Amalfi Coast by Car
 

I am flying into Rome on Oct-3, picking up a rental car and 5 nights on the Amalfi Coast is our first stop. We are basing ourselves in a lovely house in Erchie on a lemon grove with a great view. We will be limiting our exploring on the coast to between Amalfi and Vietri Sul Mare. We would also like to spend a good amount of time exploring inland villages from this stretch of coastline. We've been to Sorrento to Positano to Praiano area before so we will not venture there this time.

My requests for assistance are:
1) what are some of the best affordable restaurants in this stretch of exploring?
2) what are some "must see" inland sites to visit?

Thanks so much for your valued input.

Sam

2) what are some "must see" inland sites to visit?>

Ravello if you consider that inland. And if in reasonably good shape leave the car in Amnalfi and walk up thru a neat trail thru garden plots and fruit trees to Ravello - great views but not too much else there IME - then I took a zigzagging paved path down thru the vineyards to the sea, a different route.

anyway just a suggestion for an easy - well energetic hike.

Paestum. Hands down. It is south of Salerno.

Have you visited Pompeii and Herculaneum? Easily can be reached by driving back over the hills rather than along the coast.

If there is any chance that you will have jet lag, I would strongly encourage you to take public transportation for your first night or two. There is mounting evidence that driving with jet lag is just as dangerous -- to yourself and others -- as driving drunk, and nothing you can do will prevent the microsleeps (which you might not even notice) that are the apparent culprit.

I agree that Ravello, Paestum, Pompeii, and Herculaneum are all well worth seeing. But none of us can say what will be "MUST SEES" for you. You might want to consult a few good guidebooks at your local library.

The best eating village on that stretch is Cetara. By far and away. The best places there are not cheap as they offer monstly seafood. But Al Convento is reasonable though might not be best for fish; good pizza.





http://www.alconvento.net/leproposte.htm




If you want to fo for a lovely ride through the edge of the mountains, you might like to try the very inexpensive Le Querce, in the Tramonti region. TRamonti is famous as the source of many of the pizza makers in Italy and abroad. Le Querce also has steaks and other things and I doubt if you will see any tourists.
There are other places in the Tramonti area that might be as good or even better but I know only that one in the area. We drove from RAvello. Glorious view from the hills to the sea.

https://mobile.facebook.com/Le-Querc...acebook.com%2F

From Erchie it is not far to Vietri sul mare where you can take the highway to Pompei or Naples, both beautifull places to visit.
Or you can go to the direction Salerno (also nice to visit) and visit Paestum.
Then there is the Reggio di Caserta, La certosa di Padula and the caves of Sant Angelo, all inland sites.
But if you are only 5 nights along the coast, I would say, visit the coast, maybe Pompeii and an evening Salerno! The coast is realy beautifull and at the moment the weather is realy nice, you can also go to the sea if you want! Along the coast there is very much to see and visit.....

Yes, go into Salerno for an evening stroll and a reasonble dinner. Try Hostaria Il Brigante; there is a menu posted on their Facebook page; inexpensive.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hosta...60528793977033

My favorite restaurant on the AC is also in Cetara - Acquapazza, just a little ways up from the parking lot at the sea. Fabulous seafood and they make their own colatura.

We've driven the Amalfi Coast three times and the first time was a "white knuckle death grip on the steering wheel" experience. The other two times were less stressful, but not by much.

Someone above mentioned driving with the possibility of jet lag and they raise a very cogent point. It might be wise to visit the Amalfi Coast after a day in-country to adjust to the time differential or ease the effects of the jet lag. The Amalfi will still be there a day or two later. Plus, since you will be flying into Roma you will find many, many interesting places and activities that can ease you into the new environment.

Buon viaggio,

Take the hour and half drive and visit Paestum for the day. Simply incredible.

I agree 100% with ekc.