Arriving in Rome
 

We are scheduled to arrive at FCO at 4:15pm on a Friday. We will be renting a car and driving south towards Amalfi, our destination. I'm guessing that it will take an hour or so to get through customs/immigration and get the car, so we might be on the road around 5:30 - 6:00. Does that sound about right?
I would like to drive about 30-60 minutes and stay in a small quiet town. I've been looking at Palestrina but wonder if there will be heavy traffic leaving Rome on a Friday evening on the ring road and A1. The last thing I want to do after a long flight is get stuck in traffic!
Any other suggestions?

We once arrived at Rome FCO late afternoon, picked up a hire car (heading for Arrezzo) and did indeed get stuck in heavy traffic on the ring road - for c.1.5-2 hrs I think. Once we were on the A1 we were fine, though. If you only want to drive up to 30-60 minutes anyway, you could consider just staying the night somewhere on that side of Rome - maybe Ostia Antica or even Fiumicino itself. Although even knowing what it was like, we would still prefer to get on with our journey. Mind you, we were only coming from the UK - are you arriving on a much longer flight and so will be tired already ?

When I do a trip like this I like to get a lot of miles under my belt the 1st day so that I can get to my real destination early on day 2. A stop en-route would be for convenience sake, not quaint/enjoyment. Clean, comfortable, and not out of the way to find.

This is a tough one. I'd go stir crazy just staying near FCO or Ostia Antica knowing that I had a 4hr drive the next day, not 2.

I'd also go stir crazy sitting on ring road traffic for 1-2hrs just to get 30miles down the road to Palestrina - all that wait for very little net gain.

So I guess for me I'd probably risk the traffic on the ring road knowing I could get stuck but also hoping it'd not be too bad. I'd also go farther than Palestrina and find a point 1/2 way between Rome and Naples.

Thanks for the responses. I agree that it would be good to get the travel out of the way, but we'll have left Boston (via Heathrow) on Thursday evening so will be operating on rather little sleep. So if we can expect the traffic to be heavy in the evening, I'm inclined to take the advice of staying near Ostia and getting an early start the next day. I assume Saturday morning will be quieter on the roads. Yes?

Hi JS - Rather than risking the heavy traffic/jet-lag combo, have you considered taking the train instead?

You could rent the car elsewhere ... and avoid the potential problems of driving from FCO.

Steve

If you are going to have been travelling since the previous evening you shouldn't drive at all - stay the night in an airport hotel.

I like Steve's suggestion a lot. Take a train from FCO to Rome Termini (approx 30 minutes), train from Rome to NAples (about 90 minutes) and finally a train from Naples to Sorrento (about 70 minutes). You'll be in hotel in Sorrento well before 9pm and can rent a car there the next morning.

Gosh, it would be very odd NOT to hit traffic. I live in Rome and also often leave for the weekends and Friday traffic getting out of the city is awful - wouldn't want to attempt it jet-lagged. That being said, Palestrina is very nice. The town museum's Roman mosaic of the flooding of the Nile alone makes it a worthy trip.

bardo1, setting aside the fact they are going to Amalfi not Sorrento, those timings would only work if they were able to make each connection instantly. OTOH they may not make it at all - I wouldn't risk it.

<i>setting aside the fact they are going to Amalfi not Sorrento</i>

I agree that absolutely needs to be set aside - since the trains don't go to Amalfi. I was simply trying to get OP as far as train would get them before needing to rent the car.

Actually, we were planning to split our time between Amalfi and Sorrento. I'm not that interested in Sorrento itself but figured that day trips would be easier from there to Pompeii, Naples (by boat or train) and Caserta. So the idea of taking a train and renting a car later might work. Any thoughts on how long that would take?

I would consider taking the train to Salerno, have a great meal, get arest, rent the car the next morning -- or simply take public transportation (bus or ferry) to other towns, ruins or islands that are your destination.

You could also take a train directly to Pompeii (where there are two highly regarded restaurants), wake up the next morning, stow your luggage, tour the site, take the train to Salerno by 6pm to pick up a car rental and drive to Amalfi if you are determined to rent a car (which you probably don't really need, and they are expensive). How many in your party? Do you drive stickshift (on no sleep?) The area surrounding Rome and south is some of the most traffic-intense and driver-challenging in Italy.

