femkej

Hi, I would love some advice from anyone who has travelled through southern Italy. I am going with my parents, husband and children this June/July for one month. So far, this is my itinerary:

2 nights - Rome (this is booked, but I can change it)
4 nights - Capri or Sicily (need to book something)
5 nights - Positano (this is booked and can't be changed)
7 nights - Puglia (near Alberobello, this is booked and can't be changed)
10 nights - Still need to book.

We are leaving from Rome. My last 10 nights, and 4 nights after Rome are not booked. I can't decide if I want to travel to Polignano al Mare or possibly travel to Calabria. We are hiring a car at the end of our stay in Positano and driving to Puglia. I have been to some parts of Puglia before, as my mother is Pugliese.

Would love any ideas of where to stay for our missing dates.

Mille grazie,

bilboburgler

capri for 4 days is possibly too long, but almost too short to mess with, I guess you could day trip to Ischea

There must be things to do in Calabria but I've not found them yet, on the other hand Basilicata is very pretty with some interesting towns, national parks and temples.

Still 10 whole days...do Sicily properly and even get out to some of the little islands.

femkej

do you think 4 days in Sicily is not enough? I would only go to Ragusa and Noto if I went.

sundriedtopepo

Are you planning any more time in Rome? Two nights is very little, and you do need to get back there for your flight home.

From Puglia to Sicily is a very long way just to see Ragusa and Noto for 4 nights/3 days. It's also very hot there in June and July...Did you want some beach days in your itinerary somewhere?

neckervd

It's possible to fly from Rome to Catania and back and to go from CTA airport by bus to Noto and Ragusa for 3 days. But I wouldn't call that a visit of "Sicily".
For the last 10 days you may check something between Alberobello and Rome:
Bari, Bisceglie, Trani, Gargano Peninsula, Tremiti Islands, Termoli......
....or you take a ferry from Brindisi or Bari to Corfu and fly from there with ryanair or vueling to Rome (not daily).

ekc

I would take a day from Capri and add it to Rome. Then see Sicily for 10 days at the end.

Maria_G

We did an extended trip through the south of Italy a few years back, and loved it. Polignano al Mare is lovely, don't miss it. We also visited Lecce ("the Florence of the South")- incredible architecture, and Alberobello - charming, but a little too touristy for us. Ostuni, the whitewashed city, is gorgeous, and Trani has probably the most picturesque harbor of any we've seen. We also stayed on the Gargano peninsula, very cool to drive through the forest to get there. If you do decide to drive across Italy, be sure to stop at Matera, in Basilicata.

annhig

ok, this is my idea:

Day 1 - fly into Rome. Get car service to Naples. Stay 6 nights. Alternatively stay at beach resort between Rome and Naples e.g. Sperlonga, and use it as a base to tour the area south of Rome.
Day 7 - transfer to Positano. [yes, they are very close together but you can see different things from both places. Naples will be fun with lots to see and do, plus days trips to Capri etc., Positano will be more relaxing.]
Day 12 - pick up car and drive to Puglia. stay 7 nights.
Day 19 - drive to airport and fly to Sicily [Palermo or Catania]. head for Aeolian islands, then Ragusa/Noto.
Day 26 - fly back to Rome to finish trip.

This puts all your days in Rome at the end of the trip which is more efficient and makes sure that you're not racing around at the end to get to the right place to fly home. It's not long to see Rome but you'll be back.

ekc

Good itinerary annhig!

femkej

thanks for all the advice. I am considering maybe going to Capri after Rome, before I go to Positano, or alternatively going to Matera before Positano. I have to be in Positano for a conference so that can't be changed.
I'm leaning towards Polignano al mare and surrounding area instead of Sicily as it might be too rushed to go to Sicily before Puglia.

kja

For Sicily, a stay of 2.5 or 3 <u>weeks</u> would make more sense to me.

annhig

femkej - my suggestion puts Sicily AFTER Puglia. it only gives you 7 nights there but that's better IMO than your original plan.

Even better would be as kja says to leave Sicily for this trip and to go somewhere else after Puglia, perhaps working your way back up towards Rome.

HappyTrvlr

I would spend the four nights on Capri and the ten nights in Sicily.

toledodd

10 days in sicily would just be scratching the surface. we spent 3 weeks and never got to the western part. syracusa is perhaps my favorite place ever!! we spent 3 days - so many great restaurants, street entertainment and a fabulous market. could easily so day trips to the barque towns to the west. also spent 4 wonderful days on lipari - and hour or so off the northern coast. check it out.

lancer11

I would take the first 6 nights ( Rome 2 nights and 4 nights Capri/ Sicily) and spend 3 nights Rome 3 nights Naples. From Naples you can do a day trip to Pompeii.You can visit Capri for a day from Positano. Puglia is amazing. We were there last year. Go to Monopoli and Polignano amare. If you can find a way to fit it in after Puglia see Matera. Spend 2 nights then 8 nights Sicily

SentimentalLady

The Puglia region is utterly fabulous. Make sure you see Lecce and Otranto.

femkej

great advice! I am currently looking at accommodation in Puglia and Sicily. I will definitely go to Matera, if I don't stay there I will go for a day visit. I might go to Syracusa for 5 days.

bilboburgler

"Siracusa", ain't no "y" in the Italian Language.

femkej

That shows how tired I am. I should know how to spell it considering I speak Italian.

bilboburgler

Sorry, I was being a bit fussy at noon.

Siracusa is interesting, the Roman Greek area is fun, others may see it as a few days visit, I could manage a whole day in that area. Then the port area would give me a couple of days entertainment (though I'd miss the puppet museum) and the Duomo is fantastic. I did a rushed visit here in January this year, if you follow my name back you can see my short write up.