Need to plan six days before Sorrento.

[Phyllis]

This mid October we will be in Sorrento for 7 nights staying in one hotel on a tour with Road Scholar, this includes visits to Naples, Pompei and Capri Island. My question, we will have 6 nights before this tour begins, flying in from NY and not sure where we should go for the 6 nights before our tour begins. Ideally, looking for an area that offers hikes, smaller towns and beauty. We could fly into anywhere in Italy and transfer before the tour.

 

[joe]

Ideally, looking for an area that offers hikes, smaller towns and beauty.

Theoretically, that can describe almost anywhere in the Italian countryside....
You might want to state how far away from Sorrento you're prepared to be during these 6 days, or other things which might interest you that might be more specific to certain regions. Will you have a car during these days?
Good luck with the planning.

 

[Alpinista]

First thought to cross my mind was Puglia. Lots of discussions on here about places to base and things to see and do.

 

[Phyllis]

I have always been interested in Puglia, is it advisable to go for 5-6 nights or save it for another trip?

 

[Ian Sutton]

This mid October we will be in Sorrento for 7 nights staying in one hotel on a tour with Road Scholar, this includes visits to Naples, Pompei and Capri Island. My question, we will have 6 nights before this tour begins, flying in from NY and not sure where we should go for the 6 nights before our tour begins. Ideally, looking for an area that offers hikes, smaller towns and beauty. We could fly into anywhere in Italy and transfer before the tour.

With my preference for minimalist transfers, I'd absolutely be looking at breathtakingly beautiful / peaceful Ravello, but with alternatives such as Amalfi (better if you still want to actively explore the AC, and also perhaps Paestum/Vietri Sul Mare/Cetara), or Somewhere more off-the-beaten track like Furore/Pogerola/Scala etc. for still fine views of the coast, but without obvious tourism.

The walking here is exceptionally good, and the essential Tippett guide in the Sunflower series also offers some walks around Sorrento, so is doubly useful. That said, the walking generally has a LOT of steps / change in elevation, so will give your calves a good workout. SITA buses can be used for uphill journeys, leaving the relatively easier downhills to walk. Some previous walks we've enjoyed include: Valley of the Mills (with great variation in scenery); Amalfi <-> Atrani (short but quite energetic - and the most populous walk you'll encounter); Torre dello Ziro (an isolated tower that feels like it overhangs Amalfi); Ravello to Minori (slightly gentler slopes than Ravello to Amalfi and a walk that's enjoyable and useful to get to the coast without buses); One that's not listed in Tippett, heading inland out of Ravello (head up via Roma from the square, past Cumpa Cosimo, and from there my memory is weaker, but ending up on a lovely wood-chipped path through woodland, with no steps!! That made for a lovely cooling walk).

Ideally fly into Napoli, from there if choosing Amalfi or somewhere on the coast, the SITA bus should be a fine option. If staying in Ravello or up in the hills, it's probably worth splurging on a taxi to take you from airport to accommodation.

FWIW we've done a similar (but even shorter) transfer in the past, staying initially in Ravello, before getting a taxi to Pogerola. There was enough contrast, with Ravello being heavenly, but also with increasing levels of tourism, whilst Pogerola was a cultural reset, being much more a place where locals live, many I presume who work on the Amalfi coast).

Key advantages of this location:
- A very brief transfer, either by SITA bus(es) or local taxi, meaning you're fresh on arrival in Sorrento. Less transfer time = more holiday enjoyment time.
- Some of the best walking in Italy IMO, on a wonderful and historic criss-cross of what used to be paths / donkey tracks used by locals, but now more prized by (surprisingly few) tourists, though we have encountered a couple of donkeys still working there over the years.
- The views are stunning, with plenty of opportunities to stop for a breath and a photo
- A wonderful way to feel acclimatised / embedded before you meet the tour group, with (for good or bad) a likelihood that others in the group may be drawn to your confidence in the setting.

 

[Alpinista]

I have always been interested in Puglia, is it advisable to go for 5-6 nights or save it for another trip?

We enjoyed it a lot -- food was different; dialect was different; many very attractive sites to visit. We drove into Lecce, which we used as our base, on Day One. The biggest suggestion I would make would be to consider a second base further to the west to eliminate some of the daily driving. Lecce and our hotel (Risorgimento) were both great, but less driving would have been a good thing.

Day Two: Lecce

Day Three: Otranto, Santa Maria di Leuca (with a stop at Grotta Zizulusa), and Gallipoli. SM di L can be skipped -- we just wanted to be at the bottom of the heel, but the drive down the coast gave us views of a lot of very scenic and wild landscapes and a chance for a nice picnic on the deserted beach parallel to the road.

Day Four: Taranto, Metaponto, and Matera

Day Five: Circuit of the Trulli towns and the hilltop town (beautiful) of Locorotondo -- Alberobello, Martina Franca, and Cisternino -- and a stop on way back at Ostuni

We had planned a day in Bari on the drive home, but substituted Brindisi.