There are 4 of us (2 couples) which makes car rental more reasonable. I'm actually a pretty good driver -- even on limited sleep -- and drive a stick; although I was thinking I might go with an automatic given the hills of Amalfi. I have rented a car at FCO on a previous visit and drove (not in Rome) up through Tuscany and Florence. Driving was not bad, parking in Florence a nightmare.
In thinking about it further, I'm not sure I like the idea of carting luggage and changing trains. Not as dangerous as driving on little sleep but not much more fun either. However, Salerno might be a good option as that means one less change.
As another option ... suppose we do get a car, stay near the airport and head out the next morning. Any clues about traffic on Saturday mornings?
Thanks to all for the advice!

Traffic-wise, Saturday morning is a much better option, particularly as "beach season" has pretty much come to a close and the exodus of Romans going to the beaches (in exactly the direction you are travelling), has slowed to a trickle. I wouldn't exactly compare the driving from Rome to Florence (a short, easy drive on the A1) and the organized towns of Tuscany, with the driving in the Amalfi coast, which requires much more concentration. I think you will be happy for your evening of rest. Buon viaggio!

'I'm actually a pretty good driver -- even on limited sleep'

No disrespect, JS ... but lots of people think the same.

A case in point just this week - a family who flew to N. Zealand.
Dad apparently fell asleep at the wheel. He killed his wife, grandaughter and cousin.

If you don't want to take the train, I think staying near Rome is a much better idea ...

JMHO ...

Steve

"There are 4 of us (2 couples) which makes car rental more reasonable" - do you think you'll be able to get 4 of you and your luggage in one car ?

I expect that we can fit into a compact or standard-sized car without too much difficulty -- just have to be judicious in our packing. We'll probably stay away renting a SMART car and Mini Cooper. I'll check with the rental company before reserving to make certain.
We will not attempt to drive when arriving, whether due to traffic or risk of life-and-limb. We'll either stay over near the airport and head out the next day, or take a train to Salerno that night. We can always rent a car for a couple of days in Salerno or Sorrento for trips to more remote places (e.g., Caserta).

Don't sweat the size of your rental. Even if it turns out everything doesn't fit, they will GLADLY upgrade you to a larger car, SUV, or minivan (at an upgraded price...).

I agree with Caroline. You might have a tough time with 4 plus luggage in a compact even if you pack very very light. Have you been to Amalfi before? Driving on the Amalfi coast is bad enough with a compact car, but if you have to upgrade to a standard it will be really tough. Either way, you as the driver will not be able to enjoy the ride. You might think of buses, aliscafi or hiring drivers. Taxi's are too expensive. If you're staying in the village of Amalfi they have an aliscafo dock right there to go all over. We're experienced drivers in Italy and tight twisty roads like Ischia and the Amalfi drive doesn't scare us but we don't drive it so we can all enjoy the trip.

If you are staying near the airport, you would do very well to arrange things so you can visit Ostia Scavi, and eat in the town of Ostia Antica (a stone's throw from the ruins) at a restaurant called Monumento to eat their cappalletti

http://www.deliciousitaly.com/ristorante.php?id=10

If your crowd is funky and fun and up to some risk taking, book at the Hotel Rodrigo de Vivar right in Ostia Antica. It gets wildly uneven reviews on Tripadvisor. I stayed there and had a lot of fun, but it is definitely a quirky, one-man's-obsession place (absolutely clean) in a very, very atmospheric spot. If your crowd tends to want Marriott-type comforts, the Marriott is nearby and not bad -- or you can check out reviews on Tripadvisor for Ostia Lido for hotels right on the beach.

But wherever you stay, make arrangements to visit Ostia Scavi before you go.

Hey Zeppole --
You've piqued my curiosity! We are definitely more the fun and funky vs. Marriott types, but what do you mean by "risk taking" or -- for that matter -- funky?
And thanks for the restaurant recommendations.

The place is perfectly clean but it's really quite a storied place and the rooms are quirky. It's a true medieval borgo that became something of an artist's colony. Some of the rooms are named after authors or filmmakers or actors who lived there. It's the kind of big old place that it really almost impossible to keep going, except as a hopeless labor of love. You find old second hand pieces of mismatched furniture -- but it has old attic charm.

