Hello: We (my husband and I and 2 girls ages 10 & 16 )will be visiting Italy in June'06 and have some intial ideas for our 17 night itinerary. Would really appreciate any comments (pros/cons) re: the two options below. Obviously, open to new ideas as well. Some might say we have too many stops planned - we're just part of that group that feels we can get a better sense of a place if we spend a couple of nights there rather than day tripping - but again, I will apprecaite any and all comments.
Option A:
1.Fly to Naples (3 nights) 2. Pick up rental car when departing Naples 3. Visit Pompeii en route to Ravello. 4. Ravello (2 nights). 5. Positano (3 nights).6. Drop car in Sorrento. 7. Sorrento(2 nights). 8. Hydrofoil to Capri (3 nights). 9. Hydrofoil to Naples - hire a driver or take train to Rome. 10. Rome (4 nights). Depart Rome.
Questions include 2 or 3 nights in Naples? If I went w/ 2 I would give another night to Sorrento? Also, driver or train to Rome?
Option B:
1. Fly to Naples (2 nights). 2. Hydrofoil to Capri (3 nights). 3. Hydrofoil to Sorrento (3 nights). 4. Take train to visit Pompeii. 5. Pick up car upon departure from Sorrento.
6.Drive to Ravello(2 nights).7. Back to Positano (3 nights).8.Drop car in Sorrento and take train to Rome or hire a driver to Rome. 9. Rome (4 nights). 10. Depart Rome.

Hi Li,
I am perhapes not the best person to reply to this as I will be going to Revello for the first time in July (4 weeks today). However, I have done a lot of reading on the subject both here on Foder's and in guide books and nearly everyone says that a car in the Amalfi Coast area is not necessary and in fact can be a hindrance. I read one post that said the car stayed in aparking lot for most of the time (payable).

From what I have read public transport would appear to be very good and I have 2 quotes from drivers prepared to pick me up at Naples Airport and drive me to Ravello for 100/120 euro.
They know the roads which I understand can be very scarry and are willing to adapt to a given itinerary.

As I say I have not yet been and perhapes someone else will disagree but a driver and public transort might actually work out just as cost effectivly.

Hi LJ,

I've been to the Amalfi Coast before and I had the same immediate reaction to your itineary. WHY are you getting a car? Totally unnecessary and even undesirable. Parking is very difficult to come by.

Either itin. looks good to me. I think you would enjoy a car if you are going exploring up in the mountains and visiting some of the towns up there, or if you go to Pasteum or back to Massa Lubrense. If you are just going to stay on the Amalfi Coastal road you won't need a car and parking in June will not be easy.

I don't think you have too many stops if that is how you like to travel, go for it, we're all different. Another thing to think about is hauling your luggage on and off of crowded buses if you don't have a car. You could always take a taxi in that case.

lj, a couple of quick thoughts. Yes, I think you're making too many stops. Some of the places are pretty close. Mind you, I normally travel with my 4 children so avoid the pack-up-and-move as much as possible. I'd suggest staying in Positano and visiting Ravello, but that's really personal choice (actually I'd rather stay in Amalfi, but that wasn't one of your options). But listen to what the other posters have said - don't take a car. The public transport is very good and the buses are fun. The road is pretty scary and I believe very busy in summertime.

Also, I would suggest not visitng Pompeii on your way to Ravello, as it takes a whole day to wander around, and then you'll get into Ravello pretty late. Better to visit from either Naples or Sorrento (preferred), as in your Option B.

Oh, and the train to Rome is fine - no need to spend money on a driver to take you there.

Have a great trip!

Thanks everyone, so much, for your input. I actually should have made mention of the car issue in my 1st post. I too have read all of the comments relative to having a car - or not. I actually changed our timing from a July trip to June hoping that the crowds might be a wee bit smaller, making car travel somewhat easier. We like to explore and I also felt it would be easier for our family, with the luggage and 2 girls, to do some of the transport by car. I've tried to limit the time w/ a car. Ugh, I guess I still don't have this part nailed down.
Any thoughts about hiring a driver to Rome vs. hiring a driver ( again, cosidering the luggage and children)?
Cambe - have a wonderful trip!

Thanks Guykb. We were both typing at the same time. So maybe the train to Rome? How about transport from Naples to Ravello - driver as cambe suggests?
Just curious - why do you prefer Amalfi to Positano?
Thanks again..........

