Shopping

Bari is Puglia's great shopping city — a lively, cosmopolitan capital where you'll find everything from international flagship stores and Italian designer labels to small independent boutiques, concept stores and historic family-run shops.

The heart of the action is Via Sparano da Bari, the city's elegant pedestrian spine that runs from Piazza Umberto I down to the seafront. It's lined with major brands — Zara, Rinascente, Massimo Dutti, COS, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Apple, Sephora — alongside Italian houses like Furla, Pinko, Patrizia Pepe and Liu Jo. The parallel streets and side streets branching off Via Sparano (Via Argiro, Via Putignani, Via Calefati, Via Nicolai, Via Crisanzio) extend the shopping district with smaller boutiques, jewellers, shoe stores and gourmet food shops.

For high-end fashion, head to Via Putignani and the surrounding blocks, where you'll find Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermès, Max Mara and other luxury houses.

Don't miss the Bari Vecchia old town for artisan workshops and the famous orecchiette ladies on Via Arco Basso, or the weekly mercato di Via Pasubio on Saturdays for a proper local market experience. Most shops follow the traditional Puglian rhythm — open 9.30–13.00 and 16.30–20.00, closed Sunday — though the larger chains on Via Sparano stay open through lunch and on Sundays.