MelissaSara

We would love advice on our itinerary for May/June 2024 - mostly on the end, the last week-ish. We are trying to decide between Amalfi Coast or Puglia area (Lecce, Bari etc). We have been to Florence/Tuscany and Cinque Terra before so want some new places we haven't been. Here's what we have so far.

- Rome (6 nights May 19-25) - my husband has never been so probably do several days in the city and then maybe 1 day trip nearby
- Sicily (7 nights - have rented a place in Noto May 25-June 1)
- Still TBD: Got to Ischia for 4 nights and Sorrento 5 nights as a base with day trips around there (or???)
Or Puglia: Lecce/Bari Itria valley and something else in that region ?

We would like to figure out the general region at the end so we can get our plane tickets back (using miles so the sooner the better as the reservations are just opening up). We like to be active - hiking, walking, biking, kayaking - but also love good food and wine of course as well as seeing the historic sites, exploring new areas. We don't mind being off the beaten path a bit. Our questions - in early June will Amalfi Coast be already too crowded? We would like to hike the Path of the Gods and maybe a boat or kayak trip along the coast there. Don't know as much about Puglia yet but generally heard good things.

Appreciate any insights and feedback.

joan

In September we spent a week in Puglia and two weeks in Sicily. Actually, just the eastern part of Sicily - we split our time between Cefalu, Scicli (just below Modica), and Taormina.
We still felt "cheated" because there was so much to see in Sicily. Since you are already planning to go there, I would add all the extra time to Sicily and fly home from Palermo. You could check out the western part for the antiquities and drive up the western coast. We loved Cefalu, a beach town with easy access by train to Palermo. Some love the busy feel of Palermo, but for us a beach place to lay our heads was ideal. Also loved off-the-beaten-path Scicli as a "home" for 5 nights. But that would probably be equivalent to Moto...?

We did enjoy Puglia, but were on our kids/grandkids schedule. So we rented a house with pool in the very bottom (Marina de Pescalouse area) and did day trips around the beautiful stiletto. Also wished we had more time there.

We flew in and out of Rome, rented a car for the entire time. Regretted not flying home from Palermo or Catania, since we had two days on the road from Sicily getting back to Rome. (At the time we booked, flights home to US from Sicily were almost nonexistent - just after Italy opened up after covid) We did enjoy driving the coast of Calabria and taking the ferry, but it was too much driving overall.

Happy planning!

MelissaSara

Thanks so much Joan - super helpful. And I read on other posts recommendations for more time in Sicily.

jim21

It looks as though you have left yourself with some good options. Given the fact you have already booked 7 nights in Noto, I would recommend skipping Puglia and going with Naples/Amalfi Coast. I reluctant to say that because I lived in Puglia for a year-and-a half and love it. But it can be challenging. The trains end at Lecce and the public buses are iffy. You would have to rent a car. Plus, when you go south of Bari, it would be good to have a working knowledge of Italian for the purpose of getting directions, etc.

Here are my recommendations.

Do your 6 days in Rome, which is enough time for your husband and family to enjoy all the sights. A good day trip option is Orvieto with its magnificent cathedral and amazing setting.

Take the train to Sorrento for your 5 nights, again a good amount of time. You can access the Path of the Gods from there. I am not sure if you are a casual or serious hiker but do not overestimate you abilities. We just finished a similar hike on the Cinque Terre and it was very challenging. The descents can be precarious. Good hiking shoes and walking sticks are recommended.

I would do Ischia after Sorrento to give you a little rest and relaxation before you head to Sicily.

Now here is where it gets to be fun. I recommend taking the overnight ferry from Naples to Milazzo. We have done this twice and it is wonderful. The ferry usually leaves Naples around 9:00 PM or 10:00 PM. It passes between the Isle of Capri and the Sorrentine Peninsula which is stunning if the sky is clear and the water calm. It gets even better.

The ferry typically arrives at Stromboli early in the morning. Most passengers get up around 4:00 AM to view the volcano which is always active. Quite the site. I remember the ferry stopping at Stromboli and Lipari. It may stop at other Aeolian Islands, but I do not recall. Our second time we got off on Stromboli and took a local ferry a few days later.

When you get to Milazzo there will be taxis waiting to greet the ferry. Grab a taxi for the Milazzo train station which is not far. You then take the train from there to Noto…about 4 ˝ hours.

When departing, fly out of Catania. Your air carrier may or may not have flights out of Catania. If not, you can take an ITA, or other flight, to Rome. You may have to fly into Rome Fiumicino the day before and stay the night close by to hook up with your return flight home.

This itinerary will require you to leave earlier than currently planned to fulfill your booking in Noto. That would alleviate your concerns about the June crowds on the Amalfi Coast. The other option would be to change your booking in Noto.

I hope this helps.

MelissaSara

Thanks Jim21 - appreciate the recommendations and love this idea. Sadly we can't leave earlier (family event in May) which was our original plan so we could avoid the busier times.

neckervd

I really loved the local trains going from Lecce south to Otranto, Taurisano - Gagliano and Gallipoli.

neckervd

Milazzo - Vulcano - Lipari - Stromboli - Napoli: you can choose between slow ferries (not daily) and catamarans.

bilboburgler

Take the little train from Potenza to Gravina over the hills, if you like really tiny trains

uktravelover

I agree with Jim21 to opt for Sorrento area v Puglia, however I would be inclined to stay in 3 locations and do day trips from each of those, rather than lose time with an additional transfer. For example:-
Rome for 7 or 8 nights to explore Rome itself and perhaps visit Castel Gandolfo, Ostia Antica, Orvieto

Sorrento for 8 nights - split time between relaxing and select day trips from the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia , Pompeii, Naples/ Herculaneum, Vesuvius

Noto for 7 nights - visit Modica, Ragusa, Siracusa, Etna/Taormina

HappyTrvlr

We landed in Rome and switched planes to go to Bari. We had a wonderful ten days in Puglia before flying from Bari to Palermo for the Sicily portion of our trip. These two regions worked very well together.
We’ve been to the Amalfi Coast too and think Puglia and Sicily work better together as far as having more diverse populations.

annhig

Here's another vote for spending your extra time in Sicily. From Noto you could drive to Agrigento and spend a night there before driving towards Palermo, or you could extend your time in the East of the island perhaps going north before flying out of Catania. There are no bad choices here.