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Help with itinerary in Southern Italy in Maye

Help with itinerary in Southern Italy in Maye

Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 09:36 AM
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jft
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Help with itinerary in Southern Italy in Maye

My family will be taking a vacation mid May to Southern Italy. We will be 6 (4 young adults in mid to late 20's) and my husband and I. Slight possibility we will be 4 which will make the driving easier in a small car. We will be flying in and out of Rome on May 11th departing on May 22.
I am thinking of going to Naples, Amalfi Coast, Matera and parts of Puglia with a bit of time in Rome at start and finish.
-I am not sure which route to follow - Rome/ Puglia/Matera/Amalfi/ Naples/Rome or reverse;
-where to stay as base in Puglia? which towns to visit? thinking an apartment for 6 may be a good option for Puglia and Amalfi
-how long in each destination? I am thinking one night Rome at start, 3 nights Puglia, one Matera, 3 Amalfi, 1-2 Naples, 1-2 Rome at end of trip.
- transportation- train Rome/Naples or reverse; is it too hard to drive a van to say Positano so should we be looking at a transfer with guide to Pompeii.
We like hiking, visit interesting places, eating, cooking......A cooking class would be great but they look incredibly pricey.

I hope you can help me with this trip as I want to start making reservations.....
Thanks!
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Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 11:02 AM
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A lot will depend on if it is 4 or 6 people. Even with 4 you will have a hard time fitting luggage + 4 into a rental car. Plus it is logistically the more people you have to please. I'd work on ditching the final 2 to start.

Especially with a group, I would like more time in fewer places, but your sketched out itinerary is not too bad. I don't think the order matters greatly, but I would immediately depart Rome to Naples by train upon arrival, then visit the AC, then pick up the car (at Naples airport or in Salerno) for Matera and Puglia, dropping it at the Rome airport before your last few days there. You can easily visit Pompeii from Naples.

For Puglia, pick you town based on what day trips you are interested in, but distances are generally not far. I quite liked Lecce, but it might be nice to stay somewhere rural for that portion.
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Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 05:14 PM
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I believe we will be 6 which includes my 3 sons. Our flights come in around 130pm if on time so I wasn't sure if we could arrange to get to the Rome Termini station and then off to Naples on time. If possible it makes sense not to have the one night in Rome at the start of the trip.
Does it make sense to see Pompeii enroute to Amalfi Coast or as a day trip from Naples.
Does Matera warrant a night stay?
Thanks
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Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 05:40 PM
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A thought is direct transfer for 6 from Rome Airport to say Positano...Then rent car from Salerno and see Matera and some of Puglia region and return car to Naples. See Naples- see Pompeii as day trip from there and then take train to Rome.
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Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 06:01 PM
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I must admit that this trip sounds a bit too rushed for my tastes. Are you sure you'll be able to see everything you want to see with this itinerary? If you haven't already done so, I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.), and then see how things fit together. It really is the only way to decide whether this pace will work for you.

I like yorkshire's idea of moving on right away. That will, at least, cut done on one change of hotels.

No need to use a guide for Pompeii unless you want to. The audio guide on site was, IMO, quite good, and you can read about it in advance (or have some good guidebooks with you on an e-book). You can visit Pompeii en route to the Amalfi Coast (there are lockers on site) or as a day trip -- your call.

Yes, Matera warrants an overnight stay, preferably in a cave hotel. And even if Matera weren't particularly evocative at night (it is!), it would, I think, be difficult to explore Matera in the time you would have without staying at least one night. FWIW, I enjoyed the Locanda di San Martino:
http://www.locandadisanmartino.it

Good luck with your planning!
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Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 07:32 PM
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Matera definitely warrants a night's stay. It was neat to wonder the stone pathways connecting the homes at night. As kja suggested, definitely try to stay in a cave home. We rented one for 2 nights in July 2015 for 100EU/night on homeaway.com. If you like hiking try to go down to the Gravina. It is really neat to see Matera from down below in the ravine, and from across the canyon. There are also churches that you can visit in the gravina and sassi, the better ones need a guide to unlock. Get a guide from the visitor center, if you'd like. There are also cistern tours which looked interesting.

If you like hiking, you might like Sentierro degli Dei (Footpath of the Gods). We hiked from a town called Bomerano to Positano (about 4 miles I believe) - mostly downhill. Views of blue Mediterranean seas, vineyards on hillsides and we even went passed a little town called Nocelle, built on the hillside. The entire town was connected by a series of steep stairs. Didn't bother us much, we went downhill. We felt bad for the traveler we encountered going the other way with luggage in hand. If you do this hike, consider bringing swim suits - the waters in Positano is very inviting.

