How is this Itinerary for Italy?
 

3 of us (2 adults and 1 child age 11) will be traveling to Italy next June. This will be our second trip to Italy. Our first trip included 3 nights in Rome, 3 in Tuscany, 3 in Venice with additional nights in Lake Garda and the Dolomites. What we learned from that trip was that we wanted more time in Rome and to spend some additional time in Siena. This trip will include the Amalfi coast. Since it will be more cost effective to fly into and out of Rome (instead Of Naples) This is what I
was planning. Let me know what you think.
Arrive at Rome airport and pick up a car
Drive to Siena and spend 2 nights
Drive to Assisi and spend 1 night
Drive to Paestrum. Spend 2 nights (since the drive would take most of the first day)
Drive the Amalfi Coast and stop at Positano. Stay for 2 nights
Drive to Sorrento spend 4 nights (base for Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples)I thought we would drop the car off in Sorrento since we would take the train/ferry to all the places.
Take train up to Rome spend 5 nights.
Does this sound like a pretty go itinerary?

Sounds great. I agree you should use public transportation in Sorrento.

Since you are going to be in Paestum, you might check into having visiting Castellabate di Santa Maria on the morning of the day you are driving up to Positano, and perhaps even linger until lunch.

One thing you want to do is make sure that everybody has all their food settled before hitting the most winding part of the Amalfi Drive (between Amalfi and Positano). If your child is subject to motion sickness, I'd put him in the front seat to reduce the risk.

nessundorma,
Do you know the driving time from Sorrento to Paestum? We will be renting a car. I have been on Amalfi with a friend driving. WOW !!!!
Thank you

What time of year are you going?

I believe (but am not positive) that you have two choices leaving Sorrento: One is to take the Amalfi Drive itself and the other is to cut behind the mountains, and cut back toward the coast at Salerno or Eboli.

nessundorma,
I just saw your reply after the longest time.. sorry

We will be there in Oct.

thanks

I really don't know the driving time, but in October, you won't have a lot of traffic. On the other hand, you never know when the road will be affected by something else that blocks traffic.

Between Amalfi (the town) and Salerno the road is not anywhere near a winding as it is from Amalfi to Positano, if that helps.

I suggest you plug in your two addresses in mappy.com and then add an hour to account for winding roads, slow trucks and finding parking.

Nessundorma, Shhhhhh - don't tell everybody about Santa Maria di Castellabate - everybody will want to go there !

I find parts of Agropoli very pleasant - particularly near the castle. Then the drive down past Catellabate, along the coast to Acciaroli is quite pleasant

Hi B,

>it will be more cost effective to fly into and out of Rome (instead Of Naples)...<

Have you checked airfares at www.kayak.com?

Check driving times at www.viamichelin.com as well.

Have you looked into parking in Positano?

Instead of staying two nights in Positano, you could just stay in Sorrento, get rid of the car, and visit Positano as a daytrip.

Alternatively, you could stay in Positano and drop the car. There are ferrys to Capri, to Naples and to Sorrento from where you take the Circumsuviana to Pompeii.

You can also get to Sorrento by SITA bus.

Have a nice visit.

((I))

I agree with nessund, I first visited S.Maria di Castellabate with my family in '81 when I was a child, we returned for the following 2 years. In 1999 I went with my husband (he to fell in love with the place) and famly. We have since had holidays in Amalfi, Tuscany & Umbria,as beautiful as they all were none have had the impact on me like S.Maria. Next year we have booked to go to San Marco about 5km down the road as the accomodation is a little cheaper, we cant wait to introduce our children to the area and we hope that they too will fall in love with the place. Whether it is because we have always gone in August and we are there on the 15th for the saints day celebrations, or just the atmosphere in general I dont know but there is certainly something there that keeps me going back.