Day 8 Walking Tour of Southern Italy: Festival of Saint Nick

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One of the primary reasons we timed our trip to Bari for this specific weekend was to witness the spectacular 'Feast of Saint Nicholas' (Festa di San Nicola). The city comes alive during this three-day celebration (May 7-9), commemorating the arrival of the saint’s relics in 1087. It’s supposed to be an incredible mix of faith and folklore, featuring a grand historical parade through the old town, stunning light installations (luminarie) covering the streets, and an emotional procession where the statue of the Saint is carried onto a boat for a blessing of the sea, the Italian air force fly a squadron overhead as a salute, and then latter in the evening, the Saint returns by boat to shore and is paraded to the Piazza del Ferrarese and placed on a throne of honor.  

But on the morning of all the festivities we awoke to this:

Torrential rain quickly took over the streets of Bari, turning umbrellas into useless accessories for the passing tourists. We had strode out confident that our trusty portable umbrellas were up to the task (after all, they had survived downpours in Portugal and France), but we severely underestimated the Adriatic gale. Five minutes later, as I stepped out of an alley, the wind caught my umbrella, folding it inside out, tearing a corner, and pretzeling two metal struts. Tina remained confident, boasting that her umbrella was guaranteed to withstand strong winds. Five minutes later? Caved in as well.

Unfortunately, the storm dampened the festivities in Bari, forcing the cancellation of both the dramatic Italian Air Force flyover and the evocative sea procession—where the saint's statue is traditionally blessed amidst the waves. However, the magnificent Basilica of Saint Nicholas remained a sanctuary for many. This landmark's story of faith began in 1087, when daring sailors set sail for Myra (modern-day Turkey) and returned with the bones of Saint Nicholas, forever establishing Bari as a premier place of pilgrimage.

As the skies finally cleared and the wind died down, the festivities commenced and colourful vendors opened in anticipation of the large crowds flooding the streets.

Vendors lined both sides of Lungomare Imperatore Augusto—easily over a hundred of them—offering a vibrant display of tourist souvenirs, local drinks, and, finally, Jerry’s coveted Bari specialty: the octopus sandwich.

We secured our spot around 7:30 PM near the empty throne waiting for the procession to bring the coveted effigy of Saint Nicholas. As the crowd swelled in anticipation—dignitaries positioning themselves, guards in place, and TV crews maneuvering high-tech dollies—the atmosphere was electric. Finally, at 9:00 PM, the procession began its solemn march towards us and suddenlythe lights went on! The crowd cheered. Saint Nicholas was held high, moving through a sea of onlookers with cell phones held aloft. It was truly an amazing finale.

Empty throne, lights on.

Saint Nicholas approaching.

Arriving to the throne.