A road trip to South Italy {both sides} Bari, Alberobello, Matera, Naples & Pompeii!
- Androniki Prokopi
- Aug 29
- 8 min read
Italy. A country with traditions, thousands of years of history, aesthetics, advanced arts. A country - a peninsula stretching from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. On the map, it has a strange shape. It looks like a woman's boot. Here we will explore the southern side, the heel and part of the boot's toe, the eastern and western sides, especially the Apulian region and the region of Campania. As special as Italy may be as a country, the south of the country is also special. At least I think so...
Italy, particularly its southern side, is easily accessible. For those who love the boat, as I do, in addition to the plane as a means of transport, there is the alternative of the ferry from the city of Patras or Igoumenitsa, especially for those travelling from Greece. It is also advantageous from a financial point of view. On the plane you'll pay extra euros for each suitcase, while on the boat you'll pay ~€150 per person including the car for however much luggage you have.
I have to say here that travelling by Italian means (trains, buses) especially in the eastern side of southern Italy is not very convenient. Therefore it is better to rent a car, at least for exploring the Puglia region.The ship leaves 17:30 in the afternoon from Patras port in Greece and 24:00 from Igoumenitsa and at 9:00am (Italian time) is in Bari.
Since we have arrived in Bari, the capital of Puglia, we do not miss the opportunity to take a tour of the historical centre of the city. This is a must in any city in Italy!
We can visit the Basilica di San Nicola, a medieval Christian church with artistic treasures. The exterior, but especially the interior, looks more like a castle than a church.
Walking through the narrow streets of the historic centre, you may come across, especially if the weather permits, open curtained windows in front of some houses.
Puglia region & Matera city
Thinking about the Puglia region, perhaps one of the first places that comes to mind is Alberobello. It is about an hour's drive from Bari.
Alberobello is literally and figuratively like something out of a fairy tale! A small Italian town - a diamond. Small, white limestone stone buildings with domes for roofs. On each roof you can see a symbol that means something, a thunderbolt, a heart struck by an arrow and much more... As many of them are used for shops, you will surely happen to see colorful stalls with bottles of liquor next to the entrance. Some are even made in the shape of the houses of the town of Alberobello. Don't miss the chance to try the flavours you'll find, from lemoncello and meloncello to fruit and chocolate flavoured liqueurs.
We continue to Matera. Although it belongs to the region of Basilicata, it is about an hour's drive from both Bari and Alberobello. It is built next to a gorge where the Gravina River flows.
In several places, where you can see the opposite side of the gorge, you will also see caves where people lived many years ago. There is also part of the town, the "Sassi di Matera", meaning "the stone caves of Matera", which are houses in the rocks from the prehistoric period. It is thought that this is where the first people in Italy stayed. It is another - of the countless - places in Italy where past and present are connected in a special way. Even the colour of the Matera and the feeling when you walk up and down the alleys is that you are somewhere back in time... Due to its particular aesthetic and colour, Matera has been used in many films, such as "James Bond's No time to die" and Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ".
Both Alberobello and Matera have been designated by UNESCO as "World Heritage Sites". They are unique and special!
We cannot be in the region of Puglia and not visit the Greek-speaking villages of south Italy, such as Lecce, where the dialect of greco, a mixture of Greek and Italian, is still spoken.
As a Greek, I had no difficulty at all in making myself understood. Both languages have countless common words. As soon as I arrived in Lecce, a sign was waiting for me that said "Welcome" in Greek. I felt like I was in Greece... I have never felt it in any country I have visited that is somehow related to my country. The people there, mostly older people, try to keep the dialect from getting lost... Their faces light up when Greeks visit them. One of the older men recited poems to me in Greco. I even cried... It's like a grandmother telling us stories when we're little children.
Beyond interacting with the locals, Lecce is described by many as the "Florence of the South" because it impresses with its baroque architecture, churches and palaces. A typical example is the Basilica di Santa Crose, completed in 1695, a huge church (at least compared to the size we are used to) with impressive details inside and out in its "decoration". https://www.chieselecce.it/santa-croce/
Other Greek-speaking villages you can visit are Otranto, at the edge of which, if the atmosphere is clear, you can see the island of Corfu, Taranto, which every year hosts one of Italy's biggest music festivals with mostly traditional southern Italian music - you'll hear grecanic songs there - and Calimera, which in Greek means "good morning". It is no coincidence that many areas of southern Italy and Sicily belong to what has been called "Greater Greece", in Latin "Magna Grecia", in Italian "Grande Ellade", by the Romans themselves. Some have retained their ancient Greek names.
One music band that, through their songs, tries to keep this dialect alive, and believe me they do a very good job, is Encardia. You can search for them and listen to them. I love them!Let's go to the other side of the boot... Here the musts are Naples and Pompeii. I don't know which one is prettier. Both are not easily satisfied and forgotten. I went 10 years ago and I can't wait to visit them again... Vesuvius, still an active volcano, looms majestically over both.
