Bari's old town with the UNESCO fortress Castel del Monte instead of Alberobello.

Our Back-to-Ship Guarantee

Every excursion returning 1.5 hours before departure is covered. If we are late, we cover your costs to reach the next port. More info ›

Shore Trip Timing is approximate based on your interests & traffic
  • Drive to the old town of Bari - 15 Minutes
  • Walking tour of Bari - 1.5 Hours
  • Drive to Castellana - 45 minutes
  • Castellana Caves Tour - 1 Hour
  • Drive to Alberobello - 25 Minutes
  • Alberobello tour with free time for lunch - 2.5 Hours
  • Return to Bari - 1 Hour

Average Rating: Average Rating: 5 of 5 5 of 5 Total Reviews: 6 Write a review »

  0 of 0 people found this review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Review Location- Bari Saturday, July 4, 2026
Reviewer: Carolyn M from Lake Mary FL  
Thank you so much. We enjoyed the guides you provided for us. We have ALREADY mentioned your company to others. I hope we were gracious enough for your people. We were a bit unsure what to tip and hope the guides were satisfied with what we did give. I really appreciate your attention to detail with our tours and we were extremely happy. Thank you.

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  0 of 0 people found this review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Review Location- Bari Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Reviewer: Mativel from Birmingham, Alabama  
Three days of tours in Puglia with wonderful guides, Floriana and two days with Paolo. We visited beautiful towns like Alberobello, Ostuni, Matera, Martina Franca, Altamura, Monopoli, Locorotondo. Our guides were not only very knowledgeable but also very warm and friendly. The weather was unusually rainy and cold for this time of the year but our guides made sure we didn miss anything.

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  0 of 0 people found this review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Review Location- Bari Saturday, October 4, 2025
Reviewer: Eugenia C from Vestavia, AL  
I just want to tell you that the 3 tours in Puglia were great.  The service was wonderful.  The two guides that we had were very nice, explained everything very well and were always eager to please us.  That region is beautiful and my friends and I were very happy with the experience.  I know it rained and was very cold but we cannot control the weather. Also, the vehicles were very good and the drivers also.

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  0 of 0 people found this review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Review Location- Bari Saturday, September 13, 2025
Reviewer: Mary D from New York, NY  
I want to give you special thanks for everything. The tours were wonderful. They were always there on time, very friendly and caring. I will definitely keep you in mind for my future trips and I will recommend you to people who are already asking me, how we did it.

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  0 of 0 people found this review helpful:
 
5 of 5 Review Location- Bari Monday, August 18, 2025
Reviewer: Martha H from Port Charlotte , FL  
The tour guide we had , Pat, was wonderful and we enjoyed the tour very much! Soon I will be reaching out to you regarding our 2026 trip. Thanks, for reaching outto us.

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