Bari Underground: The City’s Secret Path
There are places you don’t find on maps, but they offer truly unique experiences. For example? Did you know that beneath the city of Bari lies another city with a surprising archaeological heritage?
This is Bari Sotterranea: a guided tour that allows you to immerse yourself in the ancient civilizations that inhabited this area, from Roman times to the Middle Ages.
If you’re looking for something spectacular to see in Bari in a day, you absolutely can’t miss a tour of the city, as few have seen it (at least in this millennium).
Copertina e foto da www.barisotterranea.it
Bari Underground: Origins of the Project
The idea was born in 2009 from an initiative by archaeologists Doriana Cisonno and Francesca Radina, developed in collaboration with the Bari Operations Center for Archaeology.
It’s a true dive into the past: your guides are experts who work directly in the area and accompany you in discovering the urban subsoil, helping you recognize the different layers and see how, beneath the modern city, traces of distant eras still coexist.
The archaeological sites along the route
The itinerary includes three different archaeological sites located underground in the picturesque Bari Vecchia:
- Norman-Swabian Castle – beneath the castle’s foundations emerge the remains of the ancient Byzantine settlement: traces of a sacred quarter, with structures linked to religious buildings and a burial ground, brought to light during 20th-century excavations.
- Romanesque Cathedral (Succorpo) – perhaps the most fascinating area on the tour. Here lies a stratified archaeological area featuring the famous Timothy Mosaic, a precious polychrome floor dating back to the 6th century, evidence of the city’s Late Antiquity phase.
- Palazzo Simi – The final stop leads to the basement of Palazzo Simi, where different historical levels unfold in a surprising sequence. From the remains of a Roman domus to a small Byzantine church with traces of frescoes, each room tells a story of Bari’s urban history.
These areas are not connected to each other, but are easily accessible via a surface route.
Tours to Bari Underground are available by reservation and are conducted exclusively with an authorized guide. For updated information, schedules, and availability, you can contact the organization directly on their official website, by email, or by phone.
Mosaico di Timoteo da www.autoservizitempesta.it
An experience not to be missed
When you think of Bari, the extraordinary Lungomare (seafront promenade), the endless shopping on Via Sparano, and the orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta) street of Bari Vecchia (Old Bari) immediately come to mind. However, missing out on the evocative Bari Sotterranea (underground underground) is a mistake you shouldn’t make if you want to fully experience the city’s culture.
To experience all this with peace of mind, choosing a central location makes all the difference. The Inblu Aparthotel apartments, located in the heart of Bari, allow you to easily reach the main points of interest and move freely, making every visit an even simpler and more enjoyable experience.