Hello,

My wife and I are leaving for Italy next week and want to get some last minute suggestions on our itinerary. We are starting off with a few days in Dubrovnik and then taking the ferry to Bari. From Bari we will have a car rental for eight days before we drop off the car in Palermo.

We were considering driving west to Positano on the Amalfi coast for two nights but are trying to decide if it’s worth the extra five hours of driving. It seems like there are so many other beautiful places on the way to Siciliy that aren’t as touristy (or expensive).

We are trying to get a mix of culture, beaches (hopefully it’s warm), hiking, good food, good people, and relaxation by staying in some spots for at least two nights. We only know basic Italian phrases.

So far without Positano we are considering the following stops:

Matera
Crotone
Catanzara
Tropea
Taormina/Mt. Etna
Cefalù

Is it worth a day trip to Lipari or another island?

Any recommendations on food, lodging, or other towns to consider is much appreciated.

Thanks!

If touristy and expensive is a turn-off for you, then you should consider finding a place to sleep someplace other than Taormina itself. It is very much worth your time to visit the town to see the unique Greek theater and the beauty of its setting. But that takes an hour, and the small town is otherwise wall-to-wall tourists, the very definition of being overrun and overpriced.

If you don't get enough responses here about the other towns you mention, there are several Italian residents from those areas who post on the Tripadvisor forums, and one poster on the Frommer's Italy board who goes to Calabria every year, with a car.

Tropea (and Calabria in general) is wonderful in the summer, but it will be pretty dead by now.

Taormina is great for a few days. From there you could make a daytrip to Siracusa/Ortigia, Noto and Ragusa. Another daytrip to Mt. Etna. Check out Hotel Villa Fiorita, ideally located just around the corner from the main shopping street and yet very quiet. The hotel has a lot of stairs, though!

Cefalù is very typical Sicilian. There won't be a lot of tourists in October, but the town will still be alive enough to enjoy. Many B&B's at very affordable prices. Check out B&B Villa Margherita. My sister always stays there.

From Cefalù it's an easy drive to Palermo.

If I were you, I would stick to Sicily. There is so much else to see on the island: Agrigento, Monreale, Selinunte, Erice, ...