We will be visiting S. Italy for 2 weeks in January. We will be traveling by auto.Sights, routes, towns, places to stay?

Well, you might do some research first so you can ask some questions that are less general. Do you have any idea at all as to where you want to go? I see that this is your first post here..usually posters do some investigating before deciding upon a destination...

Here are some ideas:

Naples, Pompeii, Positano, Ravello, Paestum...then on to Basilicata and Puglia...

As suggested, try a search and you will be amazed how much info. will pop up! I'm very fammiliar with parts of Southern Italy (mostly inland Campania and parts of Basilicata and Puglia) and would be happy to answer any specifics you may have (when you narrow it down a bit!)
Nicole

p.s. why do you think you are crazy? Car is certainly the way to go in the south...the roads are great and much faster than train travel (which is awfully slow in the south!)...the weather is farily temperate - even in Jan. (although do bring warm layers!! it gets chilly...and places are not always centrally heated)

"are we crazy?" Dunno - Why do you think you might be?

This is not my first posting but a new computer! The other one crashed!!! How about Bari, Brendisi.......

I haven't been to Brindisi...but I'm sure someone else will chime in.

I probably would not pick Bari as a tourist spot...lots of interesting daytrips from there (if, for instance, you are using points for a hotel there, etc.), like the Gargano Penninsula, Castel del Monte, etc....lots of great vinyards and olive production...easy drive in/out of Bari (compared to Naples)and it's my choice airport to fly into the area (but never can find good priced flights!! and end up always into Rome or Naples)...but I think there are more charming places to base yourself in Southern Italy.

just to let you know upfront...I am COMPLETELY bias ;-) (I have a home there)- but I would highly recommend the Avellino hill towns as a base - halfway between Naples and Bari so you can explore in both directions from one home base.

As has been mentioned, I surely would NOT miss Amalfi, Pompeii, Paestum, Naples...I would also include some of the Norman Castels (Melfi, Lagopesole, Castel del Monte)...and the Sassi Caves in Matera...some vinyards...here's a list of area wineries with websites (most have tasting and tours...some have wonderful food as well):
Campania Wine
Cantine del Notaio
Cantine Gran Furor Divina Costiera di Marisa Cuomo
Di Meo
Feudi di San Gregorio
Giannattasio
Marianna Winery
Mastroberardino
Struzziero
Terra dei Re
Terredora Winery

also...maybe include a peek at Trullo country. (you can see them dotting the countryside between Naples and Bari - but I will let the Puglia experts chime in about there favorite sopts!) - really very unusual!

whopps...had copied from a list of links I have..."campania wine" is http://www.winebow.com/wine_regioninfo.asp?region=12 for general info.

Casa: Are you familiar with the town of Nusco?

yes - I'm very close to Nusco

I love it! - one of my favorite "Undiscovered" Hill Towns.

There is a fabulous resaurant there, La Locando di Bu ( http://www.lalocandadibu.com )..and their weekly outdoor market is Sunday...which is really great to browse because most shops are closed in So. Italy on Sunday (and, becasue the market is open, the bakery and some other shops in town are open too)...you can get more info. about Nusco and photos at this site: http://www.borghitalia.it/html/borgo...dice_borgo=488

Terrific! That is why I asked, because I had heard good things about Locanda di Bu!!!!

Now I may have to plan a day in Nusco! What is the best way to get there from Naples? If only I had more time on this trip...I see that I will have to make a second trip soon after this one!

What a coincidence! Thanks!!

I have no idea whether you're crazy, but you really need to come up with at least a vague plan regarding where in southern Italy you want to go (at least which region(s)). For example, the major tourist spots in Campania? or off the beaten track in Basilicata? or visiting relatives in Abruzzi-Molise? or archeological sites in Calabria? or highlights of Puglia? or what?

You can take a bus from the Naples Train Station or Airport to Avellino and then change to a local bus to reach Nusco. (or rent a car - train service to Avellino is slow going!)

Here is a link to detailed information (and bus scheduale) on how to catch the bus to Avellino:
http://southernitaly.wordpress.com/getting-there/

I don't know the local bus scheduale to Nusco (I usually have a car)- you may have do google it and do some research to find out.

Our plan at this point is to do 3 days in the Avelino hill towns, 3 around Lecce, 3-4 in Sicily, 2-3 Amalfi coast and 2-3 in Rome. Would appreciate any further suggestions as where to stay and Dne. We like small places, walability to dinner. We will have a car.

Unless you have found a way to teletransport yourselves, be aware that you will lose 1/2 to a full day or more between the various points in your itinerary.

that is a very good point - check out the travel times on http://www.viamichelin.co.uk when planning your route! (town of Avellino to Lecce can take up to 4 hours I think)

I am a big fan of setting up a "home base" in one spot...unpacking and settleing in...and sightseeing on daytrips from there....rater than changing hotels each night...but...might make more sense for you to move down as you go and save travel time by not back-tracking (?)maybe stop in Matera - which (I think) should be about 2 1/5 hours from Lecce...which is, I think, a very do-able drive for one day.

http://www.mesali.org/ is a gourmet food association in the Irpinia (Avellino Area)with 11 REALLY yummy restaurants
may give you some ideas.

(ok...one of these days I will stop replying to myself...promise!)

http://www.turismoregionecampania.it...ivelloMenu=900

is a good link to the Campania Tourist Board - they have guides, incuding one on Irpinia and Avellino, that you can download in PDF format.

I'll also be traveling in the Mezzogiorno in January. My son will be off from college. We are planning to stay for two days in Pompeii to visit the ruins and take the train to Naples to visit the Archeological Museum and several other sites.
Then, we'll drive south, visit Paestum and wind up that night in Sicily at Taormina for the next two days.
We head inland for two days to visit some of our Sicilian cousins. Though connnected through a relative four generations back, they do not consider us "distant cousins." We are simply cousins.
There is so much to see in Sicily. My favorites are the Cathedral at Monreale, Selinunte and Agrigento.
There's much to see in Palermo as well. However, do not drive into the city. (Take the train instead. The airport is about 35 min by rail.) Imagine NYC traffic at its worst, and you'll have an inkling of Palermo at its best.
We'll drop the car at the Palermo airport and fly to Rome on WindJet for about 44 euro one way -- much cheaper than Air One or Alitalia.