Brindisi's inner harbour is one of the finest natural ports in the Mediterranean, and walking the Corso Garibaldi along its length is the best way to understand why this city has been a departure point for the east for over two thousand years. The promenade extends from the foot of the Roman column steps northward around the harbour arc, with the old town buildings on one side and the water — and, depending on the time of year, a row of moored ferries — on the other.
In the mornings, small fishing boats come in alongside the waterfront fish market, and you can watch the catch being sorted and sold directly off the boats. In the evenings, the passeggiata moves along the Corso and the cafes fill up. The harbour view at dusk, with the Castello Alfonsino visible on its island and the lights of ships waiting outside the breakwater, is Brindisi at its most atmospheric.