AMALFIE COAST
 

WE WILL BE ARRIVING IN ROME AND RENTING A CAR TO DRIVE TO POSITANO. I HEAR THE TRIP IS ABOUT 3 HRS. SHOULD WE DRIVE STRAIGHT THROUGH OR TAKE A TRAIN TO NAPLES AND THEN RENT A CAR? ALSO, I NEED A RECOMMEDATION FOR A HOTEL IN ROME NEAR THE SPANISH STEPS, NOT TOO EXPENSIVE. THANKS TO YOU ALL. SADIE

I would not want to drive to Positano after arriving from a flight into Rome. There can be heavy traffic leaving Rome depending on the day and time. Also, you should be aware that driving the Amalfi Coast is not for everybody. There are a lot of hairpin turns, and narrow roads where you may have to back up to let oncoming traffic pass. Unless you're comfortable with that kind of situation, you might be better off taking the Eurostar to Naples, train to Sorrento, then Sita bus to Positano. I'm not sure whether Positano has rental car agencies or not ( I just don't remember) but maybe you could pick up the car there, or along the way to your hotel.<BR>Good luck, and have a great time!

I have spent a lot of time in the last 5 years on the Amalfi Coast. I would never, ever consider renting a car in this area. A car is just a big hassle. You can not drive in Positano, parking is expensive, the road up and down the coast is very narrow and crowded with large tour buses. I would advise taking the train from Rome to Naples (20 euros), take the Circumvesuviana Railway train from Naples to Sorrento (about 4 euros) and make Sorrento my base. Lots of hotels, restaurants of all price ranges, hundreds of shops, ferry service to Capri and Ischia islands. You can ride the SITA bus down the coast to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello. Atrani, Minori, Maiori etc. dirt cheap. Service is frequent and reliable. To me Positano is nothing more than a day-trip destination. It is expensive, has little to do and you must be part goat to get around as the town is on the side of a mountain. It is beautiful though from a distance. If you take the bus to Positano from Sorrento, get off at the second bus stop (Sponda) as it is a long very long walk down the mountain to the main village from the first bus stop. Amalfi is easy walking but whatever you do, do not miss Ravello (a 10 minute bus ride up the mountain from Amalfi). Have fun whatever you decide.<BR><BR>For a hotel in Rome I like the Hotel Julia. Costs about 75 euros, buffet breakfast, CNN tv, bus and metro within 3-5 minutes, walking distance to Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps is about 5-10 minutes, Pantheon about 15 minutes, Piazza Novona about 20 minutes, Termini station about 20 minutes.<BR>Have a great time.<BR>http://www.travel.it/roma/julia/<BR><BR>Larry J<BR><BR>

Agree strongly with all of the above- check Rick Steves' book for details on how to do it but it really is not difficult to use public transportation. Train to Naples where you go downstairs to the circumvasia train to Sorrento. Also stops at Pompeii. From Sorrento take the SITA bus-bagguge storage under bus. Busses are frequent. Must purchase ticket before boarding from tabbacaria at train station- very cheap. If T. shop is closed as it was when I was there- closed from about 1:00 to 4:00 like many shops- then go to one of the restaurants on the main street to buy tickets. I stayed at Hotel Cappucinni Convento- a bit of a splurge for me at $120 for a single including dinner at their gourmet restaurant but worth it. For classical concerts in Ravello see www.rcs.amalficoast.it. Again, don't drive the amalfi Coast- leave it to the professionals- the bus drivers! then you can sit back and enjoy the views. In Rome look into staying at a convent. They are cheap and clean but come with a curfew usually 10:30 or 11pm. www.santasusanna.org/comingtorome/convents. I have stayed at the one on Via Sistina and will stay there again in May.

Hi Sadie,<BR> I agree about not driving from Rome to Positano.<BR> If you have a problem with luggage, you could train to Naples and hire a car to take you to your hotel on the coast. About 80 - 90 E.<BR> If Sorrento doesn't appeal, you might look into Praiano. It's abt 3 mi from Positano and 4 mi to Amalfi.

Our itinery was Rome, Naples, Capri, and various towns on the Amalfi Coast. We took the train to Naples -- a pleasant not too long journey. Then we rode the hydrofoil to Capri, and then the hydrofoil from Capri to Sorrento, where we rented a car, which we had for 2+ weeks. <BR>This plan worked out very nicely for us. We avoided the horrendous traffic of Rome and Naples, yet were able to pull off the road whenever we chose for views or lunch. The Amalfi Coast road is narrow and full of curves but I had no trouble with it and. at almost 70 years old, I'm a cautious and non-risk taking driver.<BR>However, if Postriano is the only place you are going to visit, I recommend taking the train all the way there from Rome.<BR>Lastly, on our first visit to Rome we stayed at The Carriage Hotel which is a three minute walk to the Spanish Steps. It's a moderately priced hotel and quite comfortable, although nothing special.

We skipped the rental car, and boy were we glad! We usually rent cars in europe, but after doing research on this region it seemed like a hassle. So we used a combination of private transfers, taxis, and public transportation which all worked great. We were glad through traffic, narrow winding roads, and crazy drivers that we were not the ones driving. We were free to gaze out at the sights. I'm sure if we rented a car every place would've taken us twice as long to get to, and my husband &amp; I would've probably gotten into huge fights..... Also, in the end we calculated what it would've cost to rent a car (including gas, parking), and it was the same or cheaper the way we did it.

I agree with other authors, you must visit Ravello - quiet, peaceful and beautiful (that was in August). It is worth paying the entrance fee to walk round Rufolo Gardens (just off the square) The view from these gardens will stay with me forever - this is where they hold classical concerts. I was only a weekend in the Amalfi coast, using Sorrento as my base, I visited Herculaneum, Capri and did a tour of the Amalfi coast - hope to return in the future. Ravello was my favourite place.<BR>Enjoy your holiday.