10 days in the south Italy in Aug 2026

What part of South Italy do you mean? It could be interpreted as Rome, Naples, Puglia (Bari and Brindisi are airports) or Calabria (Lamezia Terme and Reggio Calabria are airports).

Bari and or Naples. Amalfi coast?

In August, I would steer clear of Amalfi coast.
Whatever you choose, if it’s seaside, book asap. What area to pick near Bari would depend on your transport choice.

Thank you. Thinking of getting a car. Or look into trains

hey hey sara
i would really stay away from southern italy in august HOT HOT HOT and worse yet the amalfi coast. it is high high season all over and so crowded/busy. as you read lots of posts here, so many travelers want the amalfi coast and beyond. the traffic is horrendous, the infrastructure (roads) is not equipped for all the buses and cars, good luck getting on a bus
go north, stay away from busy/crowded cities everywhere, even a water destination is when people take their holiday during august. are you only wanting to stay on a coast, there are lots of smaller places to stay on a coast (adriatic or ligurian sea0?
if you are renting a car, you and all drivers will need an IDP from aaa.com/IDP it is mandatory.
many busy places have been booked, i would decide on somewhere and book ASAP for you 3 to get something that suits all of you
aloha

Thank you. Thinking Bari area??

For Bari and towns along the coast, no car needed. For beaches, I would want my own wheels.
I’d peruse a Puglia guide to see what parts appeal to you, as while ten days is a great chunk of time, you’ll
have to exclude something. It’s not clear what you are looking for—multiple towns or one base, seaside or villages, etc.

Be sure you're up for the possible weather conditions:

Weather in Bari -- August 2025 -- easily the most moderate year of the last five

Weather in Bari -- August 2024 -- a lot worse than 2025

Weather in Bari -- August 2023 -- also worse than 2025

Weather in Bari -- August 2022 -- not as bad as 2024 and 2023

Weather in Bari -- August 2021 -- another not-great August

Looking more for villages. But would like to go to Pompeii

Sara, Pompeii isn't close to Bari. It's closer to the Sorrentine/Amalfi Coast. Some research would be helpful if looking for villages in that region, and some input about how you intend to get around. As you are also seniors, it would help to know if anyone amongst your traveling companions have mobility issues that might affect your ability to manage amongst the uneven terrain at Pompeii?

Where do you all live now?
Are you used to and do you all tolerate extremely high temperatures and high humidity?
If not, I would suggest not going to Italy in August as it will be unbearable for you.
I have been to Italy 13 times and even September can be stifling.
That kind of weather can cause any underlying medical problems to exacerbate, especially for seniors.
Pompeii has little shade and is deadly in hot weather…..I don’t think anyone here would ever recommend visiting it in August.

Perhaps go north to a Scandinavian country…..still nice weather but more bearable.

Thank you. We are all in good health. We are from So Cal It gets up to 110 where we live

Photos that give some idea of the very challenging cobblestones on many streets in Pompeii:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=photos+pompeii+cobblestones&form=IACFSM&first=1

What may not be evident in those photos is that the (usually narrow) sidewalks are sometimes a lot higher than the street. When you have to step down from those high sidewalks in order to cross a street (or when you need to abandon a sidewalk blocked by others), it can be challenging to maintain your balance. I once needed assistance from a stranger in order to get back up on a sidewalk, because it was very high and I am only 5' 2" (plus 74 years old).

Thank you. But, is it worth seeing?

Of course, but you have to weigh out the trip you want. You could fly into Bari, fly home from Naples and split the trip up according to your interests.
I can agree that summer would not be my ideal time to see Pompeii, but it was high on my list so if I was never coming back, it might try harder to see it.

You haven't really told us what you are looking for- other than Pompeii and a village in "south of Italy" so it's hard to recommend anything more at this point.

Yes Pompeii is worth it

We are from So Cal It gets up to 110 where we live

But that's a dry heat where you have good AC and ice. ;)

I was just coming here to comment about AC and a dry heat in California.
The last time I visited Pompeii was in September 2019.
It was extremely hot and humid with little shade and few to no places to sit and get a cold drink.
That was the trip to Italy where I took 32 showers in 14 days.
It really was uncomfortable to be so hot and feel “ drippy” all day every day.

But…..if that’s going to be your only visit to Italy, just be ready for heat, humidity and crowds.

Absolutely be sure that every place you book has AC….and not just a portable fan which won’t be effective enough.
You can tell by looking at photos of the rooms.
Look for a white rectangular metal “box” high up on the walls.