Southern Italy

April 20-30, 2017:

We started this trip in Rome and we toured Southern Italy in a clockwise fashion. Below are the highlights of our trip.

Ville d’Este, Tivoli:

Villa of Ipppolito, 16th century cardinal.

Gardens. Ville d’Este, Tivoli:

Exploring Tivoli:

Hadrian’s Villa (128 AD), Tivoli:

Monastery of Saint Benedict, Subiaco:

Adriatic Sea (Peschici & Vieste):

Cave Restaurant in Vieste:

Sliced Octopus and Buffalo Cheese Wrapped Prawns.

Castle of the Mount, Andria:

Built by Frederick II in the 1240s.

Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo, Mount Gargano:

Exploring Trani on the Adriatic Coast:

Exploring Polignano A Mare:

Exploring Taranto on the Mediterranean Sea:

Archaeology Museum, Taranto:

Exploring Otranto (heel of the boot of Italy):

Otranto Cathedral:

Bones of 800 Christians (Otranto Cathedral):

Beheaded by invading Turks in 1480 for refusing to deny their faith.

Crypt – Otranto Cathedral:

Church of Saint Peter, Otranto:

Exploring Lecce:

Churches of Lecce:

The Trulli of Alberobello:

Historical Museum, Alberobello:

Basilica of Saints Cosma and Damiano, Alberobello:

Trullo Sovrano, Alberobello:

Church of Sant’Antonio, Alberobello:

Wine Tasting, Alberobello:

Our Trullo, Alberobello:

Shopping in Alberobello:

Sanctuary Madonna della Vetrana, Castellana Grotte:

Great Pizza, French Fries, and Beer, Matera:

Rock Cave Lodging, Matera:

Our Rock Cave Lodging (White Door Middle Right Below), Matera:

Rock Cave Church – Santa Maria de Iris, Matera:

Right above our cave lodging.

Church of San Pietro Caveoso, Matera:

Right below our rock cave lodging.

Duomo – Matera:

Rock Cave Church – Santa Lucia alle Malve, Matera:

Church of San Pietro Barisano, Matera:

Church of San Agostino, Matera:

Lots of Hills (and Lots of Rest!), Matera:

National Park Across from Matera:

Contains caves/ancient churches/frescoes.

Matera at Night:

Wine and Fritti at our Rock Cave Lodging, Matera:

Musma, Contemporary Sculpture Museum in a cave, Matera:

Rock Cave Crypt – San Nicola dei Greco, Matera:

Rock Cave Church – Madonna delle Virtu, Matera:

San Giovanni Church, Matera:

Liberation Day Parade, Matera:

Church of Santo Spirito (Underground), Matera:

Castles, Churches, Statues and Fountains, Matera:

Chiesa di Materdomini del Torchiano

Fontana Ferdinandea

Chiesa di Santa Lucia e Agata alla Fontana

Church of San Francesco da Paola

Statue of a Woman

Castello Tramontano

More Exploring of Matera:

Greek Temples, Paestum (south of Naples):

Archaeology Museum, Paestum:

Buffalo Farm, Paestum:

Milk is used to make mozzarella cheese.

Boat Along the Amalfi Coast:

Exploring Amalfi Town:

Cathedral, Amalfi Town:

Cloister and Chapel, Amalfi Town:

Museum, Amalfi Town:

Crypt (under Cathedral), Amalfi Town:

Interior of Cathedral, Amalfi Town:

Exploring Ravello (Amalfi Coast):

Ravello Cathedral:

Rufolo Villa, Ravello:

Exploring Agropoli:

Churches of Acropoli:

Aragonese Castle, Agropoli:

Window Shopping, Sorrento:

Franco’s Pizzeria, Sorrento:

Lemon Garden, Sorrento:

Sorrento Cathedral:

Exploring Sorrento:

Gardens of La Mortella, Island of Ischia:

Flowers of the Gardens of La Mortella, Island of Ischia:

Aragonese Castle, Island of Ischia:

Cemetery of the Nuns, Aragonese Castle, Island of Ischia:

Situated beneath the Church, the Nun’s Cemetery was made up of a seriesof areas housing walled draining seats on which the lifeless nun’s bodies were placed. The corpses’ flesh slowly decomposed; their humours were gathered in special vases and, finally, the dried-out skeletons heaped up in the ossuary.

This macabre practice derived from the need to emphasize the absolute uselessness of the body in as much as it was to be seen as a simple recipient of the spirit; the lack of an individual burial again highlighted this conviction.

Every day the nuns would congregate in prayer at this site and meditate on the nature of death and, spending several hours of the day in such an unhealthy environment, would often fall victim to grevious diseases, in some cases deadly.

Exploring the Aragonese Castle, Island of Ischia: