zola

A friend and I are thinking of renting a car in Naples for 16 days at the end March into April '17, driving down (by avoiding traffic where possible) to Pompeii, across Italy from there - passing through or by Potenza and then maybe to Matera, then to Lecce and on toward the Adriatic coast, and heading north to Bari. I've been to Italy about 8 times, but never south of Rome (other than Sicily).

I need information about this tentative route- best or major roads and what to watch (I know- look at the map; but you tell me, please), suggestions for reasonably priced accommodations along the way including parking considerations, and any other helpful recommendations. One last: how accessible and negotiable is the Bari airport (where we'll drop the car and fly away)?
Any and all knowledgeable posts are welcome - as soon as you can open your Apple or pc . .

thanks, good Fodor's People in advance. Z.

kja

Should be a great trip!

For best driving routes, I strongly recommend that you consult viamichelin.com -- and, of course, the Michelin Green Guide to the area (which isn't a route planning tool, but will help you decide what YOU want to see along the way).

In Matera, for which I recommend 2 nights, I had a wonderful stay at the Locanda di San Martino. I'm not sure how it's current rates will fit your budget, as it added a pool since I was there, but it does have parking and still gets great reviews:
http://www.locandadisanmartino.it/?lang=en

I'm not sure how much of Puglia will be "open for business" in March / April -- I trust that others will weigh in. Lecce is delightful, and would (I think) be more or less "open for business" year-round.

Here's the link to the Bari airport website:
http://www.bari-airport.com
(Remember: Google is your friend!) Or the Bari airport is exceedingly easy to reach from Bari, if you want to return your car once reaching it, giving yourselves a day or to to visit Bari.

zola

kja:
That you have posted links is always helpful.
I have indeed looked at Michelin- which is great BTW- but was, as I often do when I visit here, seeking personal experiences and recommendations as well. Your suggestion to check out Locanda di San Martino is one of those -thanks!
Your tip to double-check if businesses on our route will be open is a good heads up.
Finally, I do believe google can often be our friend, but, again, what travelers have to say interests me to no end.
Thanks again.
Z.

kja

I, too, value and have benefitted enormously from the input of Fodorites.

In contrast, I hate reading reports from people who say, "if I had only known," when they could easily have "known" had they done even a tiny bit of research on their own.

And I am always puzzled by questions that really can be answered by simple google searches.

Maybe it's all in how we say things (emphasis added) ... like "Any and all <b>knowledgeable</b> posts are welcome" vs. "what travelers have to say interests me to no end." and "I <b>need</b> information about this tentative route" vs. "I have indeed looked at Michelin."

Good luck!

kja

PLEASE NOTE: The OP has begun another thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ari-part-2.cfm

zola

Maybe.

kja

I think it is an actual fact that you started another thread. If you didn't, please contact the editors to alert them that someone else is using your screen name.

frencharmoire

I have been to Puglia in spring and most of the recreational coastal area is shuttered. Actually rather creepily so! I was told by locals that the season doesn't start until July, although they do get German tourists (and people such as myself) earlier. Bari of course is a lively city year round. I really enjoyed visiting it for 2 nights for the "people watching." There are few cities left in Europe with such a fascinating mix of public and private culture on display. It's a nice contrast to Naples. They are similar but different (and Baris is MUCH smaller.) The airport is at some distance from the city -- at least 20 kms -- and it is quite easy to drive there. If you want to visit Bari you should drop off your car first. If you'd rather stay in a small town before flying out, considert Bitonto, which is a very characteristic Pugliese white town.

En route to Basilicata, a stop in Paestum is certainly worth your while. (I suggest you pick up your rental car at the airport in Naples). Materia is a place that I would recommend as a definite, not a "maybe". There is a lot of beautiful scenery and dramatic mountain towns in Basilicata around Potenza, but early in the year you probably need to mind the weather and not be committed to mountain driving. Most of the main routes go through the valleys, and they are good roads.

I have never been in the city of Potenza, but would love to go. I'm guessing you already know that it is "modern" city by Italian measure. It has repeeated suffered earthuqakes that knocked own most of its historic buildings.