The trip could easily be expanded an extra day to reduce some of the stops/driving on our daily planning, but it fit for us. Matera would be the first choice for more time to explore.

 

[Ian Sutton]

If looking much wider in Italy, it's always good to see what Freccia routes may be useful. Ideally a direct train to Napoli or Salerno (the latter a much more chilled transfer). Looking at the map, it does look like there's a Freccargento route from Bari to Napoli, solid routes up from Reggio di Calabria (passing through the Cilento, which might be an option), plus routes from the north, but from memory the Bologna to Napoli route is the only one not needing a change, but do check this as my memory may not be correct and these things can change).

Then, thinking more laterally, Napoli is a port, and it's connected to Sicilia... with perhaps the most interesting option being the aeolian islands (isole eolie) e.g. Lipari to Napoli in either daytime 7hr cruise, or 13.5 hours overnight cruise
https://ssl.directferries.com/ferry...Y*MTY5MDg5NjE4MC4xLjAuMTY5MDg5NjE4MC42MC4wLjA.

This gives a very different experience, that might be that rare thing of a transfer that is enjoyable/memorable.

In terms of logistics, this would have you flying into the recently modernised Catania airport, with *probably a taxi to Milazzo for the ferry to your chosen island. Alternatively fly into Palermo for the longer ferry from the city's port to your preferred island e.g. https://ssl.directferries.com/ferry...&rfid=2317&psgr=2&curr=2&retn=true&rfidr=2318

* which is what we did, when combining Ravello withy Lipari, albeit we took the flight from Napoli to Catania, with a group transfer from Ravello, as it was part of the last package holiday we took (in 2001 from memory)

What's the walking like there? It depends to a degree on the island, and it lacks the wonderful criss-cross paths of the Amalfi coast, but even functional walks are enjoyable. The main joy here though is island hopping, either on the regular ferries, or specific boat tours (e.g. night-time 'natural fireworks display' to Stromboli and back). The diversity of the islands is great, from the good base with lots there of Lipari (or Salina), to the spartan volcanic experience of Vulcano with the volcanic mud baths, to the green peacefulness of panarea, and the remote untouched appeal of filicudi/alicudi, and that constantly erupting volcano at Stromboli

 

[Phyllis]

I wonder if 6 nights in the Amalfi Coast area added to our one week Amalfi Coast tour is the best way to do this? Should we go somewhere else for this time? There are nonstop flights from NY to Rome and Milan. My dream would be to stay in a cozy rural area that lets us enjoy walks that offer discovery opportunities with hiking and public transportation to visit other towns for the day or possibly a second stay. I am not drawn to Puglia because I don’t think we have enough time, is that short sighted?

 

[joe]

If you feel that you don't want to be stressed for time (travel, especially by public transport, does consume time), then these additional 6 days might be better spent in an area that is relatively close to that of your organized tour. If it was me, I would not venture out of the province (or at most to one of the neighboring ones) for those 6 days, and would look for landscapes or experiences that would differ from those of the tour.

 

[Phyllis]

That makes sense!

 

[Ian Sutton]

Hi Phyllis
You mentioned "Naples, Pompei and Capri Island", but are there additional days on the organised tour that are visiting the Amalfi coast itself? That might be a minor factor in choosing a location.

I'm guessing Positano might be on the tour list, as well as Herculaneum. Perhaps Ravello and Amalfi as well?

I'll add one to my earlier list of AC locations, albeit it's one I've only passed through / walked to, but others here have enjoyed it... Praiano. I mention this as you've said you'd like to be active in visiting other places, and it's on the coast road, making Positano, Amalfi, Atrani, Minori and even Vietri sul mare / Cetara / Salerno direct trips on the SITA bus. It's also linked to the great network of paths, and being near sea level, means the return journey on walks is likely to be downhill (and there are options to use buses to get you up the hill).

 

[Phyllis]

Hi Ian, thank you for attempting to figure out our tour. Here is the itinerary. Staying in Sorrento
Five day visits - Piano di Sorrento, Capri Island, Naples full day, Positano, Pompeii. This sounds interesting, yes, I would like to be able to enjoy hiking paths.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Cool - then I think it makes sense to ignore Positano for the pre-holiday, but leaves plenty of options open that won't feel like a repeat on the guided tour.

We've found this local agency good for accommodation (and also useful for organised tours). https://www.altracostiera.com/accommodations.asp?l=2 They're based on the main (pedestrianised old) street in Amalfi and have been there for decades. The range of apartments listed gives good flexibility, from the most convenient, to the most popular locations, but also to the locations few tourists seek out (e.g. Pogerola for us on a prior trip, staying in an apartment block amongst locals).

For me there is great joy from being perched up above the coast, enjoying the very special views, which I especially appreciate at dusk. Ravello and its satellite hamlets are ideal for this, but conversely it's somewhat inconvenient for exploring the coastal settlements (but quiet places like Scala and Pontone are easy to walk to / from).

