Southern Italy

On the southern Apennine Peninsula, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Puglia's trulli and the cave city of Matera show Italy at its liveliest.

By ISTAT's definition, Southern Italy comprises six regions: Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria; Abruzzo is geographically central but officially counted as southern. It borders Central Italy, where Lazio and Marche lie, to the north, while Sicily and Sardinia belong to the separate island area. Campania is the hotspot: Naples' old town is a World Heritage Site and the birthplace of pizza; the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and Mount Vesuvius are nearby; the Amalfi Coast, made up of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, is stunningly beautiful, with boats to the island of Capri, and Paestum has well-preserved Greek temples. In Puglia, Bari is the gateway; the trulli of Alberobello in the Itria Valley and the cliffside town of Polignano a Mare are hugely popular, Lecce is known for its Baroque architecture, and the Salento peninsula has clear-water beaches. Basilicata's Sassi of Matera, a cave city, is a World Heritage Site. In Calabria, Tropea has a clifftop old town and white-sand beaches, while Abruzzo is known for its national parks and the mountain scenery of Gran Sasso. Common itineraries are Naples–Pompeii–Amalfi Coast in 5–6 days, or Bari–Puglia–Matera by car in 6–8 days, and the two combined take about two weeks. The high-speed train from Rome to Naples takes about 70 minutes, the Circumvesuviana railway runs to Pompeii and Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast is served by buses and ferries; for Puglia and Calabria, driving is recommended, and Bari, Brindisi and Lamezia have airports. Coastal roads are congested in summer, and in Naples take care of your belongings.

Destinations

Itineraries