AP6380

I just wanted to thank everyone who made suggestions for my trip, which was wonderful. I am unsure if I will be able to post a report, but I at least wanted to be available for any questions. My itinerary was:

4 nights at Hotel Seggio in Vieste
4 nights at the Centro Storico B&B in Lecce
5 nights with my family on the Southeastern Coast of Calabria
with day trips to Pizzo, Tropea & Scilla
2 nights in Taormina at Villa Schuler, we day tripped to Etna

I hope to post more soon!

bobthenavigator

Welcome back from a part of Italy that many never see. Tell me more about the B&B in Lecce--did you like it?

AP6380

The B&B in Lecce was a great deal. My father had a huge room, there was a connecting bathroom, and I had a single room. The cost was only 87 Euros a night.

The building itself was beautiful, very high soaring ceilings. The B&B occupied the 2nd Floor. It was interesting as it was typical building for Lecce, with a huge front door. If the main part of the door was locked we had to enter via a smaller door that we had to bend down to pass through. Once inside, it was an open area where people parked their motorcycles, etc.

They give you a parking pass so that you can park in the piazza nearby. The only issue was the ac. When it was on it was ok, but it wasn't always on. We didn't have control over that. There also were no phones in the rooms, and there wasn't anyone onsite working all the time. If we wanted to reach the ownere we would have to go out & use a pay phone to call his cell. The location couldn't be beat. The breakfast was simple cakes, etc.

bobthenavigator

Grazie ! I liked Lecce but not the place we stayed.

Pausanias

Could you tell us a bit about the day trips to Pizzo and Tropea?

AP6380

I would love to.....

Tropea is one of my favorite places in Italy. It is so picturesque with the main town up high on a cliff, the gorgeous beaches below it, and the church of Santa Maria Dell'Isola dramatically perched on it's own "cliff" of sorts. In past years we have walked the numerous steps to the top and have gone into their gardens in the back and have enjoyed the spectacular views. This time, the church was closed for renovations and the steps were closed.

We usually eat at a seafood place almost right on the beach. If you face Santa Maria Dell'isola it's on the left. The seafood is so fresh!!!!!

Someday I really want to spend a few days to a week out there. Capo Vaticano looks gorgeous too.

We stopped at Pizzo on the way off the peninsula. This town is known for Tartufo. Let me tell you, that dessert was the best of the ENTIRE 15 days that I was there. That is saying a lot as I ate Gelato twice a day and had a lot of granita too! The chocolate just oozed out of the ice cream and it was covered in cocoa & sugar. There is also a castle there, Ferdinand I of Aragon in 1400 had it built. It's famous because Gioacchino Murat was imprisoned here.

We also saw the Piedigrotta Church, which is a church built into the rocks by a beach. There are many spectacular statues that are carved into the rocks.

I'll post a link to some pics soon. I even have pics of the tartufo!!!!!

AP6380

I also forgot to mention that after Etna we went to the little town of Savoca, where some of the original Godfather was filmed. It was very picturesque and had authentic food. It's pretty close to Taormina.

ekscrunchy

I would love to read anything you write ab out your trip even if it is brief. How did you like the Villa Schuler? (I am surprised that you could book for two nights as they had a 3-night minumum in May two years ago)

Your description of Tropea sounds intriguing....please, please give us more!!! Do you think Tropea is a summer destination only?

rosetravels

Please write more - this is an area I've thought about visiting and there's little information available.

Pausanias

Thanks AP -- How much time do you think would be right for a stay in Tropea?

patriciaf

Hi AP,

I would love to hear what you did in Lecce and how you got there.

My husband and I are staying there in September with our two close friends in Stelle Di Una Volte. Their children and grandchildren will be staying in another B&B opposite ours.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

P

AP6380

I really did like Villa Schuler. We stayed in the Garden View Junior Suite. The room was appointed simply, but it had everything you would need and it was spacious. The bathroom was great with lots of shelves (always a pet peeve of mine, nowhere to put all my toiletries that weigh my bags down

The view was spectacular and the breakfast was very good. They had a fairly large selection to order from off a menu. Their berry granita was GREAT! I thought that I would have a problem with a 2 night stay too, but they just gave us less of a discount.

I'm sure Tropea and the surrounding areas are more summer destinations as the beaches are very, very beautiful. But I could also imagine staying out there in the spring or fall, as I think there would be enough to do to fill up a few relaxing days.

How long to stay in Tropea depends on your vacation style. Also when you will go. If you are going in the summer and are beach people, you may want to stay 4-5 days as opposed to the 3-4 that I usually do. Especially if you have a rental car to go to surrounding towns. I definitely would say that a stay here probably wouldn't be very itinerary heavy, more about enjoying the beauty. Pizzo would be a day trip, the beaches at Capo Vaticano would be another, and I hear Serra San Bruno would be worthwhile.

We drove from Vieste in Northern Puglia to Lecce. Driving in the old town is agitating at first, but after a day it is fine. We did day trips to Grottaglie, which is a town that is known for it's pottery. We did a day trip to Ostuni- very worthwhile. Also, there are great beaches within 30-45 minutes, Torre Guaceto is one. If you are very ambitious Matera would be about 3 hours each way, I considered this but decided against it.

Beaches that were recommended to me but that we didn't make it to were Le Pesculuse & Il Venere, in the area of Santa Maria Di Leuca (on the way to Gallipoli).

The BEST meal in Lecce was at Cucina Casareccia. It gets written up everywhere for very good reason. It's the closest that you will get to eating in an Italian Grandma's kitchen..... their Cassata was to DIE for. A reservation is necessary.

We also went to Otranto. There is a cathedral in the Centro Storico that has an amzing mosaic floor- it was closed at the time we were there for the afternoon.

I'm glad to see such interest in Southern Italy!!!!

patriciaf

Thanks so much AP,

That is great information. We will be travelling by train and bus mainly, I am still hoping to convince my friends that we should hire a car though.

We will definitely visit Cucina Casareccia and we have Otranto on the list. We will be in Lecce for 6 days and I am so looking forward to it.

Thanks again.

P

AP6380

I forgot to mention that a great thing to buy in Lecce is "Cartapesta." It's paper mache. There are tons of artists who make gorgeous pieces. They are so beautiful that they look like they are ceramic. I bought an angel.

Pausanias

AP --

Thanks for the information on this lesser-known part of Italy. Hope you have time to do a full report.

Flame123

For all of you who have not yet read my trip report, click on my screen name. It is called "My Party in Puglia", it is an 11 day trip devoted to Puglia during May 2007. It was fabulous and I will be happy to answer any specfic questions.

AP6380 - glad you enjoyed so much.