Southern Italy Itinerary - Summer 2022

This particular trip was very special to us. Brian and I promised our niece Mary a few years back that we would take her on an international trip if she got all As in high school. But like so many things in 2021, the trip was deferred for a year due to the ongoing pandemic. This would be Mary’s first trip abroad, and we offer her a free pick of any destination worldwide. Ultimately, she picked Italy and gave us free rein in planning the trip details. We did not disclose any details to her other than the fact that we would be flying in and out of Rome and spending much of our time in Southern Italy. At the same time, we also want to maintain an element of surprise for her, which may help manage the expectations.

After our trip to Malta last year, we have been itching to get more time in the Mediterranean. While Italy may not be particularly known for its beaches, we were both eager to enjoy the warmth of Mediterranean water. I have always read that the south of Itlay was “stereotypical” and authentic Italian compared to the north. And as much as I enjoyed the last visit to Umbria a few years ago, following the same route is simply out of the question. I genuinely look forward to visiting the one region of Italy that I have yet to explore. Ultimately, our trip covers four regions: Lazio, Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. But I also must admit that I look forward to returning to Rome, where I studied abroad during college, after sixteen years!

Day 1 - New York - Rome - Castel Gandolfo - Castelmezzano

The night before our trip was filled with great anxiety for Brian and me. Unbeknown to us, all passengers flying on Delta Air Lines’ “Basic Economy” fare are automatically put on their standby passenger list. From the moment we checked in online until we arrived at the gate, we had no idea whether we could make it to Italy. Missing this flight would be major cascading effects on the rest of our trip. Among the most severe consequences would be losing our car rental reservation. With rental cars in high demand nowadays, especially automatic vehicles in Europe, we may be stuck with a manual car with Brian doing all the driving.

We were beyond excited when we finally got assigned a seat at the last minute. We breathed a sigh of relief when we picked up our automatic car from Sicily by Car at the Fiumicino Airport. I finally knew that our vacation could begin. Our first stop was Castel Gandolfo, a small lakeside town renowned as the summer residence of the Pope. The papal villa was also where Pope Benedict XVI gave his last speech before his resignation in 2013. Although I did look into making a reservation for the villa’s interior, it is ultimately too much of a logistical nightmare, given the unpredictability related to flight delays. Instead, we opted for a leisurely lunch at Bucci Restaurant. While the food was overpriced, the lake view was hard to beat.

After lunch, we began the drive south on Autostrada. The four-and-half-hour drive was especially tough while we struggled with severe jetlag and lack of sleep. We had to stop at every other service area for power naps or take turns behind the wheel. Brian resorted to slapping his own cheek to stay awake. Luckily, the further south we drove, the more scenic it became. Speaking of scenic views, our destination for the day, Castelmezzano, was just about the most spectacularly situated village I have ever seen. After checking into our apartment rental, we explored twisting back lanes and soaked in the charm of rural Basilicata. We wrapped our whirlwind day with dinner at Restaurant Al Becco della Civetta.

Day 2 - Castelmezzano - Pietrapertosa - Matera

With an early check-out time at 10 am, we started our morning with a little bit of a mad dash. After quick coffee and croissants, we took our time to explore some hidden corners of Castelmezzano. Eventually, the path leads to Gradinata Normanna, an amazing viewpoint overlooking the Dolomiti Lucane. I must admit that the main reason that interested me about Castelmezzano was Il Volo dell'Angelo, one of the highest ziplines in Europe. The zipline connects Castelmezzano with the neighboring village of Pietrapertosa. Unfortunately, the zipline only operates one day a week in May, and we missed it by only one day.

Given that the zipline could not get us there, I felt compelled to drive to Pietrapertosa. Though the ziplining between the two villages takes only two minutes, it took us over forty minutes to drive between them. Pietrapertosa is equally picturesque, and I could not believe we had never heard of this place before this trip. After a wonderful Lucanian lunch at La Locanda di Pietra, we took a steep hike to the town’s nearby peak. Even though the hilltop Castello Normanno was closed during our visit, the views from its front door were simply out of this world.

