cmeyer54

Good afternoon,
We are planning a three week trip to the above regions for Mid to Late September 2025. There are two couples travelling, both in our early 70's, well travelled (we met on Safari) and looking to see a new region, revisit a favorite and spend more than 1 day on the amalfi coast (that was due to a cruise itinerary for our companions). We've all been to Italy numerous times. The plan is to fly into Naples and have a private driver take us to the AC - looking at Positano as a base location. We've all been to Naples and will be using it purely as an arrival and departure site. We'll use our feet or public transportation while on the AC.

We'll spend 5 nights on the AC including the arrival day/night which will be a bit of a blur. The other things on the list to see or do include: Path of Gods, Path of Lemons, Ravello visit, cathedrals as you can't go to Italy without that, archeological museum, cooking class, sunset boat cruise and perhaps a day trip to Capri. We don't intend to do ALL of these things but that's the starting list before we whittle it down. We aren't beach people but do enjoy a glass of wine and people watching.

The same private driver will pick us up from AC, drive us back to Naples with a stop in Pompeii and take us to the NAP airport where we will pick up a rental car. We will have 4 competent drivers and an automatic transmission. We plan to drive from NAP to Cassino (approx 1.25hrs) and stay overnight there. My uncle fought at Monte Cassino so I want to tour that area in his memory the next morning,

From Cassino we'll drive north to Tuscany (3.5hrs)and spent 5 nights in or around Montalcino. We've all been to Montalcino so this is the revisit piece of the trip and highly desired by one of the couples! I'm hoping the agritourismo we stayed at last time can accommodate us again on this trip.

From Montalcino, we'll take a full day (7 hours) to drive to Puglia for 5 nights.. This is the new spot for all of us. I haven't decided yet if splitting the stay between two locations makes sense or just one spot with day trips. I've been looking at Tauck and Abercrombie Kent for ideas and they seem to move around a bit. We love their tours but it can get hectic. I would prefer to drive east from Montalcino and down the Adriatic sea coast. If it takes all day, that's ok with all of us.

We'll drive back to Naples from Puglia,(5 hours) spend a night there and fly out the next day at 6am.

Please understand, we have a time limit that is a max of 21 days including travel. I know this won't be the last trip to southern Italy so packing in everything to a "If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium" schedule isn't necessary.

Any ideas, input or hidden gems will be most appreciated.

Thanks all -

kja

Thank you for clarifying your plan -- it makes it so much easier to provide input! Or at least I assume that this thread is intended to clarify a previous post that initially seemed to be from soneone else -- lahawk: Is 4 days enough time on the Amalfi Coast? If I'm mistaken, my apologies. And if I'm correct, I don't think you'll regret the additional night along the Amalfi Coast.

If you haven't booked your flights yet, consider flying into Naples and out of Bari so you don't have to return to Naples. There might be a drop-off fee for the rental car, but that could easily be worth it in comparison to the opportunity costs associated with an unnecessary return to Naples, an unnecessary one-night stay, etc.

How many bases make sense for Puglia depends on what you want to see and do and whether you decide to add Matera (as several posters suggested on the other thread). For a first visit to Puglia, you might look at Lecce for your main base, perhaps adding a night or two in a separate location (perhaps Matera -- which, of course, is not in Puglia).

BTW, independent travelers are rarely, if ever, able to replicate tours. Tours can use buses to drop people off / pick them up, while independent travelers need to get to / from train or bus stations or parking lots. Tours sometimes limit stops to seeing the outside of something that you might want to enter and they can limit the time allotted for stops, even if you would like to linger. Etc.

jan47ete

I am F, S, solo, 70+, public transpo only traveler. I will be doing southern Italy in November. I will spend 4 days AC in a hotel in Amalfi. 99.9% of the time I stay in one place 4-30 days in an apt. Only use carryon so like a washer, and a kitchen among other things. I choose Amalfi and a hotel. Amalfi appears to be the hub for buses traveling east from Sorrento and west from Salerno. I also choose a hotel, Hotel Fontana as it is across the road from the bus depot but most other properties in other cities, Positano, Ravello, etc in way too hilly locations. it was going to be challenging enough traversing these AC towns without expending even more energy on apartments climbing hundreds of steps daily and initially with a suitcase.

I will head to Maratea, Tropea, Matera eventually staying in Lecce for 6 days and heading out from there almost every day. Another few days in Poligano al Mare. Very close to Lecce but a different vibe before heading for Naples.

If you think it would help I could pick up brochures for you.

You wouldn't happen to be planning or have an interest in Provence would you? Books were offered by a poster and I took them and went in March and it was fabulous. Looking to pass them on. jk

ekscrunchy

November in Maratea? The town or along the coast?

I love Maratea but I'd wonder about anywhere else but the hill town during that time of year.

You might want to look into Sapri as well...