Travels through southern Italy

The regions of southern Italy's Mezzogiorno — Campania, Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata, Apulia and Calabria — aren't names that roll off the tongues of most American travelers with the same ease as Tuscany or the Veneto. This might be considered good news for those who like to get off the beaten track. Seattle Times travel writer Carol Pucci chronicles her travels through some of the less-touristed regions of one of the world's most-visited countries.

Part 1 - Sunday, June 25
Swoon over Naples
It was rush hour on a Friday night, and my husband, Tom, and I — and four of our family members from Ohio — were settling in on the patio at Da Pasqualino in Naples, feeling as if we were about to have dinner in the middle of a traffic jam ... More »

Part 2 - Monday, June 26
A meandering meal in Molise
I'm not keen on driving in foreign countries. Or, I should say, I'm not keen on sitting in the passenger seat with a map spread out on my lap, "navigating" while my husband insists we've either (1) passed the place we're looking for, or (2) the signs can't possibly be right ... More »

Part 3 - Tuesday, June 27
The language of love? It's all relative
Maybe you have some second or third cousins who live in Italy, or maybe you have friends with relatives in southern Italy. Don't be shy. Don't worry about people not speaking English. If you get an invitation to visit, go ... More »

Part 4 - Wednesday, June 28
Naming names in a small town
What are the chances of driving into a small town in southern Italy and, within two minutes of parking the car, meeting someone with your same last name? I really hadn't stopped to think about it until we decided to spend Sunday ... More »

Part 5 - Thursday, June 29
Roll up your sleeves, get earthy
Anyone who's trolled through the "Italian Agriturismo" listings posted by travelers on Rick Steves' Graffiti Wall (www.ricksteves.com) has probably noticed the buzz about a place called Italy Farm Stay, an organic family farm... More »

Part 6 - Friday, June 30
A trulli wonderful time
This was a trip for trying out unusual accommodations.We stayed in a guesthouse run by an order of Catholic priests in Venice and in an agriturismo in Molise. We spent two days on a working farm near Abruzzo and four nights ... More »

Part 7 - Saturday, June 30
Life stops in Apulia — well at least for a couple of hours every day
There's more to Apulia than the trulli. If you like hill towns and coastal villages, baroque architecture and meeting locals, you'll find much to like about this region. It's easier on the wallet ... More »