operate daily connections with Dubrovnik and Corfu, a reminder that Bari has always looked to the east. Conquered and ruled by the Goths and Lombards as well as the Byzan- tines, Berbers, Venetians and even Normans, as a result of war or alliances, the city is proud of certain anecdotes; Bona Sforza, duchess of Bari, became queen of Poland in the 16th century and won the north of Europe over with Italy’s vegetables, architects and Renaissance influence. The relics of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, mostly venerated by Orthodox Christians, make Bari and its striking Basilica di San Nicola a key pilgrimage site for many Eastern Europeans. Italian mixing with Russian? An unlikely juxtaposition. Orange The tracksuit is the new attire of young men here. Fluorescent, orange, black, striped or with no label, it’s sported by every male under 30 with a cheeky, jokey nonchalance. Italian hip-hop hits with names like “Bling Bling” (Gué Pequeno) and “Cadillac” (Achille Lauro) are blaring from the direction of men clustered on the benches at Piazza Mercantile, when they’re not chasing each other at breakneck speed through the winding sidestreets of the old town on their trendy fat tire electric bikes. The Vespa is a thing of the past. Polignano a Mare At last! The other Bari, the one we saw in the photos online. When the sky is blue and the sea dead calm, the white stones of the cliffs are achingly bright. Strong sun- glasses are de rigueur. Here, even the stands are chic, people are in the depths of hidden passages, candles burn day night and chic, the small houses look as if they are carefully brushed every day. Who goes there? Nobody in particular and the souls morning. Everything is old, yet everything has been renovated, of many. You can just feel it as you wander around theor will be soon. Scaffolding upon scaffolding. It’s like being in a labyrinth of Bari Vecchia. And as in a maze, we retrace our capital under renovation. Every inhabitant seems to have steps, only to see the same old people sitting at the same tables. embraced it, or resigned themselves to it: tourism is all they have If you really want to get away, there is always the tip of left, which is great for visitors. From the sidestreets, we gaze San Nicola among the rooftops. enviously at one of the small apartments for rent with roof terraces overlooking the sea, detached from the gentle din of the Theater In springtime, the French doors of the houses stay crowd. With a little luck, dolphins will provide some entertain- open, shielded from the street by light curtains. Whenever ment offshore. It’s time to go back to Bari. The real one. they are lifted by the breeze, you can see old couples watching television in rooms so dark that the neon lights are on even on sunny days; or a family living room with a china cabinet full of dolls whose eyes stare back at you. Out in the street, people talk animatedly. On Corso Vittorio Emanuele, a man looks as if he were rehearsing a scene in a play, as other men watch impassively. A bunch of girls on a bus en route for a beach with the sweet name Pane e Pomodoro (Bread and Tomato) are yelling at the thought of a dip in the sea; Bread and Tomato is a great spot for paddleboarding and kitesurfing. Elsewhere, the cafés and restaurants are surprisingly quiet. Huge TV screens are popping up everywhere, yet no one is watching them, except for bystanders. There’s a bright future here for the art of conversazione. Adriatic This part of the Mediterranean separates Italy from the Balkan peninsula: Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece. The seaside promenade, the Lungomare, is the spot for strolling at dusk. Old women fry polenta fritters on braziers, families mill about, young lovers neck on the benches. The port lies at the end. Cruise ships dock here in summer, releasing throngs of curious folk who come for a few hours. Ferries Crique Cala Porto, Polignano a Mare. Cala Porto Beach, Polignano a Mare. Dans Bari Vecchia, la vie se fait dans la rue, un simple voilage séparant l’intérieur de l’extérieur. In Bari Vecchia, life takes place in the street, a thin lace curtain separating indoors from outdoors. 111