We've never really driven in Europe before, well, except where there was only one main road and no junctions ! <BR> <BR>We want to hire a car for a day from Sorrento and then drive to Cilento - furthest up to Paestum. As we're not going all the way to Naples it should be a doddle, right?

It is not difficult to drive in Italy as long as you understand the law of the land and that is - The one that hits, is the one that pays. <BR> <BR>I drove from Zurich to Rome with no problem at all. The highways are nice (except for the tolls). <BR> <BR>The only thing you have to watch out for is impatient Italians. If you don't take off the second a red light turns green cars will go around you even if it means driving on sidewalks. <BR> <BR>It should be a breeze. <BR> <BR>Enjoy!!

I've driven only to Paestum ... a piece of cake. <BR> <BR>Take S145 past Castellamare di Stabia till you hit the A3/A45 Autostrada. Exit it south of Salerno (in Battipaglia) and take S18. You should be in Paestum in less than 1½ hours. <BR> <BR>Paulo

The one thing we noticed driving in Italy is that the Italians do seem to like to tailgate, regardless of how fast you are going. Seems to be in their blood. <BR> <BR>We also used the credit card gate to pay tolls and found this worked well. Saved waiting in some lines and fumbling for lira to pay. I think they were marked VIN or something like that. Drive in, slip your Visa in the slot and you are on the way. <BR> <BR>Get a good atlas with international signs in it. That will help you in knowing what the rules are.

I think this warning from my Navy "Welcome to Italy" class says it all: "Italians manufacture the fastest cars in the world, such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Only one percent of the men in Italy can afford to drive these fast cars, but the other 99 percent drive as though they have them too!"