7 beaches near Bari: Where to go for sun, sand, and surf
Bari is one of the places that most people head to in order to take advantage of some of the best beaches in the world. This guide will help you choose the right beach spot for you out of all of the beautiful beaches near Bari. There are many great options in this area, and if you have headed to this part of the world to enjoy fun in the sun, you will have tons of choices to make your vacation memorable.
Before you pick from the beaches near Bari in this guide, consider what you are going to do with your luggage. Having your bags with you won't make your day at the beach very much fun. Visit a Bounce bag storage in Bari before you head to the water so that you can truly enjoy some of the most famous beach locations in the world carefree.
Mola di Bari Beach
The beach here is near Mola di Bari, which is a lovely little town that can be explored before or after you have enjoyed your time in the sun. Poggio Delle Ginestre settlement is the technical location for the beach, and this area was a landing point for crusaders. The lovely architecture in the old town makes for a beautiful backdrop to one of the nicest small sandy beach spots near Bari.
Mola di Bari Beach Travel distance from Bari
This sandy beach is 20 minutes away by car or about 45 minutes by train, involving a one-kilometer walk once you arrive in Mola di Bari.
Activity recommendations
While not a resort-style sandy beach, this is a lovely wild beach that will not cost you anything to access it. You can sit in the sand, play in the water, or just come here to check out the beauty of the Adriatic Sea while you are visiting the town itself.
There are a few local beach resort hotels in this area, and you can choose to stay here if you want to be able to get access to a pool, dining amenities, and sun loungers while you are on the beach here.
Pane e Pomodoro Beach
Probably the most famous of the Bari beaches, this sandy piece of paradise is just a short walk from the city center, and it is the home beach of the city. This is one of the best beaches to head to if you want to avoid public transport, and it is a public beach which means you can sit here in the sun for free. There are lifeguards as well as grassy areas to sit down if you don't want sand in your shoes. This is a well-maintained beach area that appeals to people of all ages and all preferences for beach day fun.
Pane e Pomodoro Beach travel distance from Bari
Pane e Pomodoro Beach is about 10 minutes away from the Bari city center in a car or about 25 minutes from downtown on the train. You're better off walking than taking the train because the walk is scenic and only about half an hour.
Activity recommendations
This is a great beach for swimming or walking in the surf, and you can enjoy access to a beach bar as well. You can't rent a lounger or an umbrella here, but you can bring your own chairs or towels to sit on and get comfy in the sun. There are public toilets nearby, so you should be able to spend a lot of time here in comfort to make the most of this must-visit beach.
While not a long sandy beach, you can still walk along the waterfront here and dip your toes into the water if you are not a fan of swimming in the sea. Consider the grassy areas if you want to listen to and look at the water but don't want to have to shake the sand out of everything at the end of the day.
Polignano a Mare
Polignano a Mare is one of the best Bari beaches, and it is also one of the most popular with locals and tourists alike. The city sits on big cliffs overlooking the water, and cliff diving is a local pastime. While you might not want to risk your safety with this daring activity, you will find more than enough to do at one of the most famous beaches in this part of the world.
Polignano a Mare travel distance from Bari
It takes about half an hour to get to this lovely beach on the train or when traveling in a car.
Activity recommendations
This is one of the best beaches near Bari due to the shape of the beach itself. This is an area that is more like a bay, making the water sheltered and gentle enough to make swimming, paddleboarding, and other kinds of activities a blast. You can also walk along this beach, but bring your shoes because it is a pebble beach.
There is a lido area near the beach here, too, if you want to sit in comfort and have access to both shade and drinks and snacks. There is an added cost for this part of the beach, but you might want to get away from the crowds and enjoy your own little space for some peace and quiet.
Lido San Francesco
This is a private beach, but you can still go here for a swim and to enjoy a day in the sun. There are eateries nearby and lots of beach facilities that will help you to be comfortable all day long. Private beach locations in this part of the world just require a fee to access, which is different than how beaches tend to work in the US or many other countries. It can be nice to pick a beach that does have a fee associated with it so that you will not have to deal with crowded beaches that make it hard to relax.
