Welcome to Apulia - The Heel of the Boot

Tobias Heller
17. Okt. 2016
6 Min. Lesezeit

From the coast of Napoli I cross over to another Italian region: Apulia. I pick the harbor city Bari, which is mainly frequented by ferries that pass over from greek islands as well as the mainland of Greece itself. In a few days I am planning to visit other spots along the way from Bari to Brindisi, including Polignano a Mare as well as Monopoli, situated at the coast.

Citytrip & Harbor

Bari - The connector to Greece

The night I arrive I don't go outside anymore but prefer to cook a proper dinner in the hostel kitchen and chat with other travelers. Early in the morning, my room companions are still deeply sleeping, whereas I crawl out underneath the blankets stretching myself and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I feel completely refreshed, the bed was soft and the hostel has an adorable, cute atmosphere, similar like a big apartment with several family members dropping in and out from time to time. Actually the dormitory, with only 6 beds in it, is the size of a normal living room, which I assume has been it's previous purpose. I prepare some scrambled eggs and eat bread with jam, put on my shoes and step outside to look around in Bari, following an ordinary street up to the old center and harbor area. The old center is typical Italian, small narrow streets, clothes hanged out to dry, the walls run-down, partially overgrown by green mosses and grass, and overall grungy. Despite that it has some surprising elements included such as freestanding columns, those original purpose remains unidentified to me. Close to each other a Basilica and a Cathedral are located, which are nice to see once you are already there.

The harbor is nice to take a stroll along, but despite that offers nothing special to look at and doesn't look overly too special, moreover a bit lonesome and plain simple. I go along the infinite way along the coast, with lamps alternating with benches during this stroll in always the same reoccurring pattern, lamp, bench, lamp, bench,... Deeper in the south I find short strips of beach, but what I encounter here sends a cold shiver down my spine despite the heat. The whole area isn't covered with sand, but with litter that has been washed ashore. I am simultaneously torn between blank disgust in face of this display of extraordinary environmental pollution and at the same time curiosity. While surveying the different articles that lie around here, I have to thin about the documentary 'Plastic Planet'. Indeed, the keyword is plastic. Most of the stuff is made out of it in various colors and forms, ranging from soap bottles to one way cutlery over to remnants of broken plastic chairs and various other objects. I feel deeply sad about this and refrain from even thinking about how much trash is floating around in our sea. Apparently no one even cares about cleaning this part of the city from the oncoming waste, and I leave with bitter regretfulness.

Due to bad weather, and the fact that I think I have seen enough of this place, I return to the hostel and instead of engaging myself with the act of chasing monuments and sightseeing spots, I enjoy talks and a few beers with some hostel companions for the rest of the day. Later at night I stroll with one of my new companions along the harbor, the water rippling water reflecting the lights, the streets glistening from the rain. This somehow is a very lonely place to me.

Daytrip & On the Road

Polignano A Mare - A luring Bay

The following day I get up pretty early in the morning once more, in order to got to Brindisi, which wouldn't be actually on my list of places to see, but I got invited by a Couchsurfer, Antonio, who lives and works there and offers me to stay and do a day trip from here to Lecce deep down in the south of Italy's heel. I shoulder my backpack and get off to the train station, instead of buying a ticket straight over to Brindisi, I will do two stopovers along the way, thereby seeing two new places. My first stop is Polignano a Mare, which is a small Italian seaside town next to the Adriatic Sea. The main highlight is a small bay with clear water, which is flanked to each sides by small cliffs and houses places upon them. I got up really early in order to have the whole day to my disposal. When I arrive I cross over the bridge that offers a fantastic view down to the bay, instead of walking straight down I decide to follow a pathway that would lead down to the coastline first. The sun is still low down, and therefore the bay lies completely in shadow, whereas the coastline below is bathed in sunlight. Large waves are crashing against the rocks occasionally, which I did no expect. Once a high one smashes against the rocky coastline, it sends an enormous spray of of salty sea water washing over me. Of course while taking a picture with the self timer.

While the sun climbs up I run around in several of the streets to explore this area, until I finally step the stairs down below to look around the bay. The houses are built directly on the small tongue that protrudes into the sea, and living there must be a somehow spectacular feeling. I imagine opening the window on a warm summer morning, the waves crashing onto the steep cliff just below my feet and the salty air is flung upwards by the gust of wind that rushes past the walls. Only a few other people start to stroll onto the shore, while I am the only one who carries an enormous backpack with him. I linger around here for longer and enjoy the turquoise bay and climb through a flooded tunnel that leas to the other side of the cliff from where the only view is right into the open sea.

Daytrip & On the Road

Monopoli - Let's play?

I hop onto the second train, which takes me quickly in less than 15 minutes to my second stopover: Monopoli. Again do I start to walk around with my backpack pressing on my shoulders. Luckily I am used to the additional weight upon my shoulders, and the carriage system of the bag is adjustable therefore I can shift the main weight between my waist and my back - life saving during a hike! The center of Monopoli consists of purely white painted houses and seems overly clean and modest in most parts, unlike other Italian cities this one seems to put the emphasis on a mixture of antiquity and modernity. Despite the fact that it is already October families on vacations are still enjoying the beachside, and indeed it is still warm and the water hasn't lost it's summer temperature yet. I follow the steady concrete pavement along the coast, passing castle like shaped plain buildings which appear to me as someone came up with the idea of painting it white in order to make them look less decadent. The main center is thoroughly small, and because of that I am done with my look around quite soon, jumping onto the train once more to go to my final goal - Brindisi.

Sightseeing & City

Brindisi - Welcome, here is not much to see!

In Brindisi, I join with my host Antonio, who offers me to stay with him for the next two days. He kindly gives me a bed in his room, prepares a nice dinner for both of us and makes me feel comfortable. We have much in common, and I like his climbing experiences and hiking he does in his spare time around in the south of Italy. What astonishes me the most is the amount of people Antonio has hosted already, thereby spreading a large network of friends and contacts over the whole world. Antonio himself tells me that there wouldn't be too much to see here in Brindisi, but now that I am here I will spend some time looking around the next day.

Fresh and renewed I take it slow this morning, though getting up early as Antonio has to go to work. I first of all run off to the supermarket to get a decent breakfast, and later on look around in the city. I didn't expect much, but nor is the city horrible. The center offers some shopping possibilities and the harbor represents itself nicely with a large open bay framed by parts of the mainland before leading into the sea. Indeed, being honest, if you'd ask me about things I will remember about Brindisi, it would not at all be connected to the city, but I will connect it with this welcoming and friendly guy with whom and some friends I could spend a good time. And especially here in Apulia this is clearer to me than ever before.