Upbeat Bari might be Italy’s second-most important southern city, but –despite a warren of alleys ideal for escaping the midday sun, all night summer nightlife, superb alfresco dining and laidback beaches– this lively resort is also one of the country’s least-appreciated conurbations. So why not leave Rome and Rimini to the tourists, and follow our guide to the top spots to sip, sup, see or soak up the sun far from the madding crowds in this charming, but little-known, capital of Italy’s food-loving Apulia region?