A good guide book for Southern Italy (Calabria, Puglia, Campania, Basilicata)

In 2025, Lonely Planet published a Southern Italy guidebook: https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/southern-italy covering Naples and Campania, Puglia, Calabria and Basilicata.

I don't use guidebooks anymore. Went over to the dark side - the internet, and very recently AI! However, I am a big fan of Blu Guides. No nonsense, barely any fluff about restaurants, hotels, shopping, no wasted page with photos. I have their Central and Northern Italy books. They do have one about Southern Italy. The information these books contain doesn't need regular updates, so the Southern Italy edition is from 2007! Get a used one, see if it proves to be useful. https://www.blueguides.com/destinations/italy/southern-italy/.

Thank you all for your kind replies!
I read through Lonely Planet’s 2023 edition of Southern Italy - they had pretty good overage on the regions, but I didn’t feel as “satiated” as I usually do with Rick’s books, hence my expanded search on other guide books.
Will certainly check out the ones mentioned in your replies.
I’m planning on a two and half weeks solo trip on the mainland of Southern Italy, following my RS Sicily tour in late March, and will be relying on public transportation.
I’ve heard that train and bus systems there are not as reliable as other tourist attractions in Italy.
Any pointers on getting around using public transportation in Southern Italy (solo female, though fairly experienced and well traveled) would be greatly appreciated.

It just takes some extensive slogging through internet searches. You can find even the most obscure bus schedules online these days. I start with Maps and branch out from there. You’ll have no trouble sorting out Puglia or Campania trips. Calabria and more remote parts of Basilicata require more digging, coming from Sicily you can start with the train route. Good luck!

Hi Lilly,

I can’t help you with the other regions, but I have stayed in the Puglia region twice and planning to stop there again for a shorter time this year after a RS tour in Prague/Budapest. I spend a lot of time researching on the internet and found enough to have a fantastic time in Puglia. One of the reasons I’m replying is that I just travel by public transportation. It’s a little less convenient than having a car there, but you will read in the links that it didn’t prevent me from thoroughly enjoying Puglia.

I considered going south of Lecce last year, but the connections get a bit harder - more buses with connections, and I prefer trains. Surprisingly, I have never had a late train in this region, although I had a no-show on a Sunday. I’ve had that happen in northern Italy, so it was partly my fault thinking Sunday travel would be dependable. ; )

Here’s the cities I have stayed at in that region in case you want a quick summary: Alberobello, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Ostuni, Lecce, Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Bari, Trani (and Matera in Basilicata).

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/my-1-month-independent-trip-to-southern-italy-tribute-to-my-husband

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/3-week-italy-trip-to-puglia-plus-tivoli-rome-may-2025

There are two books published years ago that are worth seeking out if you have an interest in food and wine in southern Italy:

Carla Capalbo's Guide to Campania
Fred Plotkin's Gourmet Guide for the Italian Traveller

For comments on their personal experience in the South, Mark Rotell's STOLEN FIGS, about Calabria, and David Yeadon's SEASONS IN BASILICATA.

Neither are guidebooks, though; they are personal accounts of time spend in those two regions.

Matthew Fort also wrote the very good SWEEET HONEY, BITTER LEMONS, about his travels in Sicily on a Vespa.
The same author also wrote a couple of other good books about traveling in Italy:

https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Honey-Bitter-Lemons-Travels/dp/0091910811

https://www.amazon.com/Eating-Up-Italy-Voyages-Vespa-ebook/dp/B0038UGFD0?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1

Unfortuatley, there is no other guidebook that offers the practical information that Rick Steves' books do. But I used Lonely Planet, Rough Guide and Cadogan for Puglia several years ago.

Thank you all for your kind answers!
Greatly appreciate your recommendations and sharing your first hand experiences.

Jean, it’s comforting to know public transportation is still a rather viable option for traveling in this region! BTW, I went to Prague (guided by Rick’s book, of course) in 2023 and loved it. Have a wonderful trip!

Lilly

Just to add some color it the thread
on MHzChoice.com there is a show: Imma Tataranni
It's filmed in the region. You may like seeing it (or parts that may be free elsewhere)

I like the DK Eyewitness guides because it gives me essential information regarding monuments/churches/sights with pictorial images that make it easier to discern what I'm looking at. For every other information, like accommodations, restaurants, transportation, roads (I prefer to drive outside of cities) I rely on online information.

DK Eyewitness guides have it on Naples and Amalfi Coast.

For Puglia I think there is only Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Nat'l Geographic, and maybe others less known.

Dear all,

Thank you to those who replied after my last response - I greatly appreciate your sharing of your views and experiences, and will certainly consider while doing my homework.
Happy travels!

Lilly

Karen Haid (KarenHaid.com) has written two amazing books. First: Calabria: The Other Italy (her first book) provides detailed info on the many towns of Calabria. Her book helped me create my 3 week trip to Calabria & Sicily. She focuses on Calabria and also offers organized tours. She is amazing. Her second book is about the province of Basilicata is called Basilicata: Authentic Italy. She is fluent in Italian, English and I think German. Both books will be very helpful to you.