Driving along Amalfi coastline
 

My brother and I are headed to this area in October '05. We fly into Rome, will rent a car, and drive immediately south along the coast. We are aggressive drivers, looking for great cuisine, wine, cheese, and want to see these tiny scenic towns along the coastline, then possibly drive north inland on our return to Rome.

We have a week and a couple days. Ready to stay at hotels, and soak up all the culture we can. Not too keen on historic sites. I've gotten many suggestions already and we've researched quite extensively, but want to hear from others.

Please give any ideas you can (things to skip/things not to miss), and also any tips on insurance for car rentals and reservations for cars, hotels, restaurants (and parking in these tiny towns!). thanks in advance,....

Dear clem,

You have a very, very broad and general question.

Do you have any idea of where you are going, how long you will stay and what you want to do?

Other than that you will be in Italy?

((I))

Thanks for the reply Ira. We'll be in Italy the whole time, drive near Positano, Ravello, Sorrento, Amalfi, Praiano. We're focused on food, wine, restaurants. Good restaurants/eateries not to miss???? Or wineries?

I've read lots of threads about car rentals. Insurance or no insurance? Autoeurope or go directly to the actual company like Hertz/Avis? Excellent hotels or great little spots to stay in around those little towns? Is driving inland on the way back to Rome a good idea/worth it?

For auto rental, check out autoeurope.com which we almost always use -- good prices, good cars, good service. As for insurance, check with your credit card. A few will insure in Italy, but not all. Remember that you must initiate the car reservation with the card you want insurance from, and complete the transaction with the same card. Otherwise, buy the extra CDW and theft insurance through the car rental agency. We've driven the Amalfi coast twice and it's breathtaking -- and not too scary if you are, as you say, agressive (but always prudent!). I leave it to others to advise on cuisine, hotels, etc. Enjoy!

thanks CRCKWC. I have an AMEX and plan to find out the details of insurance with them, though I don't think they insure when in Italy. I've checked out autoeurope, just wanted to hear confirmations that it was worth using them.

Have you stayed in any of the small towns I mentioned? Do you regard any as not to miss or some you can skip? We don't need huge tourist traps, we just want to mingle with locals and eat great food.

Hi, clemrjo, We stayed in Sorrento both times and it is quite touristy and the traffic is heavy. However, we stayed in a hotel up on the hill over the city where it was quiet and peaceful. The hotel was nothing special but adequate for our needs. Staying in Sorrento was ideal for us because it was central for driving to the sites we are interested in -- historical ruins primarily. From what you say, I think you would like a place in one of the coastal towns, one with perhaps a fine restaurant and great view. Like I said, I must heave those recommendations to others who have been there. Whatever one's primary interests, the Amalfi coast is awsome and I know you will enjoy every moment. Post a trip report when you return. Once more, I highly recommend Auto Europe. We've used them many times and once they were quite helpful in sorting out and correcting an improper charge made by the local agency.

I think it's time you did some research. All of the towns you have mentioned "Positano, Ravello, Sorrento, Amalfi, Praiano" are all very close together (with Sorrento on the Naples side). You could drive through them all in less than 1 1/2 hrs non-stop if you wanted. Each has good to great restaurants etc etc. Search on each town & you will get lots of suggestions & ideas & that might help you refine your trip a little. Then we can help you more. And yes, AutoEurope is very good. Fair pricing & easy to use.

Ian

Hi C,

driving maps and directions are at www.mappy.com and www.viamichelin.com.

We stayed in Praiano when we were there.

AMEX will not insure you in Italy as CDW is mandatory.

See my trip report for details about the AC.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

((I))

thanks Ira.

I've read tons of threads on the coastline and continue searching for diff hotels, restaurants, etc. Not sure what town we're going to stay in, but we're intent on driving ourselves. I know the difficulty this poses and the parking problem. Speaking of, do we have to leave our car outside of Positano or these other small towns? Are there parking lots near the towns, besides paying extra to park at hotels?

I'm not sure, but I think that parts of Positano are closed to traffic.

Parking on the AC in Oct should be mildly difficult, but not as bad as in the Summer.

((I))

We were in Positano the end of May and had no trouble with parking. On street parking, at the top of the town was available for short term parking.

We opted to park in one of the many small pay lots..where you leave the key and they park for you.

Just be aware that you can;t really be an aggressive driver on the Amalfi Drive. The road and traffic conditions are such that it will be a miracle if you get over about 35 mph. (The road is incredibly twisty and turny, with two very narrow lanes and no shoulders. Slow traffic in front of you - passing is NOT possible - and large vehicles coming towards you - as well as lots of blind driveways will slow you down.)

If you want to do fast, aggressive driving you need to save that for the autostradas - that have the proper conditions for it. Just don;t run afoul of any Italian police - they can take infractions (not signaling, cuttting in and out, tailgating, etc VERY seriously) since the higher speeds make them much more dangerous.

(Not sure what you mean by "aggressive" driving - europeans in general drive fast - but IMHO much better/more safely than in the US - in my books this is not "aggressive".

As someone that learned to drive in Boston....aggressive doesn't always mean speed.

It can also mean taking the right of way or passing in tight spots. While driving in Italy , I learned to expect cars to pass on 2 lane roads and not move over for oncoming cars....making it a 3 lane road.