Southern Italy is an intoxicating tapestry of dramatic coastal roads, turquoise seas, millennia-old cave dwellings, and olive-draped plains where time seems to stand still. While northern Italy dazzles with Renaissance museums, the Mezzogiorno wins hearts with soul-stirring landscapes, warm hospitality, and unbeatable Mediterranean cuisine.
This 7-day Southern Italy road trip pairs the breathtaking vertical cliffside villages of the Amalfi Coast with the UNESCO-listed cave city of Matera and the whitewashed, fairy-tale trulli towns of Puglia.
| Duration | 7 Days (approx. 450 km driving) |
| Route | Naples -> Amalfi Coast -> Matera -> Alberobello -> Polignano a Mare |
| Ideal Travel Window | May to June or September to mid-October (Avoid August Italian holiday month) |
| Recommended Vehicle | Compact car (Essential for navigating tight cliffside hairpin roads and historic village arches) |
| Culinary Highlights | Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, Limoncello, Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa & Primitivo Wine |
Days 1 to 3: The Spectacular Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi & Ravello)
- Day 1 (Naples to Positano): Pick up your rental car in Naples and drive south past Mount Vesuvius to the Amalfi Coast. Check into your cliffside hotel and sip an Aperol Spritz on Spiaggia Grande as pastel houses glow under evening lights.
- Day 2 (Amalfi & Mountain Top Ravello): Take an open-air ferry to the town of Amalfi to visit the 9th-century Saint Andrew’s Cathedral. Climb the winding mountain road to serene Ravello to walk the breathtaking cliff-edge gardens of Villa Cimbrone and the Infinity Terrace (Terrazza dell’Infinito).
- Day 3 (The Path of the Gods / Sentiero degli Dei): Hike high above the coastline on this legendary clifftop trail offering jaw-dropping views of the entire Sorrento Peninsula and Capri in the distance.
Day 4: Matera: The Ancient Sassi Cave City
Drive east across the rugged Basilicata mountains to Matera—one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth (dating back over 9,000 years).
- Wander through the Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, where stone houses, churches, and cisterns are carved directly into sheer limestone canyons.
- Visit the ancient rupestrian rock churches adorned with Byzantine frescoes.
- Unforgettable Stay: Book a night in a restored luxury cave hotel (such as Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita) where rooms are illuminated by candlelight inside genuine ancient grottos.
Days 5 to 7: The Magic of Puglia (Alberobello, Ostuni & Polignano a Mare)
Cross into the sun-baked heel of Italy’s boot, dotted with century-old olive groves and dry stone walls.
- Day 5 (Alberobello & The Trulli): Explore the fairy-tale town of Alberobello, famous for its 1,500+ conical-roofed whitewashed limestone houses called trulli.
- Day 6 (Ostuni “The White City” & Monopoli): Walk the dazzling whitewashed alleys of Ostuni, perched on a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Drive to seaside Monopoli for fresh seafood and harbor walks.
- Day 7 (Polignano a Mare & Cliff Beaches): Spend your final day in breathtaking Polignano a Mare. Swim at the iconic pebble beach of Lama Monachile nestled between soaring limestone cliffs, and enjoy artisanal gelato before catching your flight from Bari Airport (BRI).