The southern Italian region of Europe is one phenomenal destination to visit if you are embarking on a vacation to Europe. The area is full of exhilarating opportunities in the form of gastronomical culture, traditions, architectural sites, and natural scenery. The fact that the destinations in this region are excellently connected via road adds to the charm of exploring it. So, if you are traveling in southern Italy by car, and are looking for Southern Italy road trip itinerary ideas to guide you, here are three for your assistance:
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Itinerary One: 14-Day or Two-Week Itinerary to Naples, Amalfi Coast, Catania, and Syracuse
Your Southern Italy road trip itinerary begins in the gorgeous setting of Naples, a destination that will give you the true taste of Italy, with its food, architecture, and aura. Luckily, the city has managed to stay off the visitor radar, meaning that if you are after an authentic Italian experience, you are in good luck. Tighten your shoelaces and get pumped because Naples is best explored via foot. Ensure that you pay visits to destinations like Chiostri di Santa Chiara, Via dei Tribunali, and Fontanelle cemetery.
Following a few days in Naples, continue your Southern Italy road trip and reach the breathtaking Amalfi Coast, which is easily the most glorious highlight of the Southern Italy region. A destination with spectacular natural exhibits and exciting related experiences, it is a place that will bestow upon you cherishable memories. While you are here, you must walk the Amalfi coast, jump in the Mediterranean, and laze around at the beaches.
The second last step of your road trip in southern Italy will take you to the great town of Catania. There are many things Catania is known and loved for, its electrifying nightlife and stunning collection of architectural sites being two of them. Discover the wild side of Catania as you hop between bars, dancing and drinking your worries away. And after the sun rises, take a couple of hours of sleep, and buckle up for your daily adventures, where you will explore wonders like Cattedrale di Sant’Agata.
Your southern Italy road trip itinerary ends in Syracuse, a city that will perfectly top off your exhilarating fourteen-day experience. Being a coastal city, Syracuse has some of the best beaches in Italy, sporting long white sandy stretches overlooking calm turquoise waters. The natural scenery is incredibly pristine and serene! Several architectural sites of massive historical significance are in town, too, like the magnificent Temple of Apollo and the Cathedral of Syracuse.
Southern Italy Road Trip Itinerary Travel Guide & Planning Resources :
Enjoy this two-week in Southern Italy Road Trip itinerary? With this guide, now you can find the best flights to Southern Italy and rent a car for your road trip to Southern Italy with the links provided.
Itinerary Two: 10-Day Itinerary to Palermo, Cefalu, Messina, and Taormina
This southern Italy road trip begins in the ancient town of Palermo – a destination noted and celebrated for its rich history, distinctive culture, spectacular architecture, and savory cuisine. The city has played an important role throughout history, and therefore it makes sense why it has magnificent remains of the days of its glory splattered all across. Sites like Cattedrale di Palermo and Catacombe Dei Cappuccini provide an insight into what life used to be like here.
If you are traveling in southern Italy by car, you must visit Cefalu after Palermo, for the destination is readily accessible via road. The journey is gorgeous, and the views are stunning, making the excursion extremely rewarding. Once you are in Cefalu, take full advantage of the opportunities it presents to its visitors. Hailed as a lovely seaside resort with excellent beaches, it is the perfect spot for you to relax under the sun and laze your days away. But that is not all. Cefalu complements its spectacular setting with some remarkable sites to visit, like its Cathedral and Tempio di Diana.
After spending enjoyable days in Cefalu, head to the port city of Messina. While its status of being the region’s economic hub may bore you initially, landing in the town and exploring it will change your perception. If one says that Messina is pregnant with opportunities waiting for you to explore, one would not be wrong. With fantastic sites like Camposanto, Piazza del Duomo, and Messina Cathedral, there is a lot to keep you on your toes.
The last stop in your southern Italy road trip itinerary is Taormina, a small town nestled in a stunning neighborhood full of destinations that will immensely interest you. Take Teatro Antico di Taormina, for example. Being an ancient Greek theatre’s ruins, it features stunning architectural exhibits from the days of the Greeks. If you feel like delving into the city’s natural side, you would love the opportunity to explore Villa Comunale di, Taormina. The tranquil gardens here would appease and satiate you!
Southern Italy Road Trip Itinerary Travel Guide & Planning Resources :
Enjoy this 10-day in Southern Italy road trip itinerary? With this guide, now you can find the best flights to Southern Italy and rent a car for your road trip to Southern Italy with the links provided.
Itinerary Three: 7-Day or One-Week Itinerary to Foggia, Bari, Alberobello, and Lecce
This road trip in southern Italy begins in Foggia, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Thanks to such a long history, the city has been occupied by various powers and dynasties, each of which imparted some element quintessential to them. One great example of this is Chiesa dell Croci, a marvelous structure with an incredibly unique design. Other than this, you should take the opportunity to walk through the city, taking in the surroundings, and visiting its famous attractions like Palazzo Dogana and Duomo Lucera.
Bari forms the second step in your road trip in southern Italy. It is the perfect destination for you if you are looking to experience the traditional side of the country and experience it as the locals do on a daily basis. The town is famous for its distinctive and authentic culinary style, meaning that it has several gastronomical surprises hidden in store for you. Plus, the city has breathtaking beaches, fine golden sand dominating the landscape, and overlooking impressive multi-hued waters. A day on the beach is something you will definitely love!
On your way to Lecce, you must stop in Alberobello, a charming and distinctive town. Alberobello is famous for its unique houses, trulis, painted in pure white, that line its streets. The look created by them is so picture-perfect that you will want to Instagram everything. You would love a walk through this quaint little place to explore it, so sign yourself up for walking tours. If you are more interested in independent excursions, you should visit Trullo Sovrano, Sant’Antonio Church, and Sant’Antonio Church.
Your southern Italy road trip ends in Lecce. While you may be sad that the dream is coming to an end, you can rejoice at the fact that it is ending in the best possible destination. Lecce is a beautiful historical city, filled with interesting and fascinating monuments like the Basilica di Santa Croce, Duomo, and Porta Napoli. Plus, it is easily accessible if you are traveling in southern Italy by car, making it an even more appealing destination to visit on your vacation. Lecce is charming, it is welcoming, and it is exciting, and should therefore be on your travel bucket list.
Southern Italy Road Trip Itinerary Travel Guide & Planning Resources :
Enjoy this one-week in Southern Italy Road Trip itinerary? With this guide, now you can find the best flights to Southern Italy and rent a car for your road trip to Southern Italy with the links provided.
Video Guide: Southern Italy Road Trip Itinerary Ideas
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Additional Travel resources for planning a Southern Italy road trip
To make planning a Southern Italy road trip easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your road trip to Southern Italy and other European cities.
Flights:
Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: EuRail, Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
Want to spend the best 7-14 days in Southern Italy and need help planning?
Want to plan your road trip to Southern Italy but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a Southern Italy road trip are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.
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