annhig

I'm adding Sermoneta to my list, bvl.

martu518

Wow! I need a couple of hours to digest all this information and continue with my own research.

To answer the question re time in Sicily: although we always plan our trips way in advance, unfortunately, this trip was planned in the spare of the moment. Since we had been to Positano several years ago, we knew we wanted to concentrate on the S. of Italy and go to Sicily not realizing that you need at least 2 weeks to fully appreciate the island. So we may have to visit the most important cities this time and go back some other time - che peccato! (what a shame!).

Gaeta is a two-hour drive from the airport so I think we will stay in a city closer to Rome - you have given me many wonderful options.

BTW, we're flying out of Denver, Co. And, yes, we have heard of Sermoneta.

Just in csse, has anyone heard of a hotel called "Gajeta" in Gaeta?

We will be spending 3 days in Matera - Hotel possibilities: L'hotel in Piettra, La Corte B&B, Sant'Angelo (??). Any suggestions?

Mille Grazie!

PalenQ

Nettuno and Anzio, known for their associations with Allied landings in WW2 are both neat seaside towns - visit the American military cemetery have lunch maybe seaside - a couple of hours south of Rome.

Ralstonlan

Bookmarking

sandralist

If I were flying into Rome and going to Matera, I would stop in Anagni. It's on the way to Matera, about one hour or so from Fiumicino. It's got plenty to enjoy for an overnight and would make for an interesting pairing with Matera.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagni

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...agni-cathedral

You are possibly buying a lot of extra driving and possibly traffic jams heading for the seaside resorts, if it is nice day.

sandralist

Here are lot of nice pictures and information about Anagni, including the good suggestion to stay in Fiuggi, which is right next door but has more hotels (and a beautiful position). Fiuggi is somewhat famous for its waters.

http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspect...gni/Anagni.htm

http://www.ehtta.eu/index.php?option...tem&item_id=46

sandralist

http://www.initaly.com/regions/hilltowns/fiuggi.htm

martu518

Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. We now have plenty of places to choose from and are in the process of deciding where to stop after our arrival in Rome.
On another note, we've decided not to go to Sicily and concentrate on leisurely travel Southern Italy instead. We were planning on going to Sicily for 7 days or even less but after reading many forums and travel guides, it has become obvious that you really need more time than that to really appreciate it. So our visit to Sicily has been postponed for now - we'll probably go there next spring. I am sort of heart broken about it but I think this is the right thing to do.
Besides, we've read some very troublesome stories of people getting robed around Catania and in some other areas. I know it's silly but I immediately developed a bad feeling about going there this time around. I know bad things can happen anywhere but the description of those people's experiences was shocking, especially when you're in the process of planning a trip to the area in question.
Finally, have you visited Southern Italy in mid-April and/or first part of May? Should we be prepared for a lot of rain?

Thanks again,
Martu518

annhig

silentgirl,

whilst there is no prohibition on people asking questions on other people's threads, it's usually a good idea to keep them relevant to the original topic ie in this case the south of Italy.

as your query is about France and Belgium, may I politely suggest that you post your own separate thread with the question? then you might attract more people who have interest or expertise in that area.

annhig

Martu - i think that you are very sensible to cut down the area you are going to visit.

as for the weather, when we arrived in Sorrento on 17th Feb, they were saying that it had been exceptionally wet since December and that we had brought the sun with us. By the end of the week we had had a day of rain but otherwise the weather had been very sunny and pleasant.

What it will be in April and May of course no-one knows but i would prepare for the worst and hope for the best. if the sun shines, it will be warm; rain is almost always cold, IME.

martu518

Although I'm heart broken about not going to Sicily, we both think it's wise not to go there this time.

Annhig, thank you for the information regarding the weather while you were visiting Italy in February. However, I was very surprised to read your comments regarding "an inquiry, supposedly made by me, regarding France and Belgium" (?!). I do understand that you should open different forums for different countries. So far I've only requested information about Southern Italy. In one of my communications I inserted the names of a couple of hotels in Matera to see if anyone had heard of them, mainly Sant'Angelo, in Pietra and a B&B named La Corte, I think. So perhaps you thought I was talking about Belgium and France. I am very sorry for the confusion, but thank you for your advice. Martu518

tuscanlifeedit

annhig was answering a poster named silentgirl, whose post has been removed.

martu518

Thank you for the clarification. Apparently, I did not notice that the message in question was addressed to someone else, thus my confusion... My apologies to Annhig. I am still digesting all the information provided. Thank you all! Martu518.

sandralist

I have been to southern Italy in mid April and early May. Along the coastal areas it is USUALLY dry rather than rainy. For the coast, it is generally an extremely favorable time to go because if there is rain it doesn't usually last long and yet it is not so hot that stair climbing around the Amalfi towns is a chore.

One thing you do need to be prepared for is evening chill. Once the sun goes down, the temperatures drop. Also the higher elevations of Capri and Ravello, if it is windy, it can be chilly even if it is sunny.

In Basilicata and Puglia, the terrain is much more varied and unpredictable. I think there is no telling what you will get but you will need warm and waterproof jackets and shoes.

Weather wise, you might want arrange your trip so that you go to the Amalfi coast first and then into Puglia and then into Basilicata. But you also need to pay attention to where you want to be during the easter weekend. Many of the small towns of southern Italy are extremely traditional and a lot of restaurants and sights might simply close up. Towns that cater to tourists will have more things open and so will the cities. Some of the smaller towns might have interesting religious processions or music (Martina Franca?) but make sure you know where you are going to be eating dinner on some of the "holy days".

Something else to keep your eye out for is the unique folkoric spring festival of Il Maggio de Accetura In the small mountain town of Accetura in Basilicata, not too far from Matera. There are two separate weekends for the festival, one in early May and one at the end of May. It involves tree pruning as a symbolic fertility rite, with processions through town and probably plenty of eating. I have only read curious things about it, but you might want to look it up.

sandralist

http://giovannimarino.photoshelter.c...000ucP_cZuSgOI

miasmadude

Sperlonga. Montecassino.

martu518

I am sorry about the delay in responding to all your wonderful suggestions. We've had a few disruptions and have also been trying to finish our itinerary.

My question to those of you who suggested Gaeta: do you have any hotel recommendations. If so, why would you recommend it?

My next set of questions will be about Puglia. Since I'm new to this site, should I open a new topic/forum?

Thanks again for all your help.

M.

annhig

However, I was very surprised to read your comments regarding "an inquiry, supposedly made by me, regarding France and Belgium" (?!). I do understand that you should open different forums for different countries. So far I've only requested information about Southern Italy. >>

Martu - no worries, I realise that you had not twigged that I was responding to "silentgirl". BTW, there are no separate forums within Europe, just a Europe forum. you may choose just to see selected countries, but quite a lot of fodorites don't do that and opt to see everything.

Anyway, I'm very grateful to you for starting this thread as I have about 10 days in May that we may well want to fill with a trip to the area roughly between Rome and Naples.

bvlenci

Annhig, if you will be visiting the area near Sermoneta, I suggest you time your visit for one of the few days each year that the Gardens of Ninfa are open. These are incredibly beautiful gardens in the ruins of a medieval town.

http://www.fondazionecaetani.org/visita_ninfa.php

They're maintained by the Caetani Foundation; if I'm not mistaken, the same foundations maintains the castle in Sermoneta.

annhig

thank you bvl - it looks as if they are open every sunday in May so it ought to be possible to time our visit to be there or thereabouts during our visit.

Where would be a good place to stay nearby, do you think? fiuggi? Sermoneta?

I'm really not familiar with this area and I'm not sure how to pick the best base for touring it.