Bari,Italy

‘Se Parigi avesse il mare, sarebbe una piccola Bari’ (if Paris had the sea, it would be a little Bari). This popular saying tells you more about the local sense of humour than it does about the city, but Bari has a surprising amount of charm, particularly Bari Vecchia, its increasingly chic medieval old town. Construction of the new city’s graceful grid was started in 1813. When independence was gained in 1861 it had 34,000 inhabitants, but since then it has spread apace north and south along the coast.

Bari is Puglia ’s capital and one of the south’s most prosperous cities – check out the designer shops along Via Sparano da Bari. Here you will eat and shop well alongside a demanding local clientele.

Not only this, but here lie the ashes of Saint Nicholas, also known as Father Christmas.