My friend and I finish the RS 17 day Best of Italy tour in Rome towards the end of April. We plan to stay two extra days in Rome. After that we have about two weeks before flying home out of Naples (airfare is already purchased).
We will be using public transportation.
A third friend may be joining us in the Rome back to Naples section so in that case we would be looking for lodging to accommodate three adults (we did this last year and it worked okay).
Some areas of interest we are thinking about are Pompeii, Herculaneum, Paestum, a bit of the Amalfi coast, hiking Path of the Gods, and then over to the Puglia region. Not wedded to any specific order.
Friends suggested this for the Amalfi side of things: train from Rome to Naples. Have private driver pick us up at train station and take us to Naples for pizza lunch, then on to either Pogerola, Salerno or Atroni as a base (I heard the SITA bus goes up and down the hill every 30 minutes or so if we decided to stay in Pogerola).
I don't think any of us have a burning desire to spend time in Naples; I know, I know..... We are also traveling on our own for about 10 days in Northern Italy before the tour and we cannot do everything!!
So... thoughts, ideas, help. In all honesty I am most excited about the Puglia region. Should we head there first then work our way across and up to Naples? Course the longer we wait the busier the Amalfi area will be.
We usually do hotels but if we stayed say 5 days in Pogerola would probably consider other lodging.
Thoughts??? I know there are some experts in this region that I hope to hear from. As I said in a previous post; any 2 cents is appreciated!! Travel use to be so much easier back in the day when you could just wing it. Anyway, not complaining, I know how lucky I am, thanks. Regina
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8827 posts
Since you are flying home from Naples- put Naples at end of this 2 weeks. Unless your flight is late afternoon you will need to spend night before flight in Naples (or possibly Salerno).
I would travel to Puglia first- fast train to Bari- from there spend a week exploring towns. There are lots of threads and trip reports here that discuss public transportation in this region. A car would be very useful if you decide to drive instead.
From Puglia head to AC area- this is where a car would be handy- drive across stopping in Matera for night then on to Salerno where you can drop the car. Next week explore AC- again lots of threads here discussing transportation issues in this area.
Where to stay is up to you-
Paestum is convenient from Salerno as are a number of AC villages by ferry. We enjoyed Salerno and would like to return- there are others here on forum that are also fans of Salerno.
Maybe split your time between Salerno and Sorrento
Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri are all easy from Sorrento.
Spend last nite in Naples- have a pizza.
Course the longer we wait the busier the Amalfi area will be.
The Amalfi area will be busy from Easter on- (April 5) TBH- I don't think early May will be any less busy than mid to late May.
April 25 and May 1 are holidays- plan accordingly. The whole week will be busy as Italians take the week off.
Posted by
Chicago
2295 posts
Regina--
You're doing it right and looking at different plans. I do agree with Christine and you should hit Puglia first. In fact, that's our next trip--base in Rome, then base in Lecce--never have been to Puglia. You could fly to Bari and down, but personally I think the train is much more enjoyable, albeit longer. Book 1st class early, get a big discount and relax. We're planning on basing in Lecce, utilizing the coastal train up to Bari and back on daytrips. And for the inland stuff like Alberobello & Manduria, we're probably going to hire a personal guide for a day. End of April you'll probably enjoy the warmest Italy has to offer...but it can be downright cold if you catch it wrong.
Then take the train back to the A.C. area, and yes I would split time between Salerno & Sorrento. By then--early May--it's no doubt going to be extremely busy on the peninsula. You just have to navigate best you can and still enjoy. We were just there this year, mid-April. Salerno was busy but certainly tolerable, fine Old Town, and nice beach and lungomare. Great food, costing about a third less than on the A.C. But the SITA bus from Salerno bus/train station to the peninsula is not something to be counted on, because there will always be lines and it's not a great use of your time. Ferry is pretty but same thing, still can be a mess with lines and times. We used a personal guide/driver for 6 hours one day--costly, but I think worth it, with the guide taking us exactly where we wanted to go--Vietri sul Mare to shop, Ravello for lunch, then Minori for dessert at Sal De Riso. Extremely crowded, thus so glad we had a driver! We had been to Amalfi-town & Positano previously, no reason to return.