Staying halfway up is an option worth considering, perhaps somewhere near the Minori - Ravello path (as that's mostly a gentler slope than ravello - amalfi)

Otherwise somewhere on the coast, which still allows you to travel to see the best views, but misses the early morning / dusk views

 

[Phyllis]

We have decided to go to Puglia, we have 6 nights, flying into Bari, not sure how we should travel to Sorrento after we return can and tour Puglia? Of course I do not know itinerary? Looking for a slow pace.

 

[wco81]

We have decided to go to Puglia, we have 6 nights, flying into Bari, not sure how we should travel to Sorrento after we return can and tour Puglia? Of course I do not know itinerary? Looking for a slow pace.

A couple of years ago, I drove from Vieste to Salerno where I dropped off the car. It was like 3-4 hours. I had driven it down to Lecce and the further south, as far as Otranto before going north.

But a train would take several times that.

Then from Salerno, it would be long bus rides around the AC to Sorrento, unless there is ferry service.

May be easier to fly to Napoli and then take the train or hire a driver.

Where you depart from to get to Sorrento also makes a difference. If you end up in the heel, Lecce or further south, it's a lot longer drive than departing from Bari.

I don't know if there are direct flights from Bari or Brindisi to Napoli.

 

[Phyllis]

We have booked our air, we are going to arrive in Bari on a Monday, mid October, we need to be in Sorrento the following Monday. So we have one week to See and relax. We are wondering how to break this up. I have not read that much but thinking we would like to stay in agrotourism away from large towns unless that is a mistake? We are happy to rent a car but wonder if we should drive to Sorrento after seeing Puglia or should we fly into Naples from Bari?

 

[Ian Sutton]

I think there is great joy from staying in agriturismi in this area, and whilst there is public transport, having your own hire car would be ideal. The driving is 95% easy on clear open roads without much traffic - very enjoyable. It does get a little more tricksy in the towns, as they're old and narrower, meaning a combination of one way systems and a feeling of narrowness as buildings rather than pavements being the edge of the road in places, plus there's more (but not excessive) traffic.

My hints for driving would be:
- Relax for the 95%, as it's enjoyable driving
- For day trips, it might pay to googlemap routes into and through the towns en-route, including pre-planning parking places
- Be gentle with each other is either gets stressed driving in the towns. That period will be brief.

Bari airport is a wonderful place to start, as it's based on its own out of the way of the city, so you can get used to the car on the quiet roads that surround it. When you feel comfortable, head onto the Autostrada, which we found busy for the 3-4 junctions around Bari, but then more easy going driving.

I don't know what the route from Bari area to Sorrento. Looking at Google maps it suggests E842 (towards Napoli) or E45 / A3 (via Salerno). Whilst the former is stated as fractionally faster, we'd probably take the Salerno route as it should be less busy / frenetic. It also offers the option of a detour to Matera (perhaps even an overnighter?)

Plenty of good places to visit in this part of Puglia, with Locorotondo and Martina Franca impressing us, but Ostuni and Cisternino also enyoyable. Trani is a gem, but best done on arrival (if you want to see it) given your route. We also liked Gravina in Puglia (and steered away from Alberobello), but that's down to our mindset of enjoying experiencing the real culture, over places more used to tourism.

 

[Phyllis]

As I add on to my research hours I understand that I am not as interested in seeing towns that are strong tourist destinations. We have traveled too much and we are too old. We are happy to see places less popular. We will start in Bari mid October and have one week to arrive in Sorrento. I know this is a subtle ask, and all very personal. In June we were in Sicily, I think Palermo was our favorite city.

 

[Phyllis]

I need opinions if possible on my upcoming 7 night October trip to Puglia. I am interested in seeing Trani, not sure if we should make it our first night after Bari arrival?
1st night- Trani
2nd-5/6th night- Outside of Ostini or close to Fasano, thinking we would stay in one place that has a pool for several days. We would drive around and stay put.
6th and 7th Night - Matera, not sure if we should stay one or two nights. Drive to Sorrento after Matera.

 

[wco81]

I need opinions if possible on my upcoming 7 night October trip to Puglia. I am interested in seeing Trani, not sure if we should make it our first night after Bari arrival?
1st night- Trani
2nd-5/6th night- Outside of Ostini or close to Fasano, thinking we would stay in one place that has a pool for several days. We would drive around and stay put.
6th and 7th Night - Matera, not sure if we should stay one or two nights. Drive to Sorrento after Matera.

I drove there, it's 50 kilometers according to Google Maps.

But I had been there for a week and had driven all over Puglia before going to Trani.

Definitely don't drive there the same day you're arriving from the US.

But Google Maps says trains are 30-40 minutes so check Trenitalia and see how often it runs, including the return trip.

Then see if you want to walk from the train station to the waterfront, where there is the cathedral and the castle, which are about a mile NW of the train station.

Maybe worst cast, you get a taxi if there isn't bus service running at the time.


BTW, Polignano a Mare is a bit closer to Bari than Trani but in the opposite direction. But the train show 40 minute trips. Depending on time of the year and what time you get there, you may or may not see a lot of the cliffs.