Northern Italy vs. Southern Italy

Matt, Both northern Italy and the south are great, but as you've probably discovered, they're somewhat "different". What's the time frame of your trip? You might consider visiting some of the hill towns of Tuscany and perhaps Orvieto (which is in Umbria), and then head south for awhile. Some of the places in the south that you could consider are Alberobello, Matera (and the Sassi), Vieste, Paestum, Positano and Sorrento (including a day trip to Capri). Good luck with your planning!

We'll be on the ground at least seven days (possibly 8).

Before you go too far, how about define 'southern Italy'. For me, the culture changes at about a wiggly line between Naples and Bari. Others probably have different ideas.

Southern Italy, we'd be considering Naples/Amalfi Coast.

Italy is generally thought of as being in three sections: northern, central and southern. Northern is the part that's not out on the peninsula - roughly everything north of Bologna (or more technically, the Po River). Southern Italy is generally thought to be everything from Naples to Foggia south. Everything in between northern and southern is central, which includes Tuscany and Rome. FWIW, the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento are sort of the exception to southern Italy. The rest of the south is known for being more agricultural, poorer and harder to get around in via public transportation than central and northern Italy. Parts of it are often described as "gritty". I bet that you would love Tuscany (and Umbria for that matter) since you liked Amalfi so much. How did you feel about Naples? If you loved it, you might enjoy the rest of southern Italy as well.

Difficult choice. Southern Italy, apart from the Amalfi coast, definitely isn't as "easy" as the Hill Towns: long drives, steep twisty roads, spectacular scenery. Given the time you have you really only have time for one or the other....the Hill Towns are beautiful and traveling is easy and you might want to include somewhere a bit different such as Ravenna for some great very early Christian mosaics or Bologna for a foodie experience, or of course the perennial favourite, Venice. Fly into Rome, go to Tuscany and then fly out of Venice is very doable .

This is like discussing "is New Mexico more like Eastern Arizona or Southern Colorado?". Anyway, among the places that I would classify as geographically more related to the Southern part of Italy, I'd pick: - Silla National Park, especially the western slopes near Cosenza - the Aspromonti mountains north of Reggio Calabria - the very unique, if small (but set in a stunning scenery) byzantine church of Stilo + the villages nearby like Serra San Bruno - the sassi in Matera (a whole set of buildings excavated in stone) - Lecce (the Baroque core) - Paestum ruins I'm not including the lists for Sicilia, which has many other sights of prime interest IMO. There are also more "backdoors" in Calabria and Basilicata than anywhere else in Italy, like some I cited. Problem: they don't come with easy access, and it is not that easy to streamline an itinerary without a car.

Thanks for all the insight.

The food is different. Down south the food tastes homemade it even smells fantastic. Up north the food was ok but I could not smell anything and I was not the only one. we went to Capri and there is a small pizza place not far from the Church where they have a beautiful painting al over the floor. We ordered one pizza and then another and another. Could not get enought of it. I can still see the place and the smell is to die for.Enjoy