Sorrento is not exactly as picturesque as the other side of the peninsula, but it has the best food in the area--we stayed 5 nights in March 2017 and while the weather was terrible, we enjoyed tremendous meals. And it's a great base for Pompei, Ercolano, Naples. Back and forth to any of them in a day via the wonderfully strange Circumvesuviana commuter train. And...check out Curreri Viaggi bus service to Naples airport. We left Sorrento at 8:00 AM for a 12:30 flight Naples to Munich, and made it around 10:15. So it can be done depending on your outbound flight time. And back then cost 11 Euro per person--don't know what it costs now.
Enjoy your planning!
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5570 posts
I can't help with Puglia or Sorrento, but we stayed in Sorrento for 2 weeks in 2023. My trip report may have some helpful info. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-2-weeks-of-day-trips-from-sorrento
Posted by
6513 posts
Since you are flying out of Naples, I would leave the Amalfi area for last, and I don't think a week will make a huge difference in crowds. Two weeks would be perfect for either area, but with a week for each, you have to be selective.
For your Amalfi area stay, choose one base on the coast and one that allows you to reach Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Paestum. That could actually be an Amalfi Coast village to have one base, if you choose one of the ones at the mainland end near Salerno. Love the idea of Pogerola, but if you are doing a lot of day trips, you want to stay somewhere on the ferry line. (Or Atrani, since that is just a short walk to Amalfi.) Forget winging anything in this area, it is just too popular.
IF you have to be in Naples the night before your flight (if it is early am), then you could see Pompeii or Herculaneum on your last day, en route to Naples. Naples is a blast for some last night celebration, so don't sweat that.
What part of Puglia are you most interested in?
Posted by
OP
tampa, florida, usa
112 posts
Gosh this trip planning is so overwhelming! I miss the good ole days of hopping any train with an unlimited Eurailpass and showing up and hoping the hostel had room for me!!! And not worrying about what I was going to see or do during the day. Course I am dating myself by 50 plus years but I swear there is so much information out there it is almost too much.
That being said I am forging ahead thanks to all of you. In regards to the Puglia region; I think we will have 8-9 days. Will take the train from Rome as recommended. These are the areas of interest (in no particular order):
Polignano a Mare
Alberobello
Ostuni
Monopoli
Lecce
Matera
Since we are coming from Rome and after Puglia headed to the Amalfi area would it be smarter to take train right from Rome to Lecce and skip Bari? Then work our way up and over?
We would like to stay in a cave and a trulli and somewhere overlooking the coast? So maybe three different spots to be able to take day outings and enjoy the towns in the evening.
I am looking back at all the wonderful Puglia posts over the past couple of years, thank you to everyone who writes these reports. I am taking a lot of notes.
Suggestions for itineraries and places of interest to stay?
Continued thanks. Regina
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8827 posts
If you have no interest in Bari then it makes sense to train to your furthest point-Lecce
It’s about a 6 hour fast train journey
Posted by
new york
1194 posts
I would say that Bari is not essential for a first trip. I'd been to Puglia four times before we finally spent 4 nights there two months ago. We liked it, but not essential at all. Matera is the highlight of all! We are going back for a few nights in late May.
Posted by
6513 posts
Polignano a Mare
Alberobello
Ostuni
Monopoli
Lecce
Matera
Of these, I would for sure stay overnight in Matera, then you can choose either Monopoli or Polignano for seaside (I think if you squint from Ostuni you can see the sea, but it is close to the others), visit Alberobello and the valley at large from that base, and then last stay in Lecce.
The only thing you really need to do is find accommodations and scope out your transport, don't get overwhelmed.
Posted by
Chicago
2295 posts
Just looked at Lecce/Matera, driving, and it's 98 miles and 2.5 hours. If we did it we'd no doubt hire a driver/guide. If I'm basing in Lecce and don't want to be driven that far, I can still get to Alberobello in an hour. A lot of choices in the boot to be sure.