As I'm zeroing in on our itinerary for a trip to Campania, I'm wondering about staying inland for a few days. I've read that Benevento and some of the surrounding towns are very nice and well worth visiting. I haven't seen a lot about this area in the Forum - has anyone visited that region recently? Would it be a good addition to a 2 week Campania trip?

Thanks very much,
Alice

A complete bust! I don't know whether to interpret to mean that no one has BEEN there, or that it was awful and no one wants to tell me!

Alice

Alice, I assume that no one has spent time there. With 2 weeks it is not hard to fill the time with 3 locations on the coast--to include Naples. I did enjoy Maratea to the south and Sperlonga to the north, but both are really beach towns.

Bob, I think you're right. I'm definite on Naples, Capri and Amalfi and might take your original suggestion of staying with just the 3, but I'd like to include one more location - just can't decide WHERE.

Alice

Alice9

This is VERY vague and definitely not based on our travels but.....

By complete chance I have just watched a Stars Wars film with my son this evening and was interested in the locations that they used. One turns out to be Reggia di Caserta - this is a palace that I have never heard of and have to say looks absolutely stunning.

May be worth a trip?

Sorry I know this is not the usual basis that I would give out travel advice!!

Actually, I had SEEN that that palace was used for one of the Star Wars movies, it's supposed to be spectacular. So even if I don't stay in the area, maybe it's worth a day trip.

Alice

I've been promoting the palace at Caserta ever since our great visit there a couple of years ago. Beware, it's a popular weekend outing for Italians.


Check this somewhat recent thread, especially comment at 5/22/09 8:20 a.m. of CasaDelCipresso (who owns a home in the area):

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...years-help.cfm

So if we want to visit Benevento and Caserta - should we stay in that area for a few days or just day trip there?

Another possiblity for one more place to stay would be somewhere in the Salerno/Paestum area. Again, stay in the area or day trip?

I'm also debating about staying a few nights in Ravello - I know it's 2 inches from Amalfi, but it seems like such a beautiful place, I wonder if we'd enjoy staying a few days rather than just taking a day trip there.

So my intinerary definites are Capri, Amalfi and Naples. The question is whether to add something and what that something should be. Benevento/Caserta area? Salerno/Paestum area? Ravello?

Isn't it nice to have such tough decisions to make?

Thanks for the link, Jean.

Alice

Alice I would not assume that the Benevento area is not worth visiting just because no one here has spent time there. And I am not even sure that that is true. For example, the poster named Casa del Cipresso owns a rental property not far away and would have lots of info for you I am certain. I find it kind of upsetting that people who have not been there are cautioning you not to explore!

I would urge you to get your hands on a copy of Carla Capalbo's book THE FOOD AND WINE GUIDE TO NAPLES AND CAMPANIA. She calls the Irpinia area around Avellino one of the most fascinating in Campania and has lots of info on that area and about the entire province.

Also, I think you should give thought to at least one night in Cetara, perhaps en route to the Paestum area.


Unfortunately, this site recommended by Capalbo is in Italian only:


http://www.galpartenio.it/#

Capalbo's book has a list of lodgings in the Benevento and Avellino areas, as well as all over Campania.

For example:

http://www.locandacinciarella.it/locanda.php


In Benevento, this hotel is recommended:


http://www.hotelvillatraiano.it/


Food & Wine magazine raved about this upscale restaurant in Avellino province. It has also been mentioned here.

http://www.lalocandadibu.com/home_en.html

Some relevant threads:


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-we-crazy.cfm


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...aly-winery.cfm

But you cannot go wrong with a night or two in Ravello, either!

Thanks for the links, ekscrunchy - that whole Caserto/Avellino/Benevento area gets a lot of raves, but not a lot of (Fodors) tourists I guess.

I'm going to do some more reading and then post an initial itinerary for comment. One issue is how many nights each place. (Two or three nights in Capri? Five nights in Amalfi?). And once we figure out WHERE we're going, I'll need to work on logistics - how do I get from here to there, when do I need a car etc.

And of course there's the airfare, sigh. I have to start my daily ritual of looking for airfare and grabbing the first decent thing that comes up. I have a one month window and look for the best dates in that window, it's amazing how much difference a day or two can make (and it's completely inexplicable to me).

