My husband and I will be renting a car and
driving from Florence to Umbria area and then on to Naples ending in Positano. Our
question is...how scary is it to drive (an
automatic) along that "hairpin", narrow road
along the Amalfi coast from Naples to Positano???? We have an option of getting
a driver in Naples to Positano which would
also put us in Positano for three days without a car. What would you suggest??
Thanks!!!! G.C.

The road is twisty but it isn't all that bad. However, I would highly recommend you get a driver for Naples to Positano. We did and thanked ourselves immensely for it. Parking is at a premium in Positano and frankly, you don't need a car there. If you did drive there, the car would likely sit idle for 3 days as there are plenty of ferries, buses, and taxis to get you wherever you want to go (and stress free at that). During our stay in Positano, we talked to other couples who had driven and wished they had chosen differently.

The drive is easy until you get past Sorrento on the actual Amalfi coast. I would drive to Sorrento--drop the car--and have the hotel send a car there, or take the local bus line that takes about :30.

I agree with Bob and add that it also depends what time of year you are going. We were there in October and the drive was fine but in nicer weather (i.e. summer) were were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic sucking exhaust fumes. In that case, I would definately go without a car. You won't need one on the A.C.

We just returned from Italy last night. I would rent a car. Watch out for Naples...it is a very dangerous area. I was attacked in the Europcar parking lot in mid day with the workers all around. My husband beat the guy and he ran away. The driving Rome North is beautiful. The driving Rome South is not so beautiful. There's alot of poverty south of Rome.

I was scared to rent a car and drive the Amalifi Coast after doing some reading on this site and I'm sooo glad we rented a car. The drive is not scary...it is beautiful. Just drive slowly. There's a guardrail along the coast. We drove from Sorrento to Positano. We only spent a few hours in Positano. Parking and driving around positano is very congested. I'm not sure what they would charge to park your car overnight. However, I think I would want a car if I were staying in Positano...it's pretty remote from everything else. You do need to drive everywhere.

Have fun.

Hi gab,

I suggest that you drop the car on arrival in Naples. Driving there is chaotic.

The Amalfi Coast road is congested and parking is difficult in positano and the other towns along the Coast.

You can train from Naples to Sorrento (1 hr) and bus to Positano (1/2 hr).

There is regular bus and ferry service between Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi-Sorrento.