We are traveling to Italy in October, and being geographically challenged, need some help. We are staying in Florence, and then traveling to Tuscany for a week. We want to rent a car while in Tuscany and thought we would rent in Florence our last day there and drive directly to Tuscany. We then have plans to go to Capri, then Ravello and on to Rome. Do we drop the car off in Tuscany, or drive to Naples and then take a ferry to Capri? How then do we travel to Ravello and then to Rome? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Drive as far as Sorrento to drop the car and ferry to Capri, but check the schedules. Use local transport on the coast--both boats and bus. Take the train from Naples back to Rome, or if you end in Ravello then you may want to train from Salerno.

FYI - Florence is in Tuscany.

Don't attempt to drive or return a car in Naples. The driving is crazy there.

To clarify, after leaving Florence we will be going to Locanda dell'Amorosa in Sinalunga. thanks for your imput.

Good for you--you will love it.
Get the car from Autoeurope at 888-223-5555 and ask for a quote on a Kemwel rental as well. They will qoute both.

msellie:

Just a suggestion for the Geographically Challenged, as you say. Easy cure...get a map. Even a simple Italy map from AAA...or a more detailed one at any travel store or Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc. Guide books usually have good local maps, and one or two showing the entire country.

Sounds like a lovely trip you have planned...but if you plan to do a lot more traveling, you've got to "know the territory".

Have a fun time....and discipline yourselves to only ONE gelato per day...ahem!

stu T. (we expect to be in Venice and Florence in late October...we just can't stay away from Italia!)

Bob's suggestions are probably the best option. Drop the car in Naples - as far from the center as possible! It is insane driving - I have done it. Dropping in Salerno actually might be a better option. Then ferry http://www.capri.net/en/ship-timetable or high speed boat http://www.capri.com/en/c/capri-boats-transfer to Capri. Return to Amalfi & bus or taxi up the short drive to Ravello. To Roma, just train in from Salerno.

Ian

I agree with bobtn that dropping the car in Sorrento is your best bet. You can go from Sorrento to Capri, then Capri to Amalfi (just below Ravello) by boat. From Ravello, you can boat, bus or taxi to Salerno for your train to Rome.

t

Wow, thanks for all the replies. We do plan on having a map. My dh usually does the driving, and I do the "directing". Being so challenged, however, and, I hate to admit it, I can't seem to read a map. I am thinking of getting gps for the trip. I have such a bad sense of direction, that I've even made many wrong turns using our GPS at home.

HMM, one gelato a day...that's a tough one.