We stayed in Pompei as our base for Amalfi Coast and excavations. Visited Pompeii and several other excavations, Mount Vesuvius (short hike to inner crater available after bus ride) and Amalfi Coast.

One thing that concerns me a little is your short time in Rome. Rome has so much to offer in terms of history and culture, I don't know if 2-3 days will be enough. We stayed 3.5 days and wished we had 5 days. Although Rome is one of those places that I can keep going back to and never be done exploring.

Feel free to check out my blog on trip to Italy - http://budgettravelwithkids.com/blog/category/italy/

Enjoy your Italian tour with your family!
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Old Feb 2nd, 2016, 09:12 PM
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You'll have to rent a larger vehicle to fit all of you in and your itinerary can only realistically be done with a rental car, given your time frame.

You don't say where you're flying from but if it's long haul then I strongly recommend an overnight before the car rental unless you're looping around via Naples in which case, just take the train and pick up your car in Salerno after your time in Amalfi.

Your hotel choices on the Amalfi Coast may be limited as popular hotels in Positano and Amalfi often sell out a year ahead. Book as soon as possible to secure something for a group your size.

Pompeii is easily seen from Naples. A guide makes the whole experience come to life -they cost 10 euro per person. The guides also know what areas are open or closed. The audio guide is not updated with this information so you could be chasing your tail down closed roads and stuck outside a closed house.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 02:48 AM
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Hi,

Depending on the stamina of your group, another option to ponder is taking the train from Rome directly to Bari in Puglia and spending your first night there. It is about a 4 hour train ride from Rome Termini station. Or, if that sounds too exhausting, then spend your first night in Naples, which is an hour's train ride from Rome.

With six people, taking a pre-arranged limo/taxi from the airport to the train station in Rome is likely to be cheaper than using the airport train shuttle.

If you are six people, it is possible that the only place you can pick up a rental car large enough is at an airport (Bari airport or Naples airport, depending on when you go first).

Personally, unless you are all avid bicyclers, you might consider dropping Puglia, other than one night in Bari, in favor of sights in Basilicata like Pietrapertosa, Aceranza, Castelmezzano in addition to Matera.

http://www.madeinsouthitalytoday.com/pietrapertosa.php

Not sure when you are going in May, but there are some unique May festivals in Basilicata

http://www.thomascristofoletti.com/i...ccettura-2015/

Something else that might or might not be of interest for you crew is the zipline in Basilicata

http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/basilic...ll-angelo.html

But if you decide to visit Puglia just a heads up that in May, many of the coastal towns can be closed up tight as a drum, waiting for the true summer season, although the more popular touristic ones on the eastern coast were livelier, especially on weekends. I was there in the first 2 weeks of May and it was too cold (for me) to swim.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 06:37 AM
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Well on the bright side it will be easier (one presumes) to control your offspring than trying to herd three couples around! I think others have addressed your questions, so I'll just chime in to say that Matera was a highlight not only of my visit to the region but a highlight of all my travels.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 08:24 AM
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You only have 11 days - including arrival day which isn't till afternoon? As wonderful as all the places on your list are, I seriously think you'd have a better trip if you'd drop a thing or two. Have you really looked at the logistics - how long it takes to get from one place to another (for driving google maps, but then add about 50% - really.)For train trips you need to figure getting to and from the station to the hotel. Do you know what it's like to drive on the Amalfi coast in high season (which May is). Most sane people wouldn't do it in a tiny fiat, much less a van big enough to hold 6 people. And driving in Matera - you really can't drive into the old center, certainly not in a big vehicle so as much 'fun' as it might be to stay in a cave hotel, the logical thing to do is to stay in a hotel on the outskirts with an actual parking lot and walk to the sassi region. For most of Puglia you do want a car (public transportation too slow and infrequent to be sensible for a short trip) but even there you'll need to get into the towns and villages and that's not going to be easy in a big van.

