You just can't worry about the mob--it involves everyone from some judges, cops, shopkeepers, politicians/mayors, just keep your nose clean and don't piss anyone off (though people in the South generally are gentle and have impeccable manners--people from the North probably think it/they is/are uncivilized--maybe their driving is)...
Good luck if you don't know any Italian...maybe it's just my own perception but if I didn't know how to speak a bit I don't know how I would have gotten around. One thing you have to be careful of in 3rd/4th tier towns in the South is that they slow down immensely if not literally shut down and/or turn into ghost towns for about 3-4 hours during the middle of the day. Unbelievably in the land of gourmet food I had to resort many days to the only McDonald's in town until I finally found alternative spots.
Good luck if you don't know any Italian...maybe it's just my own perception but if I didn't know how to speak a bit I don't know how I would have gotten around. One thing you have to be careful of in 3rd/4th tier towns in the South is that they slow down immensely if not literally shut down and/or turn into ghost towns for about 3-4 hours during the middle of the day. Unbelievably in the land of gourmet food I had to resort many days to the only McDonald's in town until I finally found alternative spots.