Days 4 and 5

After a peaceful night in Altidona, we continue south, passing the snow-covered Apennines and the Gargano region. In search of a quiet place to spend the night, we find ourselves in Troia. The area is extremely camper-friendly, offering a large space with free services, including electricity. So it was not surprising that many Italians gathered for a motorhome event over the St. Nicholas weekend. We were invited to join but could not participate in the tours as the ferry is our destination.

The next morning, we decide to head to Grotte de Castillana to stay at Domenico Lanera's Agriturismo Biologico, Serragambetta.

The drive here, not on the highway, was pure horror. At times, we could only drive at 40 km/h as pothole after pothole lined the road. And then the feeling of driving through an endless dump, unbelievable! In all our travels, we have never seen such a veiled landscape as here in Southern Italy. While it was bad in Egypt and Morocco, it is nothing compared to here. What a relief to find absolutely no trash here at Domenico's.

Having arrived here in the early afternoon, there was enough time to book the ferry to Igoumenitsa, including a 2-person outside cabin plus a dog.