By the time we were ready to head out of town, it was already three o’clock. It was an easy 90-minute drive to our next stop, Matera. Known for its ancient “Sassi” dwelling, Matera is our first UNESCO World Heritage Site on this trip. I was surprised that the modern town of Matera was a thriving metropolis. The contrast with the cave town was jarring. After scouring the town for a free park spot, we checked into our Airbnb apartment and enjoyed the beautiful panorama of the old town. After a couple of glasses of Aperol Spritz at Materia Prima Bistrot, we set out to explore the back lanes of the Sassi before our dinner at Sottofondo Matera. After gelato, Brian and I opted for a low-key night of red wine while Mary went out exploring the nightlife of Italy.

Day 3 - Matera

Provided that we only had a day and a half in Matera, I had an early start of the day to explore the town. I was delighted that we only explored a small fraction of the Sassi yesterday. It was immediately clear to me that traveling through Matera requires quite a bit of stamina, given the abundance of steps and summer heat. After scouting out the best route for an hour or two, I met with Brian and Mary for my guided tour. Our first stop was an English-guided tour of Palombaro Lungo, Matera’s impressive underground water cistern. Often regarded as an underground cathedral, this place was a perfect refuge from the midday heat.

By noon, the temperature had hit 90°F, and we decided to have an early lunch at the Fermento Wine Bar. Their underground cave and ancient water channel were atmospheric. After lunch, we braced the heat to explore the oldest part of the Sassi, including the Church of Saint Mary of Idris and the Matera Cathedral. But for me, the highlight of the day would be a visit to nearby Casa Grotta nei Sassi, an excellent house museum that tells the history of the Sassi and the cultural history of Matera. Even though Matera has plenty of museums and churches, the best way to experience the Sassi was to get lost among the vast network of back lanes and staircases.

Of course, battling the heat was still the toughest thing we had to be content with. While Brian and Mary were taking a well-deserved siesta, I spent more time exploring the far end of the Sassi and visited more churches. I discovered the northeastern corner of the Sassi to be my favorite. There, I came across many charming restaurants. Among them is Ristorante Baccus, an elegant restaurant perfect for our last evening in Matera.

Day 4 - Matera - Brindisi - Lecce

As magnificent as Matera is, there is no question that Matera is touristy. With it, we couldn’t help feeling that we were part of the tourism economy rather than a part of the local community. I woke up particularly early to hike down the nearby ravine to reach the ancient cave churches across from the Sassi. Unfortunately, I started the hike too late and had to abandon it just as I reached the bottom of the ravine to make it back by the check-out time. Ultimately, we opted to get to these caves by car instead.

Porta Napoli, the ceremonial gate of Lecce.

On our way to the day's destination, Lecce, we stopped at the seaside town of Brindisi for lunch. For any history buff, Brindisi is famous as the southern terminus of Via Appia and where Julius Caesar left for Greece in the chase of his rival Pompey. Despite its ancient heritage, Brindisi today looks relatively modern and not particularly loveable. During our lunch at Ristorante Pizzeria Da Luigi Il Capitano, we spent no time in Brindisi. But honestly, I do wish we had more time to appreciate this underappreciated city.

Compared to the crowd and heat of Matera, Lecce was a breath of fresh air. Known as “Florence of the South,” the city is known for the uniformity of construction material (aka. Lecce Stone) and many Baroque monuments. After settling into our posh rental apartment, I was eager to explore this beautiful jewel of a city. The most important of all the monuments is arguably its Roman amphitheater, discovered only in 1901. However, I was just as excited to find Lecce’s infamous Michelin restaurant, Bro’s. Labeled as the “worst Michelin restaurant in the world,” this place pretty much embodies everything we dislike about the so-called fine dining experience. After gawking at the pretentious restaurant, we enjoyed some awesome cocktails at 00 Doppiozero before a seafood feast at Pescheria con Cottura Lecce.

Day 5 - Lecce - Torre dell'Orso - Lecce

Today is our low-key day in Lecce. Perhaps for the first time on this trip, we finally felt relaxed. Lecce had a wonderful workaday ambiance and is perhaps one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. After an early morning stroll around the historic center, Brian and I met up for a cup of caffe Leccese, the city’s famous iced coffee with almond milk, right on the Piazza del Duomo. We met Mary at Castello Carlo V by serendipity and decided to make this a beach day. With so many beaches to pick from, I opted for an area called Torre dell’Orso. Situated on the Adriatic coast, the little village was forty minutes away from central Lecce and a world away from urban Italy.