I think your option B plan is better mainly because the train from Sorrento is a better way to see Pompeii. In addition to what guykb said about the timing, I would not want to leave my car in the Pompeii lot with luggage in it.

But I would not rent a car in Sorrento either. If you don't want to take the bus with luggage, hire a driver to take you down the Amalfi Coast. We didn't use a guide, but I understand there are quite a few good guide-drivers in the area, so perhaps you could combine a guided day trip from Sorrento with being dropped at your hotel in Ravello or Positano. Or just hire a driver to take you from Sorrento to your hotel without the tour. Either way, you'll probably spend less than you would on a rented car. Take the bus or boat to get around from town to town once you're in your hotel.

We were on the AC in November and even then the traffic was pretty bad, and we only drove as far as Sorrento. As far as getting back to Rome, you can certainly take the train, or if you prefer, rent a car in Sorrento and drive back, dropping the car in Rome.

lj, as others have suggested you can easily hire a car and driver from Naples. The way we did it (my wife and I and 4 children, including 2 about the same age as yours), was catch the train from Rome to Salerno and get the bus there to Amalfi. We found the whole bus/luggage thing to be quite OK - there is a big area underneath that they open up for you, and the drivers are very patient while you get things on and off. Mind you, if money is not a problem, the car/driver option would be more relaxing (but then again you get more local flavour on the bus). I think the terminus is at Almalfi, so to get to Positano you either catch a train from Naples to Sorrento then a bus from Sorrento to Positano, or as I mentioned you get the bus from Salerno to Amalfi then change buses at Amalfi, so all in all this may be a bit more awkward.

Why Amalfi? Well, it's less touristy, more Italian (in that more locals live there - there's a school for example). Also, we went in winter and Positano is very quiet then. It's easier for public transport, has (I think) a nicer harbour and has lots of nice walks up behind it (which Positano may also have - don't know). Mind you, you're probably more likely to see the rich and famous at Positano.

Hi Li,

If your interested this is the website for one of the drivers I got a quote from (i've deleted the other)
www.francescomarrapese.com

Also, if you do a check here you will find lots of others.

have a great trip

I am making the same journey in September, and I must try to clear this up.I have been following all the messages about auto renting,what I don't understand is ;If we stay in Positano and want to travel to a town nearby if a bus is not available you have to go back to the train station one hr. away to take a train to do side trips? I am sorry if I am posing a Question instead of giving an answer,but maybe it will clear up some questions first time travelers to Italy have.Ljyoung forgive me I did not want to be rude, maybe this angle on the question will also help you,have a wonderful adventure Ljyoung,Oh by the way there is a great zoo in that area where you drive your car sit in it and the animals visit you in the car.I read you have children,I am not sure you would like to do that but just trying to be helpful...

Hi L,

I suggest adding a night to Naples and using that day to go to Pompeii and return.

You could then hire a driver for your transfer to Sorrento.

If you really wish to change hotels, take the bus to Positano and arrange with your hotel for a porter.

You can have your Positano hotel hold the excess luggage while you visit Capri or take your luggage and go directly to Amalfi from Capri.

From Amalfi, you might need a cab to handle your luggage to Ravello.

After visiting Ravello, take the ferry from Amalfi to Salerno and train to Rome from there. The ferry dock is less than 10 min (with luggage) from the train station.

If the ferry schedule doesn't fit, you can bus from Amalfi to the Salerno train station.

Myself, I would pick a single hotel or villa and stay there (even paying for an extra night for Capri), unless you will being staying at the Sasso in Ravello.

You might find the Naples and AC part of my trip report helpful.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

Hope this helps.

I visited the Amalfi Coast recently (end of May). We stayed two nights in Sorrento, right in town less than a mile walk from the Circumvesuviana line. We got around to the areas of interest by train, ferry, bus and legs and we were fine, just study your transportation options ahead of time and as always, protect your belongings. Have a great trip, I LOVED the AC area.

I think you've already gotten very good advice, but I'll just add my two cents. Don't rent a car! June/July is the height of the tourist season in this area, and you're going to spend more time crawling in traffic and/or looking for parking than enjoying your trip. Plus, navigating the drive along the Amalfi Coast is not for the fainthearted. There are times when you have to back up on a tiny curve to let oncoming traffic including trucks come through. I recommend taking boats between your destinations along the coast as much as possible, and if not that, go for the SITA BUS which travels to most towns up and down the coast.

