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The town of Bari is the second largest economic center in southern Italy as is one of Italy’s better known ports and university towns. However the economic importance of Bari seems to be a more modern occurrence as in ancient Roman times this was a town of lesser importance.

Today the city of Bari is a modern industrial port town with a proud people. The dialect is a bit rough when compared to other regions in Italy. Many of the towns traditions are centered around Saint Nicolas which is the town saint. When you travel around the Mediterrian many ports have some sort of statue erected to honor Saint Nicolas which is the saint of sailors and fishermen.

One of the sights of Bari is called Barivecchia which is the old part of Bari and is comprised of a sprawl of streets. Until recently this area was considered off limits to many of the local residents however with a new resurgence of new pubs and bars into the area this part of town is becoming a better place to visit and can be frequented by tourists as well.

If you are more into seeing churches and the like then you will not be disappointed as with all of Italy the town of Bari has their fair share. The most notable places to see in this town is the Basilica di San Nicola which is the church of Saint Nicolas. This church was founded all the way back in 1087 to receive the remains of the saint. The next most frequented church is the church of St. Sabinus which is the towns Cathedral. This Cathedral was started in 1034 then later destroyed in 1156. The building we see today was built between 1170 and 1178 and was inspired by the church of Saint Nicolas.

One of the best times to visit this city is when the Fiera del Levante takes place. This is one of the largest trade fairs in the Adriatic sea and is held in the month of September. It is more like a mini world’s fair that takes place in this part of the world. Certainly that should be of interest to just about everyone.

Alanya is a sea side resort town located on Mediterranean side of the country of Turkey. However since this is a strategically located town this whole area has been under rule of many governments over the years. The Roman, Byzantine an d Ottoman empires have all at one time or another claimed this area as part of their own. This makes for a very interesting and diverse area to visit when on vacation. With all the cruise ships offering various shore excursions tourism has become the predominant industry for this town.

Sine this town has changed hands many times over the years the name of the city has changed with each passing empire. During the Roman times this place was called Coracesium and during the Byzantine Empire it was known as Kalon Oros.

Alanya is part of the Turkish Riviera and is situated between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea which makes for great weather and beautiful scenery. One of the more striking features of the city is the rocky peninsula that separates the city into two.

There are many cultural events in this area due to the high amount ot tourism which attracts a wealthy population. Notably is the Jazz festival that occurs here each year. When I think of Turkey I never think of Jazz so this kind of caught me by surprise.

Many tourists frequently visit this area from areas like Scandinavia, Germany, Russia and Norway. The main attraction for these tourists is the relatively cheap housing and warm climate which makes this area idea for the budget conscious tourist. However recently this area has suffered from a economic downturn since some outbreaks of the bird flu virus as well as some violent outbreaks due to the Mohammad cartoon published in the western world.