Lecce is quite far south, and the roads in Puglia are not a good as the ones in Basilicata. Again, heading to Puglia you might find it more interesting to take a more inland route -- through Ostuni & Alberobello -- than the coastal route. If you have time, and you want to see the coast, consider visiting the town of Trani, which is just a bit north of Bari, about a 40 minute drive.

As road trips go in Italy, the route you are contemplating will take you through some of the least populated parts of Italy, sometimes with towns few and far between (this is especially true of Basilicata). I found it wonderful, but I did worry once or twice about my gas gauge and ended up without lunch one day because I miscalculated (and you don't want to miss lunch in Basilicata!) so study a map and as much online information as you can. I hope you will also be spending some days in Naples, which exerted an important cultural influence over much of the region, and where you will find many important treasures from Pompeii in its archeological museum. (if you like museums, the one in Paestum is excellent.)

kybourbon

I took the bus from Salerno to Matera in the fall. It made a pit stop in Potenza. Of course the route was on the main highways, but there were a lot of areas where they were down to one lane. Sections of the highway seemed to be washed out and construction was underway. I don't imagine it's complete yet. There was also a detour or two off the multi lane highway for the same reason. While we got off the highway at Potenza, we didn't really go into Potenza. Only to Potenza Centrale so I can't help with that.

As for Matera, I'm not sure everything will be open down in the sassi at that time of year. If you stay up top, you might have more selection of places to eat and more activity. Daylight might be a factor if you want to walk up for dinner and need to come back down in the dark. The reverse is true if you stay down and need to go up for dinner. I decided to stay at the top because of sunset and I was traveling alone. I like to have a couple of glasses of wine at dinner and didn't want to negotiate all those stairs/cobblestones in the dark. The top is very lively at night as everyone comes out for passeggiata in 2-3 different locations. One is Piazza Sant'Eligio to Piazza Giovanni Pascoli (where there is often outdoor entertainment or performances because of the art museum there). The others are Piazza Vittorio Veneto near Chiesa del Santo Spirito or around Piazza del Sedile (less active).

I stayed at Hotel Italia which is sort of an intersection between Piazzata Sant'Eligio/Piazza San Francesco. I don't know if they have parking available somewhere. Certainly not at the hotel, but up or down, many won't have parking and you will directions to park before you reach your hotel (many areas pedestrian so luggage drop off might not be an option).

http://www.albergoitalia.com/en/

Either way, get good directions for driving in to Matera as there are areas that are ZTL.

I agree with kja. You didn't give the original thread time for responses.

bilboburgler

Good advice above, Bari airport is very easy to access, a small airport you can find a map of it on the web.

frencharmoire

There is a central road, more like a driveway, that goes from the top of the "sassi" in Matera to the bottom, in a spiral. I walked down and up it in the dark without incident. I think it took me less than 15 minutes. I had drunk wine as well! There are also taxis that will take you up and down. There is more than one restaurant in the sassi, at the bottom of this road, I would imagine they stay open all year but I think that is easy to check.

The upper parts of Matera are very nice and there are certainly more people there. It is really where everybody lives. So if you want to stay there, by all means do, but if you want to stay in one of the hotels right inside the sassi, I don't see it as problematic.

zola

frencharmoire: your initial and additional post pack a heap of detailed, helpful information - Loads of good stuff! -including the reminder about keeping the gas tank filled for driving the remote areas of Basilicata!
kybourbon: you have been very helpful in the past as your post is this time around. Thanks for the info and the links. BTW: I've become a one-drink diner which I hope will prevent me from tumbling down the steps in Matera☺️
biloburger: I appreciate your contribution about Bari airport as well.

Grazie mille a tutti . . . Z.

jangita

Bari airport is very easy but then, maybe spend the night in Bari.
We stayed one night at Hotel Imago--highly recommended for the price and walking distance to the Old Town.

bilboburgler

Potenza is pleasant modern city, the main street is on top of a ridge which you can access easily by a lift system. Pleasant enough.