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Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Conversano
Half a day is enough for the castle and cathedral; use it as a lunch stop between Bari and Polignano a Mare, not a base.
Conversano is a compact hill town 30 km southeast of Bari, known for its Norman castle, Romanesque cathedral and Benedictine monastery. Most visitors see the main sights in 3–4 hours, then move on to the coast or Alberobello.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat), Nov–Feb (some sights may have reduced hours)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €40–60 excl. bed · Mid €60–100 excl. bed · High €100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118 · EU-wide emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a bar | €1.00–1.20 |
| Pizza (margherita) | €6–9 |
| Pasta dish in a trattoria | €10–14 |
| Glass of house wine | €3–5 |
| Castle entry | check |
| Cathedral entry | free |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BRI · Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport
- About 35 km (22 mi); taxi or bus to Bari Centrale then train to ConversanoAbout 22 mi (35 km); taxi or bus to Bari Centrale then train to Conversano
Typical fares
- Bari Centrale → Conversano, train
- about €4, about 40 min (check)
- Taxi from Bari airport to Conversano
- €50–70
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is walkable. For the church of Santa Maria dell'Isola or Castle of Marchione, you need a car or taxi.
See and do
Known for
- Medieval castle (Castello di Conversano)
- Romanesque cathedral (Cattedrale di Conversano)
- Benedictine monastery with a nuns' history
- Megalithic walls from the 6th century BC
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Polignano a Mare | Train from Conversano station, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Alberobello | Car via SS100 and SP127, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Bari | Train from Conversano station, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Locorotondo | Car via SS100 and SP58, about 40 min | About 50 min |
Sleep
- Historic centre
- Walkable to all sights; limited parking, narrow streets.
- Outside the walls
- Easier parking, 10–15 min walk to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Ciaochow |
| Thank you | GrazieGRAHT-see-eh |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa?KWAN-toh CO-stah |
| Where is the castle? | Dov'è il castello?doh-VEH eel kah-STEL-loh |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favoreeel KON-toh per fah-VOH-reh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Castle opening hours vary by season; check the comune website.
- Parking inside the old town is restricted; use the free lot near Porta Baresana.
- Many restaurants close for a few hours in the afternoon (riposo).
Conversano is a safe small town. Watch for uneven cobblestones and limited street lighting in the old town at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Conversano yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Medieval castle (Castello di Conversano)
- Romanesque cathedral (Cattedrale di Conversano)
- Benedictine monastery with a nuns' history
- Megalithic walls from the 6th century BC
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Conversano, revision 5054082 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5054082
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/conversano). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.