Back from Rome,Salento,Basilacata, and Calbria!
Feb 21st, 2010, 07:47 AM
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Back from Rome,Salento,Basilacata, and Calbria!
Thanks to all who counciled me. My third trip to Italy.. first to Rome. I will try to mention things that I think will be helpful... Arrived in Rome at 7:30 am. We will greeted by the apartment owners son.. for 40 Euros he took us to our Trastevere apartment. We LOVED staying in Trastevere... We could walk to all the Rome sites(we are big walkers) but at night we could return to the winding streets of our neighborhood with it's small family run cheaper and better restaurants. While in Rome we did a Vatican tour(Real Rome).. highly reommend it. We wandered and ate... saw the Forum, Spanish Steps Coloseum,Campo Fiori, Piazza Navorna(it was Carnavale.. imagine the Piazza filled with little kids in costume throwing confetti and blowing bubbles.. magical! )
We flew from Rome to Brindisi on Blu Express. They moved up our flight 3 hours! The apartment owners son could not take us to FCO so he sent a friend! Nice folks.. would stay at their place again! Blu Express was fine.. just be wary of the luggage weight limits.WE arrived at Brindisi and picked up the rental car. Drove to Lecce. Stayed at the Palozzo Di Giorgio... LOved this B&B.. did not want to leave. I will return to Lecce in the Spring sometime... beautiful town and the food in Salento is the best.
Traveled to Matera... the most amazing unique place I have ever seen. WE had a tour there.. also recommend that you take a tour...Stayed at the Alle Malve... great b&b.. felt like I had been adopted by the family that owned it... the breakfast was wonderful. Comfortable place to stay... good shower, wifi fi... off season was 70 Euros.
After two nights in Matera we drove to my grand mother's village that she left in 1910 to come to America. Her village was in Calabria near Crotone. We found the church doors that she bought in 1955.. had her name on them.. her Maiden Name!!! I have missed out on some sort of family controversy!!!! Still trying to track down the story... it was obvious that she had them change the last name on the doors.. there was a cut-out of the last name.. I think that she did not want to leave her village for America. She did not come to the US until many years after her husband.
We went to Isola Capo Rizzuto that night... then the next day we went to Almafi. Stayed at the Hotel Luna... very nice and the view!!! While I like Almafi and the coast... I prefer Cinque Terre. Just a personal preference.. Dropped the car in Sorrento. Stayed at an apartment in Sorrento... Baby Luna.. once again wonderful people owned this one too.Sorrento would not be my first choice but was chosen because of the Avis office and close proximity to the CV train. We went t Pompeii....not to be missed! Took the train from Sorrento-NAples-Rome.. spent the night in Rome then Home... Best thing about the trip.. everything! We met wonderful people.. if you go south learn some Italian. We went 5 days without hearing English.The worst thing... RAIN.. we hit a wet cycle but that is the price you pay for cheaper prices and fewer crowds in February... we went everywhere without a line, tour bus, or any commotion.. unheard of! Not to be missed.. the Blue Notte restaurant in Lecce.. Ciro wines in Calabria... and the views on the Alafi Coast..... Now I am back and my refrigerator and car look gigantic!
We flew from Rome to Brindisi on Blu Express. They moved up our flight 3 hours! The apartment owners son could not take us to FCO so he sent a friend! Nice folks.. would stay at their place again! Blu Express was fine.. just be wary of the luggage weight limits.WE arrived at Brindisi and picked up the rental car. Drove to Lecce. Stayed at the Palozzo Di Giorgio... LOved this B&B.. did not want to leave. I will return to Lecce in the Spring sometime... beautiful town and the food in Salento is the best.
Traveled to Matera... the most amazing unique place I have ever seen. WE had a tour there.. also recommend that you take a tour...Stayed at the Alle Malve... great b&b.. felt like I had been adopted by the family that owned it... the breakfast was wonderful. Comfortable place to stay... good shower, wifi fi... off season was 70 Euros.
After two nights in Matera we drove to my grand mother's village that she left in 1910 to come to America. Her village was in Calabria near Crotone. We found the church doors that she bought in 1955.. had her name on them.. her Maiden Name!!! I have missed out on some sort of family controversy!!!! Still trying to track down the story... it was obvious that she had them change the last name on the doors.. there was a cut-out of the last name.. I think that she did not want to leave her village for America. She did not come to the US until many years after her husband.