Our first stop was Grotta della Poesia, a sinkhole inside an archaeological park. It was a fun place for a dive. But much to our surprise, the sea temperature was bone-chilling. We thought the water would have warmed up enough by late May. The trip planner within me thought maybe all the beach days I had planned would not be such a good idea. After a quick pizza lunch at Ristorante L'Adriatico, we spent a leisurely afternoon at the nearby Torre dell'Orso Beach. The soft white sand and turquoise water reminded us why the Mediterranean is so wonderful. We capped our afternoon with a quick visit to Torre Sant'Andrea, a collection of limestone formations that very much resemble the coastline of Gozo.

Back in Lecce, we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying many quieter corners of the city. For the first time on this trip, we did window shopping and enjoyed a break away from our busy vacation. In particular, I enjoyed dropping by a festa of a local parish. Following the recommendation by our Airbnb “host, we stopped by Quanto Basta for their signature cocktails. After dinner at Giardino Segreto, we spent the rest of the evening with a bottle of Puglia’s best wine on the rooftop terrace of our apartment.

Day 6 - Lecce - Ostuni - Alberobello - Polignano a Mare - Monopoli

After a final glass of caffe Leccese, we bid our farewell to Lecce. With cloudy skies forecasted over the next four days, I was eager to cram in as much sightseeing as our limited schedule would allow. Our first stop was Ostuni, Puglia's famous “white city”. The pint-sized town was a joy to explore on foot and provided wonderful panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Although Ostuni may not be internationally well-known, this tiny place was mobbed by visitors during our visit.

Our next stop was arguably the most famous Puglian village: Alberobello. Known as the village of trulli, the Alberobello is a dream for photographers. It is undoubtedly the most touristy place we have visited, and we had difficulty finding parking. Appreciating the beauty was a definite struggle with the outside temperature measuring 98 °F. After lunch at Casa Nova, we braced the heat to explore the wonderful lanes. It did not take long until both Brian and Mary suffered from a little bit of heat exhaustion. Ultimately, our visit only lasted 90 minutes, and that was nowhere near enough time to explore this beautiful village fully.

The drive from Alberobello was particularly scenic. Known as the Valley of Trulli, this region has the highest concentration of these conical-roofed structures. But with both passengers suffering from heatstroke, I did not make any stop to explore the region. Naively, I stopped at the seaside town of Polignano a Mare for a “relaxing” aperitivo by the sea. But both were eager to check into our apartment rental in Monopoli. Luckily, all three of us instantly fell in love with Monopoli, where we would spend the next three nights. This fishing town managed to balance authenticity with its burgeoning tourism. After a relaxing stroll around the historic center, we had a splendid seafood feast at Trattoria Il Brigante.

Day 7 - Monopoli

Being the “rest day”, we had a relaxing late start to the day with a leisurely cup of caffe Leccese at Nuovo Premiato Caffé Venezia. Compared to the bustling scheme from the night before, morning in Monopoli was peaceful. Luckily, the bad weather forecast did not really manifest itself. So we were able to enjoy the town’s Centro Storico with relatively good weather and a hint of blue sky. While the center of Monopoli is relatively small, it still has plenty of churches and monuments for a few hours of urban safari.

Unfortunately, during our visit, Cala Porta Vecchia, Monopoli’s central beach, suffered from the seasonal seaweed takeover. To get in some beach time, we explored several swimming spots around the city. On the top of my list was Calette di Torre Cintola, set among the ancient limestone quarries. The excavated remains create more than two dozen shallow pools and coves perfect for sunbathing and wading. While we can’t claim to be beach aficionados, I could confidently say this is one of the most interesting beaches we have ever visited. Afterward, we went to another beach, Cala Paradiso, which offers the more traditional sandy beach experience you would expect from Italy. We capped our day with a seafood feast from Il Guazzetto and gelato from Bella Blu Gelateria Monopoli.

