Leaving this Friday for Italy and flying into Rome. The original plan was to pick up the rental car at the Rome airport and drive to Montalcino & explore Tuscany by car for three days, then return the car in Chiusi and take the train to Naples or Salerno and get to Positano by bus or ferry. However, the friend I'm travelling with loves to drive and is lobbying for us to keep the car and drive from Montalcino to Positano. We will be staying in Positano for three nights and would then drive back up to the Rome airport and return the car there. I have already told her that lots of people advise against driving on the Amalfi coast, but she wants the flexibility of having a car, e.g. for visiting Ravello, and points out that having a car would make it much easier to stop at Pompei on the way back up to Rome from Positano. Our hotel in Positano has parking available for 25,000 lire per day. I am torn. Does anyone have any idea how long it would take to drive from Montalcino to Positano? (I'm guessing around 6 hours?) Any advice about the best route?

Keep the car. We drove from Umbria and headed to Ravello. We left around 10am, stopped in Cassino to tour the war cemeteries, then again in Casserta and did the royal palace there. Still made it to Ravello before dark. We left from Torgiano (Montalcino should be a little easier)--and it was about 3.5 hours to Casserta and then another hour and half to Ravello. It will probably will a little longer to Positano. We went over the mountain to Ravello instead of along the coast. Try www.mappy.fr--I've used it all over Europe to route driving directions/times, etc. <BR> <BR>Make sure you have nerves of steel for driving along the coast. We had a blast. Turn your side mirrors in and drive like the Italians!

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Thanks Lori for the encouragement and the tip about the mirrors!

Lisa, <BR> <BR>I agree with the above, and concur that perhaps a stop at Casserta would be a great find. <BR> <BR>Having the flexiblity of a car on the Amalfi Coast is a luxury few people enjoy. Just think of the possibilities: <BR> <BR>Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Vietre Su Mare, Salerno and on and on . . . if and when you want to do them. <BR> <BR>Do the car, you will not regret it.

Thanks for the suggestion about Casserta; I will look into it.

Remember, it's summer and peak tourist season. Once you arrive on the Amalfi Coast the roads will be a mess!

Hello Lisa, <BR> <BR>I have to agree with Terry - in August the Amalfi Coast is one big traffic jam. The best and quickest way to get around is by boat ... <BR> <BR>Steve

Don't drive far on the Amalfi on the weekend if possible - traffic jams on the weekend are hours long. I think sundays were worse but ask you hotel when you get there. There is a back way out of Ravello if that is your departure day.

We would be driving from Montalcino to Positano on Tuesday, and driving from Positano to Pompeii to Rome on a Friday. I will look into that "back way" out of Ravello that you mentioned.

We used the "back way" a couple of times from Maiori. It was as winding as the coast road, but very few cars (in May). You go through a lot of vertical lemon groves (you'll know what I mean when you see it). It is a fun and pretty drive, until you get to the other side to the A3(?) I think it was A3. Then it is a straight shot to the "beltway" around Rome.

Driving the Amalfi Coast <BR>Lisa--Have topped for you and your friend some humorous observations about driving the A.C. based on my own experiences there--see "Rules for Driving the Amalfi Coast". (Was going to suggest a text search, but search function is not operating reliably, and I thought you might not have the time to fool w. it in view of your imminent departure.) Be sure to call your friend's attention to Christina's Rule #3 which pretty much sums up driving in Italy in general. You might note also the exchange w. BillJ re. side view mirrors. In short, driving is the best way to enjoy the ENTIRE A.C. experience. It was one of the most exhilirating things I have done in a long time. You will have a blast!