Southern Italy near Sicily

You may be thinking of the three southern regions of mainland Italy: Calabria, Basilicata, and Puglia. These compose a rather large area, even without Sicilia. Calabria is closest to Sicilia, Puglia is the furthest away.

Cave dwellings and churches (rupestri) currently in use can be found scattered throughout these regions, most famously in Matera, and in Bari. Puglia is also known for trulli houses, constructed on a circular plan with a conical dome roof.

How much time do you have?

Will you have a car? Public transit in this part of Italy is much sparser than further north, so a car is a great help. If you won't be driving, you need to have more time and do more research to see how you'll get between places.

I agree about thin public transportation in the area, but staying in Lecce in the summer of 2015 worked well for me without a car. The tourist office arranged low-cost van trips to nearby towns. They were basically transportation, not really tours, but they allowed me to visit many small towns (albeit quickly) on a single day without having to concern myself with bus schedules. It was a great opportunity to see far more of the neighboring towns than would normally have been possible. One of the trips included Matera; the others were limited to Puglia.

My family comes from Calabria and we have been there many times. You should have a car because public transportation is not the greatest. Having a car will make your travels a lot more convenient and enjoyable.

Some interesting sights in Calabria: Tropea-seaside resort, La Castella in Capo Rizzuto-an Argonese Castle from the 1100's, the Rock of Scylla from the Greek Mythology, and The Bronzato di Riaci-The Bronze Warriors at the national Museum in Reggio Calabria.

Buon viaggio,