marigross

Hi all! We will be road tripping in Italy during May and I would love to get some feedback for the portion between Polignano al Mare and Ascoli Piceno. We will be coming from the Salento (Matera> Otranto> Lecce> Ostuni> Polignano al Mare) and then heading north (Ascoli Piceno> Urbino > an Agro in Piobicco > Arezzo or Gubbio> Perugia).

I have three days between Polignano and Ascoli. My current 'plan' is (very loosely) based on an itinerary from the Backroads of Italy guidebook, I think we will mostly 'wing it' with accommodations for those 3 nights so that we have freedom to move on or stay put but would love some feedback / ideas:

- Polignano al Mare (3 nights; reserved) / Drive to Vieste via Mt Sant'Angelo

- Vieste? Pesichici? (1night) / drive to Sulmuna via Pescara

- Sulmona? Capestrano? (1night) / Drive to Gran Sasso

- San Steffano de Sessanio? (1night) / drive through Gran Sasso, Campo Imperatore?, drive to Ascoli Piceno for (2 nights; reserved)

We have been through the Piano Grande (loved it!).

I had originally thought to spend 2 nights in Vieste but since DH has a spur on his heel, he is not wanting to include many hikes on this trip and I thought that a single night would be enough to drive through the Gargano. Thoughts on this?

We don't mind spending a few hours nonstop in the car as long as the scenery is outstanding. No problem with taking small, curvy roads out in the boonies. DH is a confident/competent driver and I navigate rather well.

Typically during our road trips we start in the early-ish/mid morning and then stop for a light lunch on the roadside or in a town if we will visit a site. In the late afternoon we like to plunk down -somewhere where we will spend the night- to drink our aperitivos and not move much more for the rest of the evening until its time for dinner.

Any feedback and ideas, plan-bashing or not, will be greatly welcome!

frencharmoire

I thought driving around the Gargano peninsula was tedious and unrewarding, but I didn't go to Mt Sant'Angelo. If it were me I would head in the general direction of Campobasso, then onward to Sulmona. I'd probably spend 2 nights in Sulmona, but you could obviously slow it down and truly road trip.

I sometimes plot trips like this by looking on Google maps and clicking on the names of small towns. Many of them are "hot links" and when you click on them, you see pictures of the town & brief descriptiosn. For instance, just for laughs, I clicked on 'Pietramontecorvino" (outside of Campobasso) because it has such a long name, and it looks like quite a wonderful place to visit or have lunch. Turns out Pietramontecorvino has a designation of being one of the "most beautiful villages of Italy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkqzV-E-X7E

marigross

Interesting!

I'm mostly basing my proposed route on a combination of the Michelin regional 'green roads' maps (scenic) and the Italy Backroads guidebook. We are suckers for pretty drives.

I have looked into Vieste and Pesichi hotels and nothing has really sparked my interest. So from having 4 nights in my very first draft itinerary in the Gargano peninsula I have gone down to a single 'wing it' night. I guess if it was a summer-resort beachy vacation it would be an entire different ball game but right now I just can't seem to get excited about it as part of a road trip focused on scenery \.

Any Abruzzo ideas?

frencharmoire

Consider Fara San Martino, the Majella and Roccoscalegna.

bvlenci

I also was not particularly charmed by the Gargano. I think it had been oversold to me by some guide book or other.

Before leaving Puglia, I strongly recommend a visit to Castel del Monte, near Bari. I've been there twice, and would be willing to make a longish detour to see it again.

For Abruzzo, I did like Sulmona very much. There are many other charming little towns in the vicinity, and very nice scenery. Scanno is a pretty little town where some people wore traditional costume. We were told by a resident of a nearby town that they were paid by the town to wear it, but that might have been local rivalry. It's been a while since we were there, so I don't know if this has been kept up.

threegigs

Yes, definitely see Sulmona- beautiful ancient aqueduct and piazza, market, and " confetti " . If you've seen the George Clooney film "The American," you'll see shots of Sulmona as well as Abruzzese countryside. While in Ascoli, consider a side trip to the village of Offida - undergoing wonderful restoration and attracting local artisans, including lacemakers. And if you're skipping the Gargano, a good substitute would be a drive to the Conero, just below Ancona, with lunch at Lo Scottadito, near Numana, and a quick visit to Loreto on your way back to Ascoli.

marigross

Ok, Sulmona will certainly be kept in the plan.

frencharmoire, those look lovely!

bvlenci, I will add Castel del Monte to my list.

threegigs, I have the Conero area in the plan for the day that we drive from Ascoli to Urbino!

Thanks to all!

Leely2

<i>- San Steffano de Sessanio? (1night) </i>

We took two nights driving down to Naples from Ascoli Piceno last summer, and spent a night in San Stefano di Sessanio. Interesting, and well located for Il Gran Sasso (magnificent!!!), but I'm not sure I'd stay overnight there again. There is very little going on once the sun goes down. I think I might rather just stay out in the country.

Nonetheless, what's happening there--the restoration of a medieval village--is interesting. Clearly a labor of love and very much a work in progress. So I guess it depends on what your expectations and interests are.

Leely2

p.s. Agree with threegigs about Offida once you are in Ascoli.