I would definitely recommend taking the train from Sorrento to Pompeii, since it will be much easier, and you won't have the hassle of where to park your car during tourist season.

As for Ravello, I can't imagine two kids finding anything to do there. There's beautiful gardens and some nighttime ( mostly classical music) concerts, but unless they're into serious hiking/long walks, that's about it. I think this would be a better daytrip from Positano.

You could certainly add these nights ( one each) to Sorrento and Rome.

As for train or driver to Rome, the train is much cheaper, but with 4 peoplel and lots of luggage, you might want to splurge. A driver will cost about 320+E from Naples to Rome. I can highly recommend Giovanni Gargiulo of tourofitaly. com ( we've used him many times) or you might want to try a poster recommended here, Francesco Marrapese.

Best of luck with your trip!

As always, you all help to point me in the right direction. Thank you.
Ira, if we were to visit Pompeii from Naples, would you suggest taking a bus? And your preference would be to go from Naples vs. train from Sorrento? Also, I did read your trip report some time back - it was WONDERFUL! You should be doing guidebooks yourself!
Thanks all too for the "driver" contacts. I will research those. Also, I'm assuming the way to get around Capri is by bus and taxi?

Just to stick in an oar in re. the car issue... we've just got back from the Amalfi Coast, two weeks in a Villa on Capo D'Orso, i.e. right on Route 163.
I mean just got back right now - a week ago I was sunning by the pool, ah but that's another post entirely...
We had a car (Megane Cabrio)and had no problems whatsoever - we were able to drive and park in every town we went to (Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Minori etc all repeatedly). There's ample parking everywhere - you just have to look for it, ask locals for directions to it and be prepared to pay (blue, metered bays are typically 1 euro or 1.50 per hour though I think 2.50 in Ravello. Private parking under shade is generally 3 or 3.50 euro an hour.) As long as you factor these costs in they'll not come as any nasty surprise.

Without a car I doubt we'd have got to Paestum so easily, explored Punta Campanella as fully or the Monti Lattari. It gives great freedom and avoids queuing and fighting for bus seats. Just don't expect to get above 3rd gear for the duration, and fold in your passenger side wing-mirror.

At either end of the very narrowest sections there are people posted with walky-talkies motioning vehicles through in a by-and-large one way fashion. The exception to this is the 1km stretch on the route to/from Ravello down to Atrani/Castiglione. For this section you're on your own but its all part of the fun!

I say - ignore the doom-mongers and get a car; enjoy the freedom and have a great time.

Sorry can't help you re, train/driver on the Naples-Rome leg of your trip - we drove it and took the car right into the centre of the city for two days staying at our hotel - so maybe we're just pretty fearless with the driving thing; but I think an awful lot of people on these boards are unduly nervous of driving over here, it's not difficult - hell we British and Irish even have to drive on the wrong side and change gear with the wrong hand, so if we can do it, it ought to be a cinch for the rest of you!

Dr D.

There is very limited bus and taxi service on Capri. The boats come in at Marina Grande, and a funicular from there whisks you up to Capri Town, which is a pedestrian zone, so get on your sneakers!

Hi L,

Thanks for the kind words.

>.. if we were to visit Pompeii from Naples, would you suggest taking a bus?

You take the Circumvesuviana commuter train from the lower level of the central Naples train station to Pompei Scavi.

Schedules are at http://www.vesuviana.it/orari.htm

>.. And your preference would be to go from Naples [via] train from Sorrento?

My prefernce would be to hire a limo, but you take the same train to Sorrento as you did to Pompei Scavi.

>..I'm assuming the way to get around Capri is by bus and taxi?

Mostly by foot. Take the bus up as far as possible and walk down.

Enjoy your visit.

More great info. - thanks many times. The transportation end of things has received a lot of feedback. I have to confess that my husband and I were on the Amalfi Coast almost 20 years ago (our only time - and I vowed to return to this area). We did rent a car at that time, in Rome, and traveled all over Italy - Naples being the craziest locale of all. This time around, w/ 2 children in tow, I guess I've just looked at it as a clean slate - open to any and all input since it was so long ago. