One of the top attractions in Bari, the Basilica di San Nicola is a highlight of walking, bike, and rickshaw tours of the historic center, which also often include the Swabian Castle (Castello Svevo), Cathedral of St. Sabino, and Piazza Mercantile. Bari is also famous for its traditional cuisine, and foodies can join a walking tour that includes street-food tastings or a pasta-making experience along with a visit to the basilica.
Some 150 years in the making, the basilica was completed while Bari was under Norman rule and is an excellent example of Puglian-Romanesque architecture. Behind the austere stone facade, the interior houses one of the most important pieces of Romanesque sculpture in southern Italy, an 11th-century bishop's throne. Other treasures include the mosaic floor in the crypt and presbytery and a gilded wooden ceiling with canvases by Carlo De Rosa dating from the later baroque period.