So - sorry to sound so negative but there are just a lot of problems with what you are proposing. Since you'll be traveling with 6 people, and vehicles large enough to carry that many are huge PIAs most of where you are going I would suggest you drop the portion that requires driving. That would be Puglia and Matera. Wonderful places, loved visiting them and plan to go back. But I'd suggest in your case you save them for another trip. That would leave you 10-11 days for Rome, Naples, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast. That's more than enough stuff to fill up your time. You could do it all by public transportation (get a driver to take you from Naples to the Amalfi Coast if that's within your budget).
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 06:06 PM
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Isabel raises many excellent points!

While I agree that trimming your itinerary makes a LOT of sense, I just wanted to point out that you can visit Matera and Puglia without a car and that some of the sassi hotels in Matera -- including the one I mentioned upthread -- do offer parking for their guests.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 07:27 PM
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Thanks for all your comments- all very helpful. 4 of us will be flying in from Tel Aviv and two from Toronto. The 2 are not finalized as of yet but it looks very likely. We will definitely leave for first destination on arrival date. Some of us have already spent some time in Rome so that will not be the focus of this trip. We will try to limit luggage to one decent size carry on each.
Getting a van for six is not only expensive but seems only available from certain locations mostly airports which limits the order of things. If anyone has more insight into this please pass it along. We are not planning on driving on the Amalfi coast especially in a van. A reasonable transfer is available to Positano from Naples or Salerno.
I will play around with the order of things to try to limit the travel and allow for the use of a van. Train to Naples at the start seems to make sense at the beginning of the trip but possibly train to Salerno and private transfer to Amalfi at start is an option too. I would like to go to Matera and stay somewhere in Puglia. I am worried Amalfi coast will be more touristy than I like.
I think the trip is doable but challenging to make it smooth. I will work on it!
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 07:30 PM
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I will look into the Basilicata region as an alternative. Matera is quite close to some towns of Puglia.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 07:56 PM
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"I would like to ... stay somewhere in Puglia"

You've already been warned that many towns in Puglia are essentially shuttered in May. That means that your best bets are places that don't rely extensively on tourism. Lecce is one obvious choice, and it is delightful! But like just about anywhere in the area, most things will close for a very long midday siesta (from noon or earlier to 4 p.m. or later), so plan accordingly.

"I am worried Amalfi coast will be more touristy than I like."

I visited in late May, and did not find it swamped with tourists. Some areas along the coast are more touristed than others.

Honestly, I think you need to decide whether to visit Naples and the Amalfi Coast or Matera and Puglia, not both. With the time you have, I just don't see how you can fit both regions in and have it be a pleasant experience. And it sounds like I am not alone in thinking that way! But its your trip, your call.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 09:09 PM
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"I am worried the Amalfi Coast will be more touristy than I like"

Some parts of the Amalfi Coast get very busy - namely Ravello, Amalfi and Positano. Others carry on with life as normal and are often 80-90% tourist free. Minori, Furore, Scala, Nocelle - these are all villages that fly under the tourist radar. You just need to be selective. The more popular towns are well served with transport links - which is another reason why they are popular.


http://www.positano.com/en/s/maiori-and-minori

http://www.charmingitaly.com/article/scala-amalfi-coast
http://www.amalficoast.com/paesi/furore-13.aspx
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 10:49 PM
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Blueeyedcod wrote, "Some parts of the Amalfi Coast get very busy - namely Ravello, Amalfi and Positano"

Interesting -- one of the things I loved about Ravello was that it did NOT seem overly touristy, or at least, it didn't seem so to me after day-trippers left. Maybe things have changed, or maybe it's because I chose to stay at the opposite end of Ravello from the Villa Cimbrone.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2016, 11:05 PM
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kja - Ravello is very much the 'mainland Capri' in terms of everyone flocks there for the day - I agree with you in that after the last busload head away in the evening, it is very peaceful and you can have those little paths to yourself.
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Old Feb 4th, 2016, 03:54 AM
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>>"I am worried Amalfi coast will be more touristy than I like."
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Old Feb 4th, 2016, 10:55 AM
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test
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Old Feb 4th, 2016, 11:25 AM
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<In Capri, it is so outrageous it is actually almost funny and makes for its own sociological study -- a kind of class-layered snapshot of globalized consumerism today, whose got it and who ain't got it.>

This comment usually comes from those who visit 'Capri' and see nothing but the tiny piazzetta and its high end shops, bypassing or ignoring the bulk of the island and its ancient sites like Villa Jovis and its blissfully uncrowded remote coastal paths that pass by the ancient forts and towers.

This comment is as absurd as saying Rome is horrible because I saw the Colosseum and will never go back because it was crowded with tourists.
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