Trani's cathedral stands directly on the edge of the Adriatic, its pale limestone walls rising from the rocks with nothing between it and the sea. The Cattedrale di San Nicola Pellegrino is one of the finest Romanesque churches in southern Italy, and the sight of it from the harbour — framed by fishing boats and the long stone breakwater — is reason enough to come here.
The town itself is a handsome working port on Puglia's northern coast, midway between Bari and Barletta. The harbour promenade curves past the Swabian castle, built by Frederick II in 1233, and along a waterfront lined with restaurants and bars that fill up on summer evenings. Behind the port, a compact old quarter of narrow lanes and courtyards holds a surprising number of medieval churches, including the tiny church of Ognissanti built by the Knights Templar.
Trani has historically been one of Puglia's wealthier towns — it was a major trading port in the Middle Ages and home to a large Jewish community whose synagogues, converted to churches centuries ago, still stand. The Scolanova synagogue, recently restored, is one of the oldest in Europe. The town's prosperity shows in the quality of the stone buildings and the well-maintained waterfront, which feels more polished than the typical Puglian fishing town.
If you are exploring Puglia beyond the usual Lecce-Alberobello-Polignano circuit, Trani deserves at least a half day. It works well as a day trip from Bari, just thirty minutes north by train, or as an overnight stop with an evening passeggiata along the harbour.