Lido San Francesco travel distance from Bari
Get on the train at Bari Centrale, and it's about a 20-minute ride to this private beach location, or you can drive here in about ten minutes.
Activity recommendations
You can rent sun lounge chairs and an umbrella here for a reasonable price, which is one of the things that most Italians do when they visit Lido San Francesco. Private beach locations also usually offer a lot of food options and places to get drinks that are within walking distance of the sand. You can swim here with ease, even with kids, and you will love the soft, powdery sand and the warm sun.
This is definitely a beach where people come to lay out in the sun, but it is also wide enough that you can wander along the surf or just come to hang out and see the sights without getting in the way of those relaxing on the sand.
Spiaggia di Porto Cavallo
Spiaggia di Porto Cavallo is named this way because horses used to be washed here in the early 20th century. You can bring little ones here to enjoy wading in the clear, shallow water. This is also a unique beach area because of the way that the water is prevented from breaking against the shore. You will feel like you are splashing in a natural swimming pool due to the shape of the bay here.
Spiaggia di Porto Cavallo travel distance from Bari
It takes around half an hour to get to this beach area from Bari by car. There are no public transportation options available.
Activity recommendations
The sandy beach is great for sunbathing, but most people come here to enjoy the unique arrangement of the water beyond the shore. There is something really magical about being able to walk so far out into the ocean without having waves breaking against your legs, and the crystal-clear water is another amazing perk of this location.
The downside to this beach area is that there are no bathrooms and no other amenities out here. You will have to head back to town to get food or to change clothes. Make sure that you are prepared to be on a beach that does not have lifeguards as well.
Lido Cala Paura
While there are other amazing beaches that are more suitable for sunbathing or amenities like shopping and eateries, this is a great small beach for access to the water. There are caves nearby, and locals like to swim or paddle to them and enjoy the sight of these lovely little shaded spaces tucked into the rocks.
Lido Cala Paura travel distance from Bari
This is one of the smaller but most beautiful beaches near Bari, and you can get here in about half an hour whether you are driving or riding on the train.
Activity recommendations
Renting a paddle boat is really fun here, and you can head to the aforementioned caves on your paddle boat easily. You can also settle on the private beach and rent a sun lounger and an umbrella so that you can just soak up the sun and read or hang out with friends. This is a pebble beach, so it is not ideal for walking, but there is not a lot of space for that activity in any case.
Enjoy a famous octopus sandwich from a local food truck, or head over to the beach bar and get drinks and fried fish to snack on. This is a lovely area that feels like coming home, and the locals will happily share the space with you like you are one of them.
Spiaggia di Torre San Vito
This lovely little beach is actually the site of an eel farm that has been maintained since ancient times. You will enjoy access to soft sand here as well as some rocky outcroppings that you can walk up onto to see the water from another vantage point. This is one of the most historic locations on this list, and this beach has been used for sunbathing and feeding the town of Torre San Vito for generations.
Spiaggia di Torre San Vito travel distance from Bari
You should plan on about 30 minutes to get to this beach location, and you'll need a car.
Activity recommendations
The Torre Anticorsara, or the old abbey of San Vito, is close to the beach here and is worth a visit. The town itself is lovely as well, and there are lots of places to eat and get a drink just back off the beach. If you love hiking, you can walk along the cliff areas near the beach and see the beach and the water from a different angle.
This beach is free of charge, but there are no amenities to access here, such as toilets or rentals for umbrellas and chairs. Come prepared with your own chairs or towels, and make sure that you have water and snacks with you if you plan to stay for a bit. The town center is not far away, and the harbor is also close, but you might not want to have to leave your cozy spot on the beach just to get a bottle of water while you enjoy the sun.
Conclusion
If you're traveling to Bari on a budget, these beaches are excellent choices to keep costs low in an already quite affordable city. The surrounding area is full of picturesque coastline, so if you have more time, consider adding a weekend trip from Bari to some of the beach towns that are a little further out. There are so many ways to make this part of the world a memorable and special getaway, and you can plan everything from a sandy beach day to a trip to a local area that only Bari residents know about. Which beaches near Bari will you visit?
