I'm planning a major first trip for my husband, who is of Italian descent. Most of the family was from outside Naples.
I hope to figure out a Rick Steves tour that would allow us time and a way to get a private guide to MARZANO APPIO to shuttle us to the places where the long-gone relatives lived in.
Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.
I have no specific help to offer, but this outfit --- https://www.mondoguide.com/ -- gets a lot of positive comment on this forum.
Not sure if they can customize what you want or in the alternative refer you to someone who can.
Are you looking for a ride or a guide, or both?
The Best of South Italy 13 day tour ends in Naples. After the tour ends you could rent a car for what looks like a fairly straightforward drive to the town ( ~50 miles)
There is only one RS tour that goes to Naples; the Best of South Italy in 13 days tour. The tour ends with 2 nights in Naples. You would be free to skip any or all of the planned activities on those days, providing you notify your guide in advance. Or you could just use the free afternoon on the second day. OR, since the tour ends there, you could extend your stay by an extra day or 2 and do your family tree climbing after the tour ends. You might try contacting the RS office (contact info at the bottom of the page) for the name of a recommended guide and/or driver.
If it's a small village, you might consider finding someone in the village. Maybe there is a tourist office or more likely a commune contact number/email. It might not work but it's worth a try and it would be an incredible experience if it does work.
I can’t help with a driver because we did a do-it-yourself visit.
Have you thought about renting a car? According to Google Maps your village is a bit more than an hour NE of Naples.
My sister-in-law and I took the RS South of Italy tour. It ends in Naples. It’s a great tour. Afterward we rented a car to drive south to Calabria to see her ancestral home, returning the next afternoon to head to Venice. Few people in the tiny village spoke English but we all tried and they were very helpful.
The roads were better than many in the US. Toll roads were easy. Speed limits were a little difficult to figure out but I just drove a little slower than the cars passing me. WAZE worked good for directions.
My husband’s grandmother is from a small village in the Sele Valley in Campagna and there are some very active Facebook groups for descendants of the community. The group my husband joined was closed but you simply ask to join and he has received a lot of information. On this particular Facebook group there is a resident of the community who is fluent English that frequently greets people coming to visit and shows them around the area.
We rented a car and drove ourselves there so it is not exactly what you are looking for; however I would suggest looking at Facebook using the name of the community as a search parameter would be a good place to start. I think a lot of rural communities in Italy have found this to be a good way to generate some tourism for their area.
MARZANO APPIO Is nearer to Caserta. You could take the train from Naples.
