We will spend one week in Sicily. Then we want about 5-7 days in the boot, including Matera. After that we are going to meet friends in a villa near Perugia. What is suggested itinerary for the boot?
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Washington DC
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What time of year will you be making this trip?
Actually, I'd use all the pre-Perugia time in Sicily unless you've been there before. Sicily is a large island with many wonderful sights scattered all over, so it is really a 2- to 3-week destination, and even that will require some judicious decisions about what is most important to you. Part of your week in Sicily will be spent actually getting there, and there will be another long slog between Sicily and Matera (which might take 8 hours or more, depending on where you start from in Sicily, by the time you factor in a stop for lunch). With only one week for Sicily, you'll need to make choices that are beyond painful. If you truly must do that, I urge you to focus on just one part of the island rather than spending all our time in a car driving hither and thither.
If you plan to drive a rental car to or from Sicily, check carefully to be sure the rental company will allow you to take it on the necessary ferry. Ferries are sometimes disallowed be rental-car contracts; I don't know whether the ferry to Sicily is generally an exception.
On the mainland I'm very fond of Puglia, having stayed in Lecce twice and day-tripped to a number of the small towns, including Alberobello, Monopoli, Gallipoli, Locorotondo, Ostuni and Otranto. However, I'm sure there are interesting places north of that area as well, and focusing on destinations north of Matera would have you moving toward Perugia.