# Bari: San Nicola, the manna, a 17-minute train

> The relics of Saint Nicholas reached Bari on May 9, 1087, and a liquid is drawn from the tomb every May 9. The airport train runs in 17 minutes.

URL: https://myitalia.it/towns/bari
Last updated: 2026-09-02

Bari's basilica has held the relics of Saint Nicholas since May 9, 1087, a liquid called the manna is drawn from the tomb on that date every year, and the airport is 17 minutes from the central station by train.

## What happened on May 9, 1087

Sixty-two sailors and merchants from Bari sailed three ships to Myra, in Lycia, and landed the relics of Saint Nicholas here on May 9, 1087. The abbot Elia, archbishop of Bari from 1089, drove the project.

Building started on July 8, 1089, and on October 1 of the same year Pope Urban II laid the relics under the altar of the crypt, where they still are. The dates matter because the whole calendar of the city hangs off them.

## The manna, and what pilgrims actually receive

A liquid gathers in the tomb in the crypt and is drawn out on the evening of May 9 each year, half a liter on average. An analysis in 1925 found water of unusual purity, and the argument over whether the origin is natural or miraculous has never been settled.

One detail gets misreported constantly. What is handed out afterward is small bottles of holy water into which some of the manna collected on May 9 has been poured, not liquid taken from the tomb. The Dominican friars have been the custodians of the basilica since 1951. More at [the manna of San Nicola](/stories/the-manna-of-san-nicola) and events in Bari.

## Airport to city in 17 minutes

Bari Karol Wojtyla airport at Palese has had its own station since 2013, run by Ferrotramviaria, and the ride to Bari Centrale is timetabled at 17 minutes. The platform sits inside the airport grounds, joined to the arrivals hall by a 300 meter tunnel.

The line is fully electrified and also runs direct to Barletta. At Bari Centrale the Ferrotramviaria station connects to the national platforms by a pedestrian underpass, which is worth knowing if you are dragging a suitcase to a Frecciarossa. See [getting to Bari](/towns/bari/getting-there).

## South to Lecce, two speeds

The Regionale Veloce covers Bari Centrale to Lecce in 1h41 to 1h43 at a base fare of €13.20, and the Frecciarossa does it in 1h25 at €14.90 base, on the timetable checked for September 15, 2026. Night Intercity services take between 1h56 and 2h50.

Sixteen minutes of difference for €1.70 is a rare case in Italy where the fast train is barely worth the seat reservation. Book the regional and keep the flexibility, unless you want the guaranteed seat in August.

## The Swabian castle, and the Sunday trap

The Castello Svevo costs €10 full and €2 reduced in 2026, and opens Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, with last entry an hour before closing. Monday is the closing day.

From October to March, Sunday hours shrink to 9:00 am to 1:30 pm, which catches out weekend visitors who assume the afternoon slot exists all year. The exception is the first Sunday of the month, when it stays open to 7:00 pm. It is run by the state museums directorate for Puglia, at Piazza Federico II di Svevia 4. Details at [the Swabian castle](/attractions/castello-svevo-bari), and the rest of the region at [Puglia](/regions/puglia).

## FAQ

### Why are Saint Nicholas's relics in Bari?

Sixty-two sailors and merchants from Bari took them from Myra in Lycia and landed with them on May 9, 1087, in three ships. Work on the basilica started on July 8, 1089 and Pope Urban II placed the relics under the crypt altar on October 1 that year.

### When is the manna of San Nicola taken?

On the evening of May 9, every year, from the tomb in the crypt. The average yield is half a liter. Analysis in 1925 described water of unusual purity; whether the source is natural or miraculous is still argued, including by the Dominicans who have kept the basilica since 1951.

### Is there a train from Bari airport to the city?

Yes, a Ferrotramviaria service that reaches Bari Centrale in 17 minutes and has run since 2013. The platform is inside the airport, joined to arrivals by a 300 meter tunnel, and the same line also runs direct to Barletta up the coast.

### How long does the train from Bari to Lecce take?

1h41 to 1h43 on the Regionale Veloce at a base fare of €13.20, or 1h25 on the Frecciarossa at €14.90 base, on the September 15, 2026 timetable. The night Intercity takes anything from 1h56 to 2h50, so check the specific train.

### Is Bari's Swabian castle open on Monday?

No, Monday is the closing day. It runs Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, with Sundays cut to 9:00 am to 1:30 pm from October to March, and last entry an hour before closing. Tickets are €10 full and €2 reduced in 2026.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le reliquie di San Nicola arrivarono a Bari da Myra il 9 maggio 1087, portate da 62 tra marinai e mercanti baresi; papa Urbano II le depose sotto l'altare della cripta il 1° ottobre 1089. | [Pontificia Basilica di San Nicola - Bari](https://www.basilicasannicola.it/sez/1/28/traslazione-delle-reliquie); [doc 2](https://www.basilicasannicola.it/sez/2/95/la-cripta) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| La 'manna di San Nicola' e' il liquido che si raccoglie nella tomba del santo nella cripta della basilica di Bari e viene prelevata la sera del 9 maggio di ogni anno, in media mezzo litro. | [Pontificia Basilica di San Nicola - Bari](https://www.basilicasannicola.it/sez/1/37/la-manna-di-san-nicola) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| L'aeroporto di Bari-Palese 'Karol Wojtyla' e' collegato a Bari Centrale da un treno Ferrotramviaria che impiega circa 17 minuti; la fermata e' dentro lo scalo, unita all'area arrivi da un tunnel di 300 metri, ed e' attiva dal 2013. | [Ferrotramviaria S.p.A.](https://www.ferrotramviaria.it/web/guest/da-aeroporto) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Da Bari Centrale a Lecce il treno impiega circa 1h41-1h43 con i Regionale Veloce a 13,20 euro, e 1h25 con il Frecciarossa (orario e tariffe base consultati per il 15 settembre 2026). | [Trenitalia (Le Frecce - endpoint ufficiale di ricerca soluzioni di viaggio)](https://www.lefrecce.it/Channels.Website.BFF.WEB/website/ticket/solutions); [Trenitalia / RFI - ViaggiaTreno](http://www.viaggiatreno.it/infomobilita/resteasy/viaggiatreno/cercaStazione/BARI) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il Castello Svevo di Bari costa 10 euro intero e 2 euro ridotto (2026) ed e' aperto da martedi a domenica 9:00-19:00, con la domenica ridotta alle 9:00-13:30 da ottobre a marzo; ultimo ingresso un'ora prima della chiusura. | [Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Puglia - Ministero della cultura](https://museipuglia.cultura.gov.it/ticket/); [doc 2](https://museipuglia.cultura.gov.it/musei/castello-svevo-di-bari/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/city.bari.v2.1600.jpg
Author: Evelyn Hill from Rome, Italy. License: CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bari_Vecchia_(40106893452).jpg

## Other languages

- it: https://myitalia.it/it/paesi/bari.md
- es: https://myitalia.it/es/pueblos/bari.md
- fr: https://myitalia.it/fr/villages/bari.md
- de: https://myitalia.it/de/orte/bari.md