Beautiful Puglia, Southern Italy & Sicily — Self-Launched

Book a morning Frecciarossa/Intercity from Roma Termini to Termoli (~3h, from £22 if booked ahead on Trenitalia). Termoli's walled old town, 13th-century castle and Romanesque cathedral are a 15-minute walk from the station — an easy 2-hour stop with lunch. Continue by regional train or Flixbus to Bari (~2h, £10-14). Check into a guesthouse in Bari Vecchia or near the station, then wander the old town's labyrinthine lanes, the Basilica di San Nicola and the seafront at sunset. If you're driving instead, the San Giovanni in Venere Abbey detour near Fossacesia is worth 45 minutes.

🚌Trenitalia Roma Termini–Termoli ~£22; Termoli–Bari regional train ~£10-14

🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel near Bari Centrale or Bari Vecchia (£30-38)

• →Termoli old town, castle & cathedral (free)
• →Bari Vecchia self-walk: Basilica di San Nicola, lungomare
• →Optional: San Giovanni in Venere Abbey if self-driving

Take the regional train Bari–Brindisi (~1h15, ~£8). Drop bags at a B&B and walk the port area: the Roman column marking the end of the Appian Way and the old quarter. Then train to Lecce (~30 min, ~£4) — the baroque centre is 10 minutes' walk from the station and free to explore; the Santa Croce facade and the Roman amphitheatre are the highlights. Late afternoon bus or train to Gallipoli (~1h, ~£4) for the old town island, cathedral and castle walls at golden hour. Sleep in Lecce or Gallipoli — Gallipoli is livelier, Lecce has more budget beds.

🚌Regional trains Bari–Brindisi ~£8, Brindisi–Lecce ~£4, Lecce–Gallipoli bus ~£4

🛏Hostel or B&B in Lecce old town (£28-35) or Gallipoli (£32-40)

• →Brindisi Roman column & port quarter
• →Lecce baroque walking circuit (free)
• →Gallipoli old town island, cathedral & castle walls

Bus to Alberobello (~1h45, ~£5) for the UNESCO trulli districts — Monti and Aia Piccola. Two hours is plenty; entrance to individual trulli houses is £2-4, and the trullo church of Sant'Antonio is free. Continue by bus to Matera (~1h30 via Bari or direct services, ~£7-9). The Sassi are free to walk; the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario (£3) and the rock churches across the ravine give the context. Stay overnight in a Sassi guesthouse — prices are reasonable outside peak season and the evening light on the cave dwellings is the reason to sleep here rather than pass through.

🚌Local bus/Flixbus Lecce–Alberobello ~£5; Alberobello–Matera ~£8

🛏Sassi cave guesthouse or budget B&B in Matera (£35-45)

• →Alberobello trulli districts (free to walk; £2-4 per house)
• →Sassi di Matera self-walk & Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario £3
• →Sunset over the Murgia ravine

Morning bus Matera–Napoli (~3h30-4h with Flixbus/Itabus, from £12-18) or bus to Ferrandina and train onwards. Arrive Naples early afternoon, check into a hostel near Centro Storico or the station, then walk Spaccanapoli, the Duomo and the Quartieri Spagnoli. Eat pizza — L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele or Sorbillo, £6-9. Note: a Europamundo coach does this leg in one long day; the bus does it comfortably too, with a rest stop.

🚌Flixbus/Itabus Matera–Napoli ~£12-18

🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Centro Storico Naples (£30-40)

• →Spaccanapoli & Centro Storico walk (free)
• →Naples Duomo & Veiled Christ chapel (Chapel £8)
• →Pizza crawl

Early hydrofoil from Molo Beverello to Capri (~50 min, £18-22 each way). Take the funicular up to Capri town (£2), walk to the Gardens of Augustus (£2) and the Belvedere di Tragara. The Blue Grotto is often crowded and weather-dependent — skip it unless calm. Return ferry to Sorrento (~20 min, £14) rather than Naples, and spend a couple of hours in Sorrento's old town and on the Villa Comunale terrace. Then Circumvesuviana/local train Sorrento–Salerno (~1h30, £6-8) to sleep in Salerno, cheaper and calmer than Sorrento itself.

🚌Hydrofoil Naples–Capri ~£20, Capri–Sorrento ~£14, train Sorrento–Salerno ~£7

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Salerno old town (£32-42)

• →Capri funicular & Gardens of Augustus
• →Belvedere di Tragara walk
• →Sorrento old town & Villa Comunale terrace

Train Salerno–Paola (~1h20, ~£12) — the Sanctuary of St. Francis of Paola is a 20-minute walk uphill from the station if you want the same stop the coach makes. Continue on regional trains to Villa San Giovanni (~1h30, ~£8), then the Bluvia/Carontonte ferry foot crossing to Messina (~25 min, £2.50) — a lovely way to arrive in Sicily. Regional train Messina–Taormina (~50 min, £4.50). Check into a hostel or B&B in Taormina; dinner in the evening on Corso Umberto. If you're carrying a lot, the Messina–Taormina bus is simpler with luggage.

