I'm spending a couple weeks in Sorrento, I've been there several times but always with a tour, this time on my own. I'd like to go to Matera, Bari & Alberobello for a couple days and would like suggestions on how best to get there and where to stay, etc. Maybe there is a mini tour from Sorrento? Any and all suggestions appreciated.

According to your preferencies you may take:
the direct Marinobus Naples - Bari,
the local train from Naples to Caserta and the fast train from Caserta to Bari,
the intercity rom Naples to Potenza o rFerrandina plus the local train or the bus to Matera.

Thank you

Check out rome2rio.com for options.

OK, thanks!

Visit Alberobello for a few hours but stay in another town for a better experience- Polignano a Mare, Lecce, Ostuni, Locorotundo,etc

Italo used to run a bus from Salerno to Matera (you needed a train/bus ticket, couldn't just buy the bus), but that may have disappeared with covid. You might check if Trenitalia has that option as they used to do similar.

If you do go to Caserta to catch a train south, stay a night and visit the palace (across the street from the train station). There are hotels within a block of the station. I stayed at the Royal Caserta. I seem to recall seeing a Flix bus headed south from Caserta. You might check their routes.

I think there are 3 train stations within a block in Bari. There is Bari Centrale which Trenitalia uses and Bari Centrale FAL which is Ferrovie Appulo Lucane and is a block down the street and upstairs (there is an elevator to go up to the tracks). FAL goes to Matera Centrale which has recently remodeled their station. It's within walking distance of the old town (all downhill). People debate on whether to stay down in the Sassi or up at the top. I decided to stay up top as I saw complaints about wifi and mold of places in the Sassi. Since I was booking and deciding where to go next while traveling, I needed reliable wifi. There are day tours from Matera to Alberobello, but if you aren't going in season they might not run if enough people don't show up. I stayed at Albergo Italia which had a nice breakfast. I walked up and down in the Sassi multiple times, but there are Ape taxis you can take instead.

The palace from my hotel room in Caserta so very close.


Caserta train station is small with just a few tracks.

It took some getting used to this guy at my hotel in Matera when I would come in at night. The lights in the hallways are on sensors and would come on as you were walking. He startled me at first as you think a person is there in the dark.

Matera taxi

kybourbon, I've been thinking of visiting Caserta as a day trip from Naples but maybe I will work out a journey that includes an overnight (I plan to go to Matera from Naples and perhaps not renting a car until my second day in Matera).

I flew into Rome, took the Leonardo to Rome Termini and caught the fast train to Caserta because I wanted to see the reflecting pools. I stayed two nights and visited the old town in addition to the palace. It's almost 2 miles from the back of the palace to the back fountain although they have bikes/ surreys/buses/carriages, I walked. Later regretted doing that much walking.

Front walk to enter the palace.

This is from about halfway back from the palace and you can barely see the palace from there.

The back fountain. I was too tired to visit the English gardens near the back.

Reflecting pools





From Caserta, I caught the regional train to Naples. Just old regional train (no amenities) that makes quite a few stops which was the only choice. Not bad and I'm sure you've experienced them before.



If you want pics of my hotel rooms in Caserta and Matera, I can post them. I stayed four nights in Matera.

That would be great! Thank you. My Italian teacher is from Napoli and a lot of her family is from Caserta. She got super excited last week when I asked her about visiting the Royal Palace--and of course made a strong recommendation for staying in town late enough to have pizza for dinner.

Sign in the palace.

My Caserta hotel bathroom.

Room


My room in Matera (bigger than some singles I've had).


Entrance. The walkway to the right has quite a few restaurants and ends with an arts school that sometimes has performances in the piazza. To the left, the walkway leads to another piazza with a good choice of restaurants and several stairways down into the sassi.

Another room in the hotel and a hallway.


Stairs down into the sassi.



It's not all stairs. Some areas are roads that slope up. There is ZTL at the top and bottom so parking will be an issue once you pick up a car.

kybourbon, thank you. Just booked your hotel in Matera. I've been dithering quite a bit so need to get cracking as I am traveling in six weeks.

I'm not sure why my room had Ikea looking furniture when the other room I saw had ornate antique. Here is a pic of the breakfast room. I booked last minute too. The hotel seemed to be family run and were very nice to me. I had read Mel Gibson (can't stand him) and other actors stayed there when filming Passion of the Christ in Matera, but I didn't hold that against them. lol

Here's a pic of the breakfast room.

View from my room wasn't much, but was quiet. Oddly enough, they actually had screens. I rarely encounter that in Europe.


I had nice meals down in the sassi and up top. Ristorante Nadi, Oi Mara, Osteria San Francesco to name a few.

Thanks again, kybourbon--and sorry for the digression, suesnothome.