Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING AROUND
Unless you're a masochist, avoid driving in larger centres such as Naples, Bari, Lecce, Palermo and Catania, where an-
archic traffic and parking restrictions will quickly turn your holiday sour. Beyond these urban centres, however, having
your own car is the easiest way to get around Italy's south. Buses and trains will get you to most of the main destinations,
but they are run by a plethora of private companies, which makes buying tickets and finding bus stops a bit of a pain. Fur-
thermore, the rail network in Salento is still of the narrow-gauge variety, so trains chug along at a snail's pace.
Your own vehicle will give you the most freedom to stray off the main routes and discover out-of-the-way towns and
beaches. This is particularly the case in the Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano in Campania, the Pollino Nation-
al Park in Basilicata, the Salento in Puglia and throughout much of rural Sicily.
This said, it's also worth considering the downside of driving. Aside from the negative environmental impact, petrol
prices are notoriously high, less-travelled roads are often poorly maintained, and popular routes (including Campania's
Amalfi Coast, the SS16 connecting Bari and the Salento in Puglia, and Sicily's Ionian and Tyrrhenian coastal routes) can
be heavily trafficked during holiday periods and throughout the summer.
Air
The privatised national airline, Alitalia, is the main domestic carrier. Cut-rate competitors within Italy include Meridiana
fly ( 89 29 28; www.meridiana.it ), Air One ( 89 24 44; www.flyairone.com ), Ryanair ( www.ryanair.com ) and
EasyJet ( www.easyjet.com ) . A useful search engine for comparing multiple carriers' fares and purchasing low-cost do-
mestic flights is AZfly ( www.azfly.it ) .
Airport taxes are factored into the price of your ticket.
Bicycle
Cycling may be more popular in northern Italy, but it can be just as rewarding south of Rome. Cyclo-trekking is particu-
larly popular in the Murgia and the Promontorio del Gargano in Puglia. Cycling is also very popular in the Salentine cities
of Lecce, Galatina, Gallipoli and Otranto, with more challenging itineraries in Basilicata's Parco Nazionale del Pollino
and on Sicily's hilly terrain.
Avoid hitting the pedal in large cities like Naples and Palermo, where unruly traffic makes cycling a veritable death
wish. Cycling along the Amalfi Coast is another bad idea (think blind corners and sheer drops). Bikes are prohibited on
the autostradas.
Bikes can be wheeled onto any domestic train displaying the bicycle logo. Simply purchase a separate bicycle ticket,
valid for 24 hours (€3.50). Certain international trains, listed on Trenitalia's 'In treno con la bici' page, also allow trans-
port of assembled bicycles for €12. Bikes dismantled and stored in a bag can be taken for free, even on night trains. Most
ferries also allow free bicycle passage.
Bikes are available for hire in most towns. Rental costs for a city bike start from around €20 per day; mountain bikes
are a bit more.
If you fancy seeing the south on a saddle, the following reputable organisations offer advice and/or guided tours:
Cyclists' Touring Club ( www.ctc.org.uk ) This UK organisation can help you plan your tour or organise a guided tour.
Membership costs £41 (£25 for seniors, £16 for under-18s).
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