By "risk taking" I meant that some people really don't want stairs that creak, or an old armoire with a broken bit, or some other oddity. You may be the only people there off season. Half the borgo is occupied by permanent residents, and it's not clear what anybody is doing there. You are not going to find trendy bath products and the showers may be hand held in some rooms.

But you'll be safe and maybe have funny experiences. The actual borgo of Ostia has quite a history, with a three-sided fortress, a legend of Constatine's mother being buried there (poke your head in the church) and it's all so tiny. It's like an island of antiquity surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Fiumicino and ridiculousness of the Lido at the beach.

Here are some pictures

http://www.ostiaantica.net/borgo.php

the entrance to the hotel rodrigo de vivar is on the left

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...borgo_2515.JPG

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ca...n_Ostia_Antica

The room we stayed in with friends at Rodrigo de Vivar was actually the top floor of a small apartment, with two bedrooms separated by a common sitting room. It was ideal.

Ahh, now I see. Not a problem. Creaky stairs and mismatched furniture would feel more like home. Sounds quite interesting. Thanks for the links.

I see now that I didn't respond to Ann. No, we've never been to Amalfi, so I don't really know what the driving is like there.
We will strongly consider public transportation for at least the Amalfi-coast section of our travels. But if buses navigate the roads successfully, shouldn't it be possible to drive a standard-sized car?

This is helpful -- but it has a soundtrack:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsv7rMEJx3M

Problem is that the driver won't see anything.

DY is an excellent driver and has driven some very challenging areas in Italy. He could have driven the Amalfi coast area when we were there; certainly he had the skill and experience. But if you are driving, you are definitely not able to enjoy the view. So let someone else do the driving, be it SITA bus or hired car. You will really want to enjoy the scenery.

All I can say is watch the wonderful "youtube" that Zeppole posted. It's great! In some cases it's even very mild for what you can come up to. Yes the buses go down most of the roads, but there are some that they can't fit. Let me tell you....in some of the tight areas meeting up with a bus is the problem of having a standard size car.

As I mentioned before, as MartaD and Zeppole backed me up on is the fact that the driver can not enjoy the drive. My husband and I are excellent drivers in tight spots in Italy also, and we wouldn't mind driving Amalfi, but we don't because we won't enjoy it. You will see. Believe us....we've been there many times.

One more thing.....parking....there is very little parking and you may have to miss something because there's nowhere to put the car.

I really enjoyed the youtube. Thanks Zeppole! However, I'm not sure it had its desired effect as the driving did not seem sooo bad, and I think I've done worse (e.g., the hills of Tortola). And I hear what everyone has said about missing views but, on the other hand, we plan to do hiking on the many trails in the area and so will have many opportunities for views. I AM concerned about parking and I hadn't considered that we might need a larger car, which would make having one on the coast more problematic.
This all has been a very helpful discussion and my current plan is to take the train from the airport to Salerno, spend the night, and then bus to Amalfi. I like the idea of staying in Atrani, and the places we're looking at have no parking. After a few days in Amalfi, we'll bus to the other side of peninsula, near Sorrento (I've found an attractive agriturismo) and that will be closer for day trips (with or without car) to Naples, Capri, Pompeii, etc.
So, thanks to all, our plans are shaping up nicely.

jskb: I did mention on the Youtube video, "It's great! In some cases it's even very mild for what you can come up to." I know those roads in Tortola that you are talking about. The difference is that they have woods and dirt on the sides of the roads and don't have Italian drivers to deal with. Amalfi has rock and more rock on the sides of the road.

I think what you decided is excellent. As I mentioned the parking is miserable along the coast. From Sorrento you can rent a car, but for the things you want to do, the train and aliscafi are right in town and easy to get to. If you want to stop on the way to Pompeii, a car is good. Allow enough time for Pompeii. It has more than you might expect. If you decide to hike Vesuvius, Ercolano is the same stop on the train. Vesuvius you go up the hill and Ercolano you go down the hill. Have fun!

jskb, your current plan looks good ! Ann, you mentioned the rock but not the sheer drop :-)

:-) Yes, Caroline you are correct. Phew, that is a drop!! :-)