🚌Regional trains Salerno–Paola ~£12, Paola–Villa S. Giovanni ~£8, ferry ~£2.50, Messina–Taormina ~£4.50

🛏Hostel/B&B in Taormina centre or Letojanni (£35-45)

• →Sanctuary of St. Francis of Paola (free)
• →Strait of Messina foot ferry crossing
• →Taormina evening passeggiata

Morning at the Teatro Antico di Taormina (£13, book on GetYourGuide or direct) with Etna framed behind it, then the Villa Comunale gardens and the view from Piazza IX Aprile. Afternoon: either beach time at Isola Bella (cable car down, £3 each way) or a half-day Etna excursion — the cheapest route is the AST bus to Rifugio Sapienza (~£6 return) plus the cable car and 4x4 to 2,900m (~£55) or a GetYourGuide summit-and-crater group tour from Taormina (£45-65). Sleep a second night in Taormina.

🚌Local buses/cable car; AST bus to Etna ~£6 return

🛏Hostel/B&B in Taormina centre or Letojanni (£35-45)

• →Taormina Greek Theatre £13
• →Isola Bella beach & cable car
• →Etna cable car + 4x4 ~£55 or guided Etna tour £45-65

Train to Catania (~40 min, £3.50) and walk the UNESCO baroque centre: Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral, and the fish market (La Pescheria) if you're there before midday. Then train Catania–Siracusa (~1h15, £7). Ortigia island is a 15-minute walk from the station — cathedral, Castello Maniace, the Fonte Aretusa and the seafront terraces. Rather than pushing on to Agrigento the same night, sleep in Syracuse (cheaper and far more pleasant) and do the Agrigento run the next morning — this is where independent travel beats the coach.

🚌Regional trains Taormina–Catania ~£3.50, Catania–Siracusa ~£7

🛏Hostel/B&B in Ortigia or Syracuse mainland (£30-40)

• →Catania baroque centre & fish market (free)
• →Ortigia island walk: cathedral, Castello Maniace, Fonte Aretusa
• →Seafront sunset on Ortigia

Early bus or train to Agrigento (~2h45-3h30, £12-15). Leave bags at the station and take local bus 1/2/3 to the Valley of the Temples (£10 entry, £1.20 bus). Two to three hours covers the Temple of Concordia and Hera Lacinia; a GetYourGuide local guide adds a lot for ~£25 if you want the archaeology explained. Afternoon bus Agrigento–Trapani (~2h30, £10), then the cable car or bus up to Erice (cable car £6 return) for the Phoenician hill town at golden hour. Evening bus or train Trapani–Palermo (~1h45, £8-10).

🚌Bus/train Syracuse–Agrigento ~£13, Agrigento–Trapani ~£10, Trapani–Palermo ~£9

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Palermo (Vucciria or Kalsa, £30-42)

• →Valley of the Temples £10 (guided option ~£25)
• →Erice cable car £6 return & hill-town walk
• →Trapani salt flats views from the bus

Morning bus 389 or AMAT from Palermo to Monreale (~40 min, £1.40) for the Arab-Norman cathedral's golden mosaics (£2-4, modest dress required). Back in Palermo: the cathedral (free, roof £10), the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel (£19 combined or £12 chapel), and the Ballarò or Vucciria market for lunch. Take the evening Tirrenia/Grimaldi overnight ferry Palermo–Napoli, departing around 20:00 and arriving 06:30-07:30 — book a reclining seat (~£45-60) or share a cabin. Book weeks ahead in summer.

🚌AMAT bus to Monreale ~£1.40 return; overnight ferry Palermo–Napoli ~£50

🛏Overnight ferry, reclining seat (or cabin share)

• →Monreale cathedral mosaics
• →Palermo Cathedral & Norman Palace/Palatine Chapel
• →Ballarò market lunch

Off the ferry, take the Circumvesuviana from Napoli Garibaldi to Pompei Scavi–Villa dei Misteri (~35 min, £3). Book a 2-hour small-group guided tour of Pompeii on GetYourGuide or the official Parco Archaeologico site (£18 entry + £20-28 guide) — with a site this big, a guide genuinely pays for itself. Return to Naples and take a Frecciarossa/Italo to Roma Termini (~1h10, £18-30 if booked in advance). Tour ends in Rome; add extra nights yourself at a hostel or guesthouse near Termini (£32-45) rather than a distant conference hotel.

🚌Circumvesuviana ~£3 each way; Frecciarossa/Italo Napoli–Roma ~£18-30

🛏None included — optional extra night in Rome (£32-45)

• →Pompeii entry £18 + guided tour £20-28
• →Optional Naples Centro Storico stop