We went to Isola Capo Rizzuto that night... then the next day we went to Almafi. Stayed at the Hotel Luna... very nice and the view!!! While I like Almafi and the coast... I prefer Cinque Terre. Just a personal preference.. Dropped the car in Sorrento. Stayed at an apartment in Sorrento... Baby Luna.. once again wonderful people owned this one too.Sorrento would not be my first choice but was chosen because of the Avis office and close proximity to the CV train. We went t Pompeii....not to be missed! Took the train from Sorrento-NAples-Rome.. spent the night in Rome then Home... Best thing about the trip.. everything! We met wonderful people.. if you go south learn some Italian. We went 5 days without hearing English.The worst thing... RAIN.. we hit a wet cycle but that is the price you pay for cheaper prices and fewer crowds in February... we went everywhere without a line, tour bus, or any commotion.. unheard of! Not to be missed.. the Blue Notte restaurant in Lecce.. Ciro wines in Calabria... and the views on the Alafi Coast..... Now I am back and my refrigerator and car look gigantic!
Feb 21st, 2010, 07:34 PM
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I'm so glad you liked Matera. It is my the home of my ancestors, and we went there in '08. I loved it so much. It is beautiful, unique, historical, has great food. Love Matera and I want to go back.
Feb 21st, 2010, 09:42 PM
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We will be in Matera in October and I was very interested in your report! What kind of tour did you do? I was reading about a cycling tour of the area which sounds excellent...wondering if anyone else has done this?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Feb 22nd, 2010, 11:55 AM
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It will be hilly! But if you are in good shape go for it. We did a walking tour of the caves. Very interesting. If you are cycling it will be to sounding towns... or agricultural areas. There are tours of bakeries in the area.. Matera bread is different... very good.It is unique and we loved it there. In February very uncrowded.
Feb 22nd, 2010, 12:39 PM
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Love reading anything about southern Italy. We will be in Matera for a day in May....coming from Locorotondo. Did you book your tour in Matera in advance? with whom? how long and what was the fee? Thank you for any information you can offer.
Feb 22nd, 2010, 07:08 PM
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WE booked there. It was rainy and February... we did a three hour tour for 15 Euros/each. It will cost more in May when things are busy. If you stay at a B&B or hotel they will have information.. Matera is very tourist friendly. We hooked up with a guide on the street and she was very good.One thing I wish I had time for.... a tour of the prehistoric cave dwellings across the gorge. There is a government run facility there that would be worth checking out... they do guided tours...I guess I will have to return!
Feb 23rd, 2010, 11:28 AM
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I have just begun the process of planning a trip to Calabria in June. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this report. We will be visiting relatives for a wedding in Lamezia Terme with our children (ages 12, 10 and 8). And we will doing some "sightseeing" in between. I have been reading about Matera and Tropea. We will also take advantage of visiting relatives in Bari and Avellino but find our own accomodations. I noticed that you used VRBO. Do you recommend?
Feb 28th, 2010, 09:45 AM
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rnman
Thank you for your answers.....we are day triping from Puglia so will not have a hotel. You stated you found a guide on the street....I have found a guide through the internet but the cost is 80e for three hours which seems a lot. Do you think the price goes up that much in May? Are guides easily found on the street? I will look into the cave dwellings you mentioned. We are so looking forward to exploring a new part of Italy for the first week of our trip.
Thank you for your answers.....we are day triping from Puglia so will not have a hotel. You stated you found a guide on the street....I have found a guide through the internet but the cost is 80e for three hours which seems a lot. Do you think the price goes up that much in May? Are guides easily found on the street? I will look into the cave dwellings you mentioned. We are so looking forward to exploring a new part of Italy for the first week of our trip.
Mar 8th, 2010, 01:06 PM
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Sorry for the delay in responding. We found our Matera guide on the street, the price was much higher on the printed listings we saw at the Hotel. This was a licensed guide.. In May it will be higher..usually 40 Euros per person... You should be able to find someone.
As for the VRBO.. yes I have used them in the US and in Italy. They are generally cheaper than an agency... I only rent places that had positive reviews. I loved Calabria, although had trouble with the Italian dialect in Calabria. Another area to see is Lecce and the Adriatic Coast. Do a web search for Bleeding Expresso. It is a useful blog written by an expat living in Calabria.
As for the VRBO.. yes I have used them in the US and in Italy. They are generally cheaper than an agency... I only rent places that had positive reviews. I loved Calabria, although had trouble with the Italian dialect in Calabria. Another area to see is Lecce and the Adriatic Coast. Do a web search for Bleeding Expresso. It is a useful blog written by an expat living in Calabria.
