Looking for some advice. My husband and I are traveling to Italy for the first time. We are traveling from Rome to Amalfi in a rental car. Is it true that the driving is crazy? Or will we be fine?
Thanks.

Will you be driving in Rome? If so, be prepared! You don't say where you currently live and what your experience level is in driving in any big city, like NY, Boston, Chicago,etc. IMO Rome is worse than any of them if for no other reason than the zillions of Vespas that weave in and out of fast moving traffic.

I've not visited the Amalfi coast so I can't comment on that, but I'm sure you can do a search and find many comments.

I did not drive IN Rome, but found the "horrors" of Italy driving to be overrated. I had no major problems in Italy.

My rule on Europe driving is NO big cities. So in Italy I picked up the car in Siena, in Paris at the airport etc.

Well, by my standards it's pretty crazy, and I've been driving in Europe for 30+ years. Especially in the cities. It helps to just stay calm, go with the flow, and stay in the right-hand lane on the autostrade if you value your life.

Driving in center cities is different - since they are hundreds if not thousands of years old, mostly one way street, few traffic lights and most intersections operate on the "chicken" principle.

Once you hit the higways driving is much easier - if faster than in the US. Europeans on the whole drive better (since it's much harder to get a license), take it more seirously and follow the rules.

The primary rule is to always drive on the right. If you try to drive in the left lane you will be constantly pushed over by cars coming up behind you at high speed blinking lights and sounding horn. When passing, enter the left lane decisively, pass briskly - no dawdling - and return immediately to the right.

And before you go make sure you have a good, complete set of maps - both Michelin for larger ares and street maps (driving, not walking) for eaach town you'll be in.

Also - realisze almost all parkng is parallel - not head in - and you need to be prepared to park in a space very little bigger than the car. (If you don;t parallel park a lot now, practice before you go - in small spaces and from both sides (streets are one way so you may have to park with the driver next to the curb).

But - really - if you're a good and confident driver you should have no problems. We always do road trips and find it much more fun than in the US - since you have the rare opportunity to drive fast cars fast - without the huge amount of traffic we have (at least here in the NE).

The Amalfi Coast road is narrow and twisty. Sometimes buses have to back up (hanging out over the void) to get around a curve. The driver of your car needs to keep his eyes strictly on the road, so he will not be admiring the view.

I don't remember this on the Amalfi coast but on curvy mountain roads in the north, Italian drivers would pass on blind curves. We kept coming around the curve expecting to see a big crash, but no, not that time.

I couldn't recommend driving from Rome to the Amalfi coast as your first Italian driving experience. (And hopefully you would avoid Naples, a story in itself.) There is good public transportation on the Amalfi coast, buses and boats, that would be much more relaxing.

Is it true that the driving is crazy? Or will we be fine?

Both. It's crazy. And you'll be fine!

That said, we prefer trains. We've only driven in Italy once, and we had no problems. But we prefer train travel in Europe. We like the forced social interaction, the relaxing time on the train, and just the whole gestalt, from reading the schedules to purchasing tickets to negotiating routes to having a cappuccino in the dining car.

Also, I think it helps if you've driven in LA or the Bay Area or NYC area. My husband actually liked driving in Italy, because Italian drivers, like his native Angelenos, "drive like they mean it" (i.e., they know how to drive with the big boys!)

In any case, you are going to have a ball, of that I'm sure: Italy is fabulous, either by car or by train or by bus or (as I long ago did) by thumb!

Thanks for the help. We are from Boston so used to driving in a bit of a zoo. We will not be driving in Rome, just from Rome to Amalfi

My advice is stay alert. Cars are dangerous weapons and not just given out to untrained people. So no staring out of the window as you drink coffee and chat on the phone (leave that to italians).

Seriously though keep the pace steady, keep an eye out and keep away from centres of Naples and Rome. Good maps and an understanding of the rules (crossing points and round abouts) essential. Oh and traffic lights, no filter to the right unless there is a sign.

We just got back from driving in Tuscany. Compared to driving in Ireland, Italy is a piece of cake!!

carolsc

You should reconsider renting a car at all.
The buses/ferries/taxis will get you around - and then you dont need to worry about driving, parking, etc.
We ALWAYS rent a car wherever we go. We didnt on the Amalfi coast because of strong recommendations against it - and we didnt miss it!

Rome is difficult enough to navigate as many of the streets are one way.

Driving in Rome is a hairy experience and should not be compared with driving in the countryside in Tuscany etc. Though it is not as bad as driving in some other Italian cities. My worst expeniences were in Torino.

Driving the Amalfi coast is fine, but it is narrow and twisty in places and you will get natives driving up your bottom if you are going a bit slow.

Having said all that, its fun to drivie in Italy and its more dangerous looking than it actually is.

Hi MY,

>We are traveling from Rome to Amalfi in a rental car.<

Have you considered taking the train to Salerno and the ferry from Salerno to Amalfi?

The ferry docks are about 3 blks from the train station.

For Ferry schedules Positano – Amalfi - Salerno (P.zza della Concordia):
See http://tinyurl.com/j4ufa

I concur with Ira. Use public transportation to get to and from Rome and the Amalfi coast. Roadways are heavily trafficed with impatient truckers, car drivers and oversized buses. The Amalfi portion of the road is single laned and filled with ess turns, making the drive for the driver extremely unpleasant and nervous making for the passenger. What was probably once a very romantic thing to do no longer is...
Carol L

I, too, can't imagine why anyone would drive Rome to Amalfi when the train is faster, cheaper and more comfortable. And when you get to Sorrento the Sita busses are dependable transportation for the entire coast.

perhaps you can pick up your car at the airport outside of Rome? That would reduce the hassle of city traffic. also - try to get a navigation system, neverlost, etc for the car. We found it very useful in Italy.

All good advice so far, and as you can see some of it is a matter of opinion. One thing I can add:

We did just what you're asking about, and it worked out fine, but we made sure that we drove out of Rome on a Saturday morning, to avoid some of the craziness. Had no problems, so if it's possible for you to travel at that time, it'll work better for you.

I think some people are a little confused (the Amalfi Drive has thick stone walls all along the cliffs - and while buses may have to backup at a narrow spot of the rod - they back to a wider spot to let the other bus or truck pass - no one is hanging out over the cliff.

If you're from Boston and used to complicated one-way street patterns and city driving you should have no problems at all.

(I know some people are overfaced by this - but I've seen people overfaced by driving in NYC - when they realize that lane markers are optional and the driving room goes to whoever gets there first. I've also seen people from other oparts of the country who don;t have a clue how to park - but if you're used to a big city - not an issue.)

I took the roundtrp bus from Sorrento to Positano and if you're going to drive on that road, it seems necessary to HONK on a blind curve. Those buses are enormous for the lanes and we had some close squeezes, but it makes for an adventurous day! Have fun.

If you can drive - you can drive in Italy. It is really not hard. The Amalfi Coast road is nothing to worry about other than you may get a lot of trafic. If you are patient no problem. We drove out of Rome on a weekday. We had a GPS in the car though and it helped. But I had printed out a variety of maps just in case. Have fun