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What’s Where
Naples and Campania. Campania is the gateway to southern Italy—and as far south as many travelers get. The region’s happy combination of spectacular geology and rich cultural heritage makes it a wildly popular place to unwind. Dream away two magical weeks on the pint-size islands of Capri and Ischia and the fabled resorts—Positano, Amalfi, Ravello—of the Amalfi Coast. Or explore the past at the archaeological ruins of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Paestum. In the middle of everything is Naples, a chaotic metropolis that people love and hate in nearly equal measure, though after a decade of urban renewal the lovers now appear to be in the majority. On a good day it’s Italy’s most fun and operatic city. On a rare bad one it’s a giant traffic jam, filled with crooked cabbies and purse-snatching kids on scooters.
The Southern Peninsula. The southernmost regions of the peninsula—Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria—are known for their laid-back medieval villages, shimmering seas, and varied landscapes. The coastline of Puglia, along the heel of Italy’s boot, is popular with beachgoers, but for the most part you’re off the beaten path here, with all the pleasures and challenges that entails. You’ll find fewer English-speakers but more genuine warmth from the people you encounter. The most distinctive attractions are the Sassi (cave dwellings in the Basilicata village of Matera) and trulli (mysterious conical-roof dwellings found in abundance in Puglia’s Valle d’Itria). Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Sicily. The architecture of Sicily reflects the island’s centuries of successive dominion by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards, and, most recently, Italians. Baroque church–hopping could be a sport in the cacophonous streets of Palermo and seafaring Siracusa. The breezes are sultry, and everyday life is without pretense, as witnessed in the workaday stalls of the fish markets in ports all along the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts, bursting with tuna, swordfish, and sardines. Greek ruins stand sentinel in Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, blanketed in almond, oleander, and juniper blossoms. All over the island the ins and outs of life are celebrated each day as they have been for centuries—over a morning coffee, at the family lunch table, and in the evening passeggiata (stroll).
Planner
Speaking the Language
Here, as in much of Italy, when locals talk among themselves, they often revert to dialect that’s unintelligible to the student of textbook Italian. Each region has a dialect of its own; Salentinu (spoken in the tip of the heel) and Barese (around Bari) are distinctive enough to be considered separate languages, though they developed in neighboring areas.
Thanks to the education system and the unifying influence of radio and television, nearly everyone speaks standard Italian as well, so you can still benefit from whatever knowledge you have of the language. English-speakers aren’t as prevalent as in points north, but this is the land of creative gesticulation and other improvised nonverbal communication. Chances are, you’ll be able to get your message across.
Getting Here
Located 8 km (5 miles) outside Naples, Aeroporto Capodichino (NAP) serves the Campania region. It handles domestic and international flights, including several flights daily between Naples and Rome (flight time 55 minutes).
The three main airports of the deep south are Bari and Brindisi, in Puglia, and Lamezia Terme, in Calabria. All three have regular flights to and from Rome and Milan. In addition, Reggio di Calabria’s airport has flights to and from Rome.
Sicily can be reached from all major international cities on flights connecting through Rome, Milan, or Naples. Planes to Palermo land at Aeroporto Falcone-Borsellino (named in memory of two anti-Mafia judges famously assassinated in 1992) in Punta Raisi, 32 km (19 miles) west of town. Catania’s Aeroporto Fontanarossa, 5 km (3 miles) south of the city center, is the main airport on Sicily’s eastern side.
There are direct express trains from Milan and Rome to Palermo, Catania, and Siracusa. The Rome-Palermo and Rome-Siracusa trips take at least 11 hours. After Naples, the run is mostly along the coast, so try to book a window seat on the right if you’re not on an overnight train. At Villa San Giovanni, in Calabria, the train is separated and loaded onto a ferryboat to cross the strait to Messina. Direct trains run from Milan, Rome, and Bologna to Bari and Lecce.
When to Go
Spring: In April, May, and early June southern Italy is at its best. The weather is generally pleasant, and the fields are in full bloom. Easter is a busy time for most tourist destinations—if you’re traveling then, you should have lodging reserved well ahead of time. By May the seawater is warm enough for swimming by American standards, but you can often have the beach to yourself, as Italians shy away until at least June.
Summer: Temperatures can be torrid in summer, making it a less than ideal time for a visit to the south. In Campania, Naples can feel like an inferno, the archaeological sites swarm with visitors, and the islands and Amalfi Coast resorts are similarly overrun. Even the otherwise perfect villages of the interior are too dazzlingly white for easy comfort from July to early September. If you seek a beach, whether on the mainland or in Sicily, keep in mind that during August all of Italy flocks to the shores. Even relatively isolated resorts can be overrun.
Fall: Visit the south from late September through early November and you can find gentle, warm weather and acres of beach space; swimming temperatures last through October. Watch the clock, however, as the days get shorter. At most archaeological sites you’re rounded up two hours before sunset—but by then most crowds have departed, so late afternoon is still an optimum time to see Pompeii, Herculaneum, or Agrigento in peace and quiet.
Winter: Early winter is relatively mild (bougainvillea and other floral displays can bloom through Christmas), but particularly later in the season, cold fronts can arrive and stay for days. In resort destinations many hotels, restaurants, and other tourist facilities close down from November until around Easter. Elsewhere, you need to reserve rooms well in advance between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6) and during Agrigento’s almond festival in February and the Carnevale in Acireale and Sciacca.
On the Calendar
These are some of the top seasonal events in southern Italy:
From December through June, the stagione operistica(opera season) is underway at Teatro San Carlo in Naples.
In early February in Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore (Almond Blossom Festival, | www.mandorloinfiore.net) is a week of folk music and dancing, with participants from many countries.
The Settimana Santa (Holy Week), culminating with Easter, features parades and outdoor events in every city and most small towns. Naples and Trapani have particularly noteworthy festivities.
Twice a year, the first Sunday in May and on September 19, Naples celebrates the Feast of San Gennaro. In the Duomo, at 9 am, a remnant of the saint’s blood miraculously liquefies, after which there’s a ceremonial parade.
Maggio dei Monumenti is a cultural initiative in Naples lasting the entire month of May. Special exhibits, palaces, private collections, and churches are open to the public for free or at a discount.
Every fourth year in June, the Regata delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare (Regatta of the Great Maritime Republics) sees keen boating competitions in Amalfi, Genoa, Pisa, or Venice. In 2012 Amalfi is the site for the event.
Estate a Napoli (Summer in Naples) is a season-long festival of concerts and performances—a reward for those enduring the Neapolitan heat.
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