Places to go, things to do, people to see in Southern Italy

Q: My husband has been transferred to Italy for his job, and our family will be living there for the better part of at least the next year.

The thing is, we will be living on the coast in Southern Italy, and I am finding it hard to get much information about the area.

We will be living in Manfedonia, with my husband working in Foggia.

Do you have any suggestions for great things to do? I have two children and want to make the most of this wonderful opportunity.

Arleen, Bellevue

A: Two suggestions: Buy a copy of "The Food and Wine Guide to Campania" by Carla Capalbo. It's a virtual bible for some of the most interesting and undiscovered towns in Southern Italy.

It's certainly better than any guidebook, since most do a very poor job of providing any information on any of the areas.

My second suggestion is to get in touch with a wonderful couple who run a little tour business called Savour the Sannio (www.savourthesannio.com). Barbara is an American who grew up in Rome; Federico is her Italian husband, and they know this part of Southern Italy well.

Beyond that, pay a visit to the cave city of Matera in the neighboring province of Basilicata, the Gargano to the north of Puglia and the Castellana caves near Bari.

For more ideas, see www.viaggiareinpuglia.it. You'll have no trouble filling your time. This is a real area to explore and one that's still undiscovered by most Americans.