Southern Italy (Odyssey Unlimited Tour) Part 1
September/ October 2022
How we got to Matera (Southern Italy) from Taormina, Sicily:
Our Odyssey tour group left Sicily by bus for the mainland region of Basilicata. We caught a ferry ride from Sicily to Calabria and then boarded our bus to our next destination, Matera.
Matera: 2 nights
Locanda di San Martino http://www.locandadisanmartino.it/en/home
This hotel is renovated cave dwellings and is conveniently located in the city’s historic district (Sassi).
We learned upon arrival that the Pope would be here the next day so the town was full of clergy roaming the streets. You never know!
The Sassi part of town has been designated a UNESCO site (although cars are not permitted, they were everywhere). Sassi Di Matera is believed to be one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. There are people who live in the same caves as their ancestors. The dwellings in the Sassi district date back to 7,000 BC. The Sassi peopled lived in squalor keeping their donkeys and pigs in their caves and used horse manure for warmth. WOW!
Sassi means rock, so the Sassi people (or rock people) lived down in the rock while the wealthier people lived above the rock.
Matera makes you think of Jerusalem during Biblical times. We learned from our local tour guide that not only have film directors used this city as a stand-in for Jerusalem but the latest James Bond’s movie, No Time to Die, had scenes filmed here to the delight of my husband.
After our local tour, we headed back and decided to try the “Antiche Thermae Romanae” which is an underground spa in our hotel. Some of the rooms down below are in the old water cisterns. The pool extends through three caves with a whirlpool in the back. A unique relaxing experience.
Breakfast is good. If you haven’t picked up on it by now food is important to me. I love a good breakfast.
Tips:
- I recommend getting a local guide.
- One full day is enough time in this small city.
Alberobello
Our Odyssey tour stopped in the small village of Alberobello for half a day. We did a walking tour with a local guide.
Alberobello is known for its Trulli structures. A Trulli is a white-washed stone hut with a conical roof. These huts have been around for centuries. Alberobello is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I enjoyed seeing these unique structures despite the rain.
Meals:
- Il Poeta Contadino https://www.ilpoetacontadino.it/en
Unique restaurant in Alberobello. The stone walls with impressive arches give the place a historic vibe. There is a mature olive tree growing inside the restaurant. We had a three-course traditional apuglian meal. It was delicious.
Tips:
- Make reservations.
- They are closed on Mondays.
Lecce: 3 nights
Palazzo BN https://www.palazzobn.com/en/index
This modern hotel in the historic center of Lecce has large suites with a living area, kitchen, spacious bathroom, and bedroom. The hotel was previously a bank, now renovated into a higher-end hotel, therefore it had large columns that decorate the entrance.
The breakfast is a delicious feast. The staff is friendly.
This isn’t the usual hotel Odyssey Tours use and I felt it was too modern to give you the mood of a historic town.
Lecce is a historic city (2000 years old) and is known as the “Florence of the South” due to its barocco leccese buildings. It is the capital of Apulia’s Lecce province. The buildings are from the locally quarried “Lecce stone” a malleable, pink-tinged limestone. The ornate Baroque architectural style is characteristic of this town.
Adventures:
- Odyssey had a local tour guide show us Lecce explaining the barocco leccese decorative style. You can see 22 churches throughout the historic part of town exhibiting the intricate carvings.
Piazza del Duomo is a grand home enclosed by buildings and accessed via a gateway. Inside the square is the Cathedral of Lecce rebuilt in 1659. The cathedral’s exterior is adorned with saints and cherubs in the baroque style. Inside there are 12 side chapels each with its own altar. The altars are elaborately decorated with paintings and are distinct from each other.
The Bell Tower completed in 1662, is made up of 5 tapered layers. We didn’t do it, but you can climb up to the top of the tower for magnificent views of the Adriatic Sea. Or just take the lift.
- Roman Amphitheater is well preserved and in the middle of the main square. When we were there, you could not tour it but could view it from the street level.
Tips:
- Visit the Piazza del Duomo in the evening.
- Climb or take the lift up to the top of the Bell Tower.
- Museo Faggiano is a small private museum (off the beaten path) that my husband and I visited on our own. At only 5 euros per person, it was a bargain to see history that was discovered beneath a small city home. It’s a self-guided tour and you’re given an English guide sheet to help you understand what you are looking at.
- Otranto Odyssey tours took us on an excursion by bus to the walled town of Otranto. We did a walking tour of the seaside town.
The Cathedral of Otranto is a must see. The church was constructed in 1068 in Byzantine and Romanesque style by the Normans. The floor inside is an eclectic collection of mosaics scenes depicting Noah’s Ark, religious figures along with mythical and pagan figures.
Another unique feature of the church are the skulls of the 800 murdered martyrs. In 1480 the Turks invaded Otranto. The 800 survivors of the siege took refuge in the cathedral, including clergy, women, and children. They were slaughtered and decapitated by the Turks. A special area behind the altar was built to remember those lost.
Meals:
- L’Astore Masseria https://www.lastoremasseria.it
A family-owned farm in which you are surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.
We did a wine tasting and had a wonderful meal outside with our tour group.
Polignano a Mare
An ancient seaside town worth visiting. Our Odyssey tour transported us by bus to this picturesque town that sits on dramatic cliffs overlooking the clear turquoise Adriatic Sea. Our Odyssey tour director turned us loose and told us to get “lost” in the city. It was her way of saying “go explore, you can’t get lost and not find your way back.” The narrow streets are clean with plants lining many of them. It was fun and interesting to see how many quotes from famous people we could find on the whitewashed buildings. I’ll let my pictures convince you to visit.
Meals:
- Neuro
Good food. Fish was delicious.
Tips:
- A day trip is probably enough in this small town. Unless you want to stay a night and spend some time on the water.
- The beautiful beach is rocky but at least walk down and see the dazzling views from below.
Wow! I am enjoying your blog and your amazing pictures.