My husband and I will be driving from Matera to Palermo, Sicily in June and would like input about possible routes. We're thinking to drive to Maratea and then down the west coast. Google maps shows 3 routes to Maratea: north through Potenza, south through Policoro and middle - through the mountains?? Does anyone know the countryside in these areas? We're happy to go a bit out of the way for great scenery.
We were also thinking to drive through Diamante, Pizzo, Tropea, Scilla and Cefalu as we understand they are pretty towns. We know we won't get an in-depth experience of these places, but this trip is for an overview, to see what appeals to us. Planning to spend at least one night en route, possibly two. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Washington DC
28450 posts
I've never driven that route, but I want to caution you about Palermo. You do not want to drive in that city. Traffic is beyond loony. Great place, but challenging enough if you are a pedestrian.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
Thanks Acraven. We will be dropping off a rental car there. Otherwise, we'd have to drive way west of town to the airport to return it.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
I'd take the E90 down the coast. This is a wild coastline, with plenty of seaside towns to stop in.
We did part of our trip last year over the mountains, and some of the roads were in terrible shape.
Whichever you choose, you'll have amazing views.
Posted by
Boston, MA
1829 posts
You are talking about a good amount of distance / driving.
I see what you mean that there could be 3 routes of similar time from Matera to Maratea ; cannot help there but honestly would take the quickest one at the time ; how much scenery can you possibly enjoy in this stretch from the car and I would want to make the 3 hour drive as quick as possible and not add on time for stopping here and there. To me 3 hours in a car is not bad, much longer and it really feels like a long day of driving.
From Maratea the main highway which follows the coast is said to be terrible filled with constant delays, the mere thought of taking side roads and a bunch of stops instead of the highway to me sounds like a bad idea unless planning a week for the drive and probably is just as scenic to take the highway along the coast.
I am planning a somewhat similar trip from Matera was planning on driving to Tropea, spending a couple of nights there and then onto Taormina ; flying out of Catania so Taormina area is as far as we are going and driving. Looked at Maratea as an option but preferred Tropea for our in between stop ; in part at least as from Tropea there are day trip boat journeys to the Aeolian Islands which looked like a good way to spend a day.
Many parts of Siciliy ; basically all of the cities seemed like areas I would not want to drive.
With the distances we are planning I don't plan on stopping off at towns in between and will take the quickest highway routes available.
Depending if you are driving all the way to Palermo from say Maratea ; I would plan on driving the quickest routes possible from Matera ; then choose only 1 town in between to spend a night from Maratea to Palermo. Tropea likely makes a good mid point for you. Making stops in all of the towns you mentioned would just take up too much time and stopping with a car filled with luggage to site see is always a bad idea, especially in Southern Italy.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16208 posts
Metaponto to Policoro to Le Murge then down to Maratea. That’s the way to go.
If it snows, then maybe go down to Sibari then across to the A2. Longer but lower in altitude so less chance for snow.
You have to go through mountains no matter what unless you circumnavigate the Calabrian peninsula.