Hello - I just finished my first RS tour which was Rome. I’m eager for more so I’m really thinking about the RS Southern Italy tour. Previous to Rome I’ve been to the Tuscany and Lake Como region 3 years ago in late July and early August. I work at a university so I’m limited to when I can travel—late May through early August. I thought about doing the Southern Italy tour in 2027 during the last half of May which is when I did the Rome tour this year.. I was there during the heat wave which was manageable in part because of having AC in the hotel. I read that the Matera hotel doesn’t turn on AC until June 1 because of regulations so I’m thinking of going on this trip at the beginning of June. I’d love general feedback about the tour and any thoughts you have about doing it in early June.
Posted by
Sonoma County, California
172 posts
Hi Carolyn,
This is a great tour. I especially liked seeing Matera and Sorrento.
I know on some tours they use multiple hotels; they have so many tours that one hotel cannot accomodate. For example, I'm going on the Ireland tour soon, and I noticed someone else posting about their Ireland tour which leaves two or three days ahead of my tour; they are in a different hotel in Dublin than the hotel I am staying in.
That's all to say: it might not just be one hotel that RS uses in Matera.
June will be hotter, and that will make daytimes less comfortable when you are out and about. But if you are going to be miserable staying in a place that doesn't have AC, then you have to decide for yourself what is most important. Personally, I would prefer having cooler days and not worry as much about the hotel AC.
Good luck. I hope you get to go and that you have AC.
Tony
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks, Tony. I’m glad to know you enjoyed the tour. I think that going a week or two earlier may not make that much of a difference in temperature but who knows? Unfortunately, I’m very limited when I can travel. When I signed up for the Rome tour during the later part of May, I was told it was a good time to go because of the weather. But it was a heatwave and the guide said it was unusually hot for that time a year. I live in Texas so I’m not unfamiliar with heat. I love Italy and want to go back and if it’s going during the heat or not going at all, I think I’d rather go but I would like to have at least weak AC when I sleep. I think I just answered my question here so thank you for helping me think through this :-)
Posted by
Bend, OR
2028 posts
We did this tour several years ago, the first part of May. It’s a wonderful tour. Yes, the cave rooms in Matera were a bit warm but not where we were miserable and unable to sleep. I guess it all depends on your ability to deal with not just heat but also humidity during the day because when you visit Pompeii you are in the direct sun for several hours. And probably why they don’t run this tour during the second half of June, July and August.
Looking back at our pictures, we stayed at The Locanda di San Martino but that doesn’t mean you would stay there, too.
Posted by
Minnesota
752 posts
I did this wonderful tour May 4-16, 2024. The weather was generally pleasant, but some days were on the hot side. The problem with the Matera hotel was not so much that the AC was not on, but that the HEAT was still on! They turned it off, but some rooms stayed too hot. I was lucky to have a room that had windows that provided a cross-breeze so I was fine. (The hotel was Locanda di San Martino.)
Keep in mind that this tour includes Pompeii which is huge, has very little shade, and can be really hot. It was pretty warm the day we were there and our (excellent) local guide did his best to get us into whatever shade was available. I was glad I was not going there any later into the season.
I would suggest you choose the earliest date you are available in late May (and hope there is not an “unusual” heatwave!)