Ananas B&B

The rooms are beautiful and well looked after, and Stefania gives guests extraordinary attention. This B&B is in a strategic spot for exploring Bari province, just a short walk from the airport, the sea, and the train station. From there, the city centre is only a five-minute ride. We’ll definitely come back!

We stayed in Stefania's apartment for a full month, and it felt like visiting our favorite aunt. She greeted us herself, left groceries for breakfast and dinner, and was incredibly caring and attentive. The apartment has everything for a comfortable stay, including storage, cooking facilities, and parking. It’s on the second floor in a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Bari, in Bari S.Spirito. There are palm trees, green parrots, and a railway nearby. We got used to the train sounds quickly, and they didn’t bother us. The automatic shutters and curtains, reliable water, and gorgeous terraces were some of our favorite things about the house. Some tips for getting around and shopping: From the airport, a taxi is about €20, or Bus 33 costs €1.50. It runs hourly from 6:10 AM to 11:30 PM and stops to the left of the airport exit. To reach the city centre, Bus 1 costs €1.50 and takes around 30 minutes. You can buy tickets at tobacco shops or from the driver. Google Maps doesn’t show all Italian bus stops and schedules, so Moovit can make finding public transport easier. The train costs €1.10; it’s up to a 15-minute walk to the station, then a 20-minute ride. Buy tickets at the machine. For affordable shopping, fruit and vegetables are at Via Fiume 36A, household products and toiletries at Via Napoli 38, and fish and seafood at Via de Maioribus 9. For meat and other groceries, try Via Napoli 164 "Primo Prezzo" or Via Colonnello Vito Nicola Picca 7 "Alter discount". Eurospin and DoDeCà Supermercati are larger supermarkets with low prices and a good selection. Mercato Coperto in the centre is a good vegetable market, at Via Scipione Crisanzio, Via Domenico Nicolai, 193, 70123 Bari BA. The Wednesday market, Mercato Rionale Settimanale del Mercoledì, at Largo di Santo Spirito Cristoforo Colombo, has all kinds of things, from groceries to sewing supplies. For beaches, Molo Il Braccio is sandy and close to the apartment. Bread and Tomato is also sandy, and you can take the train to Marconi station for €1.50. Nearby is "Mercato Santa Chiara" 70126 Bari, Metropolitan City of Bari, a good market with low prices. The best-known beach is Lama Monachile, reached by train to Polignano A Mare station for €3.40. Much of the coast near the apartment is beach, but the entrance has large, slippery rocks, so wear protective footwear. The neighborhood is calm and great for leisurely walks. For something livelier, Molfetta is an option.

We were caught out by a cancelled flight and were offered this guesthouse at the last minute. We’re so glad we stayed. It’s a lovely, clean house with comfortable beds, a bathroom with a walk-in shower and a great washing machine, plus a nice terrace to relax on. The kitchen had what we needed for breakfast: tea, coffee, biscuits, brioches, bottled water, fruit, and little pots of comforting spreads 😁. Stefania welcomed us warmly and was kind, attentive, and so helpful. She was up at 4 a.m. for our 7:30 flight, brought us a local pastry for breakfast, and explained to the taxi driver where to drop us off. She speaks fluent English. The guesthouse is about a 15-minute walk from the sea and around a 10-minute drive from the airport. It’s a picturesque setting that seems untouched by the city's inconveniences. You might worry about the passing trains, but they weren’t a problem at all. We didn’t hear anything between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. For a night or two, don’t miss this warm, welcoming place!

You can come and go whenever you like, and check-in and check-out times are arranged with the management. They’re flexible while still attentive to the details, and it’s easy to feel at home here. They still comply with anti-Covid regulations. Breakfast is available any time, and everything is right there if you fancy a morning meal or an afternoon snack. Nobody will mind, though any extra pounds are on you ;). Guests staying longer can count on delicious culinary surprises from the owner. The management is available around the clock for advice, both about the B&B and beyond, so you won’t feel like a "fish out of water". If you’re curious about life in Bari, keep your eyes open and listen. Ananas B&B is a bed and breakfast, not a hotel with lots of space, waiters, and doormen waiting at the door, so look elsewhere if that’s what you want.