Alberobello

Alberobello has the trulli; Matera has the sassi. The trulli is a dry-stone hut with a conical roof. Sassi refers to both the old town and to the stone houses within it that were carved out of the rock.

Our damp spirits, brought about by the rainy weather, were lifted by a lovely wine tasting party held for us in the middle of the trulli section of town. Alberobello means beautiful tree but you’ll have to take the trip to find out the significance of the name – not because there is a cryptic answer but because we can’t remember the explanation.

Matera

Matera was magnificent. We were thrilled and awestruck by the antiquity and marvels of this ancient city. Our beautiful hotel room was a sassi with contemporary amenities, of course! We loved strolling through the cobblestone lanes and ducking through the archways. We purchased a small stone replica of a section of town sculpted by a local man who was as mysterious as his shop. For dinner, we explored the streets with another couple and found a table on the street outside of a small deli.

Matera is where most of the biblical movies are shot such as the recent version of Ben Hur. The upcoming James Bond movie was partially shot in Matera as well.

Water Buffalos

The water buffalo industry chooses breeds from Africa or India. The Indian animal is more genteel than its’ African counterpart. The water buffalo are creatures of habit. When they are ready to milk, they independently walk to the computerized milking bins; after milking they independently return to their correct individual stalls. They get the best back rubs whenever they want due to motorized rollers placed in the middle of the stalls.

An elegant lunch on a beautiful, sunny day; gelato for desert!

Paestum

The Greek temples in Paestum are indescribable! They have to be seen to be appreciated. We were awestruck by the enormity of the temples. There was plenty of space for reverie because we were not overwhelmed by other tourists. It was so quiet that we were able to spot a cautious chameleon sunning itself on an old sun-dried log. The nearby museum was filled with beautiful and ancient artifacts salvaged from the temple sites.

During World War II,the U.S. Army landed LCVP's at Paestum and used the grounds and temples for an R&R station.

Positano

Our approach to Positano was so labyrinthine that we had to transfer from the tour bus to two separate vans in order to reach our hotel.

The Church of Santa Maria Assunta, just up from the beach front, has three historic layers that you can tour for a small fee. The Romanesque, Baroque main church, the monastic, Benedictine crypt underneath the existing church, and, the remains of a Roman villa, buried when Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, at the lowest level.

The delicatessen that Rick Steves recommends, near Via dei Mulini, makes a fantastic sandwich!