Alice

http://goitaly.about.com/od/benevent...ento-Pictures/

Looks lovely!

hi - sorry...haven't logged in lately!

I was very pleasantly surprised with Benevento! (I probably already said that in the previous post.) The guidebooks gloss over it totally...and, to be fair, there are certainly parts (on the outskirts) that look like communist apt. blocks (for lack of a better description!) but the historical center is very nice. I haven't spent much time there yet, but I posted a couple of photos I took last year on my blog: http://southernitaly.wordpress.com/southern-italy-blog/ we were the only tourists I saw...so I do think it is an interesting and fun choice for a very off-the-beaten-path base. The people were friendly (although, I rave about that in most of the South!) and the food wonderful (again - IO could say that about most of the South) and there is a museum and a couple of important sites to see (Trajan's Arch really is amazing and impressive.)

The palace at Caserta is certainly impressive to visit as well..I'm not thrilled with the town of Caserta though for a base - a bit too crazy and urban for me.

I totally agree about Cetara...although I hate posting it here because I always feel like it is "secret!" ;-)

I also really like Salerno as a base and think it gets overlooked a lot in the guides as well.

As for flights...unfortunately, we usually end up flying into Rome and driving down - Naples is closer (obviously), but I always seem to find better deals into Rome...and the car rental prices are usually better from the Rome airport too. oh...and YES...I highly recommend a car for exploring So. Italy.

Good luck with your planning!

CasaDelCipresso, thanks so much, I DID see your pictures, they're one of the reasons I'm considering this area.

And I hadn't thought about flying into Rome as opposed to Naples, I'll look at viaMichelin and see how much time they think it takes to drive. (Although if I go with my plan to START in Capri, I don't NEED a car right away....). I also hadn't considered Salerno as a base, but as a day trip - it does seem to get short shrift in most books.

So many choices and all of them good!

Alice

Bless you CasaDelCipresso for posting, and for pointing out that points south of Amalfi near Salerno can make for a lovely base.

I disagree with the comment that you "can't go wrong with Ravello." Of course you can. It is hard to get in and out of, it caters to an awfully affluent, older crowd, and if you aren't lucky with the weather, the views just disappear in the fog and rain, and it's a rather dull celebrity fawning place.

Alice9, the disappointments I've felt on vacations taking a flyer on the unknown have always been minor to me compared with the disapointments I've felt when I booked, out of cowardice, the "tried-and-true" and found myself confronted with something packaged for my consumption.

have a great trip!

Think about staying in Ravello.

no problem
in a bit of a hurry...so I'm sure I'll think of other things to add...but...

as for flying into Rome - it takes me 3 1/2 hours to drive to my home...which, seems like a lot...but...if you add in the time to change planes (I can only go nonstop with Eurofly from NY), it actually takes me almost the exact same time in total. (and I also like the excuse to tack on a day or two there at the start or end to a trip) If you'll be in Capri first though, you could rent a car in Sorrento (expensive usually if you need an automatic) or Salerno - not usually as pricey as Sorrento, but more than Rome - easy to drive in and out though and get right on the highway and plenty of transport options to get there. There could also be rental places in Benevento - probably are, but I haven't looked into it. You could look into taking the train to Salerno from Rome and ferry from there, or a direct bus from Rome to the coast as another option if you are pricing different routes.

I've actually never stayed in Ravello - I think it is very romantic ;-) but an afternoon or evening has always been enough for me personally - I know many disagree..and that's how it should be. Ideal for one is not for everyone. The views are certainly gorgeous though.

stepsbeyond, so well put about sticking to the tried and true! I've visited many places I will probably never have the urge to visit again...but not once have I been sorry I choose to do so.

as for Salerno...it certainly is grittier (is that a word?) than the rest of the Amalfi coast...but some of the Vietri sul Mare area is very charming and has great views and great transportation links. It has a very "real" and authentic feel to it and taking a Sunday evening stroll in the Summer in Salerno is one of my favorite things to do...along with the MASSES of Italians - young and old. I think it is a good mix - a nice, beach-town feel, but without the tourists and without the real grittyness of Naples. (if that makes sense) and it is so easy to daytrip from there by bus, train of ferry.

Hmmm. Why you don't get attacked for posting your opinion about the tried and true? I'll have to work on my posting style I guess!