In the archaeological park of Pompeii, the phrases "journey back in time" and "that's where time stopped" become meaningful. Destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, it still yields treasures. Almost 2/3 of the city has been discovered after successive excavations. In fact, a few days ago archaeologists discovered that the inhabitants of Pompeii returned and resettled it again, even after the eruption of Vesuvius. In some places you can see the deep hole created in the volcano by the eruption. The streets within the city are still solid, as they were before the eruption.
I won't say much about what you see at the archaeological park. It's a whole city, at least a 3 hour tour. A tour experience!
One spot in the archaeological park captivated me though. Behind a glass window, there are human figures lying as they were at the time of the explosion. I stood in front of them for a moment in silence. A feeling unexplainable… As if in mourning. "That's where time stopped," I thought. This phrase finds another symbolism in Pompeii.
On the other hand, Naples, as the largest city in southern Italy and the capital of the region of Campania, has the characteristic beauty of all the cities of Italy. Colourful houses, cobbled streets and narrow alleys everywhere you look.
If you raise your eyes to the sky, you might even see hanging clotheslines along the width of the streets.
A stroll through the historic city centre is a must, a historic centre full of life with great historical and cultural significance, which has been designated (also) as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is the National Archaeological Museum, the Town Hall Square and many other architectural gems. It is considered the largest historical centre in Italy.
The Nilo bar, near the Sansevero Chapel Museum, to drink a delicious cappuccino or espresso, a coffee dedicated to Diego Maradona, whom Neapolitans consider and love as a god.For another trip back in time and to discover the treasures of Pompeii, a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples is a must. This is where all the treasures discovered in Pompeii are transported and believe me they are numerous.
In the heart of the city, Piazza del Plebiscito (Square of the Plebiscite), named after the 1860 referendum that united Naples with the Kingdom of Italy and the House of Savoy, is surrounded by some of Naples' most important architectural monuments. Italy is famous for its huge squares. On the west side of the square, the Basilica di San Francesco di Paola, a neoclassical basilica, is located.
From many parts of the city, Vesuvius is visible. Imposing, it adds a wild beauty to the city. Its presence also contributes to the products produced in the area. Because of the volcano, the region produces a variety of wines. In many shops I entered, I found entire walls of shelves filled with bottles of wine that I really didn't know which one to first taste and buy.
Castel Nuovo is another of the architectural landmarks of the city of Naples. Constructed in Gothic style, it was first erected in 1279 and is picturesquely located in front of the piazza Municipio and the city hall. Entrance costs €6 and it's worth it to enter and see the view of the city from above. But perhaps the best view of the city is from Vesuvius itself. You can literally see the whole city on a plate and if it's clear, you might even catch your eye on Pompeii!
Really, there are so many treasures of Naples that I can't fit my notebook to write them all down. That's why I'm stopping here. Naples not only enchanted me, it also filled me with a sweet nostalgia that still lingers... Until I go back...
Finally, is it worth going to southern Italy? Of course! For all these and many more that don't fit on paper, but stay as images in the soul and mind for many years...
Tips:
This tour lasts at least 1 week.
You can return either from Naples airport or from Bari by ship. Below are the distances by car.
Accommodation: ~3 days in Bari and ~3 days in Naples or Salerno. You may find more affordable prices in Salerno.
The water in Italy is carbonated, so ask for bottled water.
Tickets
Ferry tickets for travelling from Greece, from Patras/Igoumenitsa: https://www.superfast.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14791930037&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2IDFBhDCARIsABDKOJ6c7KPiZ4-x4PHYS4HwVSlaH48nx6WZyYmSKOqyNGZIrAlJPrndhBAaAh1jEALw_wcB
Train tickets: Trenitalia https://www.trenitalia.com/it.html
Bus tickets: Flixbus. Flixbus has more frequent direct routes for all destinations.
Tickets for Pompeii: https://www.pompeii-tickets.com/ , to avoid waiting at the entrance and to book a tour guide.
Tickets for the National Archaeological Museum of Naples: https://www.tiqets.com/en/naples-attractions-c71720/tickets-for-the-national-archaeological-museum-of-naples-p977506/?partner=naplespompeii
Routes and distances by car:
· Bari – Lecce: 153km (1h 47min)
· Bari – Matera: 65km (53min)
· Bari – Alberobello: 55km (55min)
· Matera – Alberobello: 69km (1h 6min)
· Bari – Naples: 263km (2h 44min)
· Bari – Salerno: 240km (2h 46min)
· Naples – Pompeii: 23km (22min)
· Naples – Salerno: 55km (45min)
· Salerno – Pompeii: 35km (31min)