Day 8 - Monopoli - Bari - Polignano a Mare -Monopoli

Because of today’s suboptimal weather forecast, we opted to change the plan for the day and visit Bari, the largest city in Puglia. For Mary, Bari offers great shopping opportunities with a wide range of luxury retailers such as Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. Since Brian and I had no interest in shopping, we took this opportunity to explore Bari’s Old Town. Perhaps the most exciting sight here was the tomb of Saint Nicholas, the saint who inspired the modern Santa Claus. There was excitement (and bragging right, perhaps) about visiting the relic of Santa Claus in the city’s main cathedral.

We eventually met up with Mary for lunch at La Cantina dello Zio. While the food was not particularly remarkable, the grittiness of Bari was surprisingly pleasant and a refreshing break from Puglia's tourist hotspots. After a whirlwind visit to the nearby Swabian Castle, we stopped by the famous Strada delle Orecchiette, where local women set up fresh pasta stands on the street. Purely out of the novel curiosity, we bought a bag of giant Orecchiette for €5 from one of the ladies!

Before heading back to Monopoli, I convinced Brian and Mary to make another stop at Polignano a Mare. Because this is Puglia’s best-known beach town, I felt we did not do the town justice with the half-hour visit two days ago. There was just so much of this delightful village that we have yet to explore. While they were sipping Apero Spritz at Cafe Acquamarea, I took about half an hour to blitz the village. Sadly, the weather was less than ideal compared to two days ago. Back in Monopoli, we spent the remainder of the day savoring the last few hours of tranquility. Back in Monopoli, we spent the remainder of the day savoring the last few hours of tranquility. Following our host's advice, we had our final dinner at Gaia, just across from our apartment. It was a culinary highlight of our trip thus far.

Day 9 - Monopoli - Castel del Monte - Caserta - Rome

Today was our travel day from Monopoli. It was a six-hour drive back to Rome, with an additional 90 minutes to visit two separate UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our first stop was Castel del Monte, a medieval hilltop fortress noted for its “exceptional military architecture.” Little did I know that a ten-minute detour from the highway took forty minutes because of a road closure. I was super excited when I saw the fortress emerging from the horizon. So I was extremely disappointed when I got to the front door and realized. That the admission was by reservation only. Unfortunately, the next available time slot was more than four hours away. Needless to say, waiting around was not an option.

It was another two hours from the castle to our next stop, Caserta. This part of Puglia was so rural that we actually had difficulty finding a restaurant opening for lunch. Out of separation, we tried lunch at Autogrill, Italy's venerated service station eatery. Apparently, the chain was beloved by Italians and was even recommended by Rick Steves as one of the authentic things to do. Let’s say that the food was less than stellar, and the price was steeper than anticipated. While I did enjoy the novelty of eating at an Italian gas station, I can’t say Brian and Mary were amused.

The overwhelming power of the Royal Palace of Caserta.

In almost a blink of an eye, we arrived at Caserta. The main sight of the day was the Royal Palace of Caserta. Known as the largest palace in Italy, the French built this massive structure during their rule in the Kingdom of Naples. But the real draw for many visitors is its enormous garden that extends miles up the hill. Heeding the advice on various websites, we opted to reach the end of the garden via their shuttle bus. That was a very good decision since the sun was so intense in the afternoon. The palace interior was equally impressive in scale. Although most of the original furnishing was lost, the lavish interiors were majestic. After the palace visit, it was finally time to head to Rome. But before we left Caserta, we visited the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the palace.

Given that our rental car return is scheduled for 10:30 am the next morning, we opted to stay on the outskirts of Rome. In hindsight, we should have stayed in central Rome and returned our rental car early. Mary was very suspicious when I mentioned that the hotel's name was Movie Movie Hotel. It also did not help that it took us five minutes to find the hotel entrance. Fortunately, the hotel rooms were very nice. But the highlight of the evening was our dinner at Trattoria Toscana Roma. This rather anonymous neighborhood trattoria was my favorite restaurant on this trip!

Day 10 - Rome

I must admit that I was a little nervous about driving to the center of Rome. We conveniently returned the rental car to Rome’s massive Termini Station. Luckily, the Sunday morning traffic was light, and we could return the car on time without a scratch. After several attempts to call Uber, we jumped into a cab to take us to Largo di Torre, Argentina, just two blocks from our rental apartment. Our apartment host was gracious enough to let us drop off our luggage well before check-in. With that, we were freed to explore the Eternal City!

Piazza del Campidoglio, the political center of the city of Rome.

Returning to Rome certainly brought back many memories from when I studied abroad in 2006. My first stop was to revisit my old apartment, just two blocks south of the Pantheon. For the next two hours, I gave Brian and Mary a tour highlighting many of Rome’s most celebrated landmarks: Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. After a quick lunch at Coso Ristorante, I visited the Museo dell'Ara Pacis, a museum dedicated to the massive altar of Augustan Peace. While Mary spent the afternoon enjoying shopping therapy, I did an intense three-hour walk to revisit many Roman landmarks, such as the Campidoglio and Palazzo Farnese. Eventually, I met up with everyone at the foot of Ponte Sant'Angelo to go to Vatican City together.

The reenactment of the murder of Julius Cesar.

Without a dinner plan planned, I came up with the idea of having dinner at Da Pancrazio. According to the latest archaeological investigation, Julius Ceasar was assassinated in the basement of this low-key restaurant. While I won’t particularly recommend their food or service, it is a dining experience we will never forget. After all, how often do we get to eat at one of the most infamous crime scenes in the world? After dinner, we took a walk to revisit various landmarks. Like any great European city, the cities became even more beautiful after dark.

Day 11 - Rome

Our first and only full day in Rome was action-packed. Mary and I woke up super early to do a photoshoot at Trevi Fountain before hordes of tourists arrived. This morning's agenda was to revisit the Vatican and get a tour of Saint Peter’s Basilica. After waiting forty minutes in line, we finally entered, and I was like a kid in the candy store. And like all tourist sites, the visit culminated with a trip to the souvenir shop and the Vatican’s post office. Our morning ended at a local pharmacy to get our COVID rapid antigen test for our return flight. Fortunately, we all tested negative and were cleared to travel home.

The Pantheon in the early morning hours is all but abandoned.

Our day was planned around our reservation for the Colosseum and the Forum. Like most popular attractions in Rome, timed reservations are difficult to come by. I was glad that I managed to plan in advance enough to get a reservation. As much as I enjoyed the archaeological ruins, Brian and Mary had enough by the time we got to the Arch of Septimius Severus. When we reached the top of Palatine Hill, they were ready to bail for a siesta. I took advantage of some free time to head to Piazza del Popolo, the northern gate of historic Rome. Besides the beautiful piazza, I enjoyed admiring several Caravaggio paintings in Santa Maria del Popolo.

After a few hours, we all met up at Piazza della Rotonda for a couple of aperitivo before dinner. Our last 24 hours in Rome had been unrelenting and exhausting. It turned out that I had walked more than 17 miles just since this morning. For dinner, we decided to go all-out with dinner at one of Rome’s most high-end restaurants. Adelaide Ristorante Salotto is the kind of place designed for the rich and famous. In hindsight, we should have known that such a high-end place doesn’t mean the best dining experience or food.

Day 12 - Rome - New York

With our check-out scheduled for 11 am, we had very limited free time this morning. As much as I was exhausted, I still managed to drag myself out of bed to see a couple more churches. After seeing Caravaggios yesterday, I realized we were only a few blocks from one of his most famous works, The Calling of St Matthew. In the back of my mind, I did feel that I could have planned my time in Rome better. There is just so much art and architecture to see. Even as we were having breakfast coffee at a local cafe, I still could not help eloping by taking a quick stroll around the Jewish Ghetto. I refused to let go of any time I had in Rome.

Before we left for the airport, we had our final gelato at Fatamorgana Chiavari. During our taxi ride to the airport, we drove by many important landmarks, such as the Square Colosseum of E.U.R. We arrived just about two hours before our flight. Overall, I am very grateful for how smoothly this trip turned out. Of course, I still managed to embarrass myself by dropping a bottle of limoncello at the duty-free store.

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