Adventures in Southern Italy

Rome is the eternal city and the gateway to the south. Get a scooter and ride around Rome. Italy is 85% catholic and is shaped like a boot that sticks out into the mediterranean sea. Rome was once the capital of the roman empire and now it is the capital of italy. the city is packed with things to see. A scooter may cost about twenty dollars a day but be prepared for some extreme driving. The Colloseum is where the gladiators fought in the center and christians were fed to the lions. It was a festival of massive slaughter. Some guys will dress up in the roman clothes and they charge to get your photo taken with them. The men can be a bit aggressive but for women it is best to ignore it and not make eye contact. Italian men are mommy's boys so say italian women.

The vatican is an independent state and has its own swiss guards and postal system. St peters square has thousands of tourists going there every day hoping to get a glimpse of the pope. If you want to go inside st peters there is a strict dress code. The shops offer religious knick knacks such as a hollow virgin. Get your st christopher medals at bargain basement prices. Throw a coin into the fountain and you will come back to Rome they reckon.

Rome has one of the busiest train stations in italy and you can get a train to Terracina and Bonita. The fishing town of Terracina is well off the tourist trail. The biggest day of the year is the festival of the madonna. They love to play a card game that is similar to poker. At six oclock the whole town bursts into life with marching bands and the madonna comes out of the church. The madonna is carried through the streets of the Terracina in honour of those lost at sea. The madonna is put onto highly decorated boats and she blesses the waters. Fireworks are let off. In some of the coastal village the women wash clothes in the river.

In Bonito, uncle vincent performs miracles, allegedly. Uncle Vincent is the remains of a preserved corpse. Body parts are put on the wall so that that part of the body will be healed. South of Bonito lies the sprawling city of Naples. Take a cab if you are into extreme sports or want to get hurt badly. In Naples you may be able to stay in a convent for $15 per night but there is an eleven o'clock curfew. Naples is on the bay near the volcano Vesuvius. The city has lots of renaissance and baroque art. But watch your bag. There are fish markets and other markets selling lots of produce. You may even get a live octopus. Naples invented the pizza but they only usually have plain or with cheese. There is a marinara pizza as well. And they will only cost you two or three dollars.

Take a train to Pompeii. Ancient Pompeii was a bustling port when the volcano Vesuvius exlploded and buried Pompeii under the ash. There are preserved homes with mysterious frescoes that deal with the cult of Bacchus. The frescoes were painted two thousand years ago. Head down the amalfi coast to salerno where the road winds around the bays. The Amalfi coast if famous for places like Positano.

Puglia has weird conical shaped houses that dot the countryside. One night in a cone house costs about twenty dollars. Alberobello is daubed with white and is a zone of historical importance. They even make their own alcohol from herbs.

Ostuni is a white city and looks like a greek or arab town. It is an excellent base for exploring the coast. The coves are great for swimming and the area is unspoilt. Fishing for sea urchins is a popular past time. Get yourself on a boat to go and spear some. The locals eat them straight out of the shell on the boat. The people of Ostuni love to eat sea urchins and they claim they are an aphrodisiac.

Calabria is in the far south of Italy. Summer in Calabria is very hot and dry. Some farms offer accommodation and you can stay and help make pasta from the Calabrian region. On the farm you can eat food from the farm that is fresh and delicious. At the tip of Italy's toe is the Aspromante national park with a refreshing waterfall to cool you down after a hot trip there. You can stay at family farms. A guide will show you around the wild regions of southern Calabria. Take a donkey along to carry your pack. The area around Aspromante is remote and mountainous. There are old ruined buildings and abandoned villages. You can trek to a tiny village that has been isolated for years. They race donkeys for the donkey racing championships. Around the town they go riding the donkeys until a winner is declared. At night the locals make music and dance the tarantella. The musicians play accordions and tambourines.

Southern Italy Resources

Some great places to see in Southern Italy:
Rome
Terracina
Naples
Amalfi Coast
Alberobello
Ostuni
Acri
Aspromonte
Pompeii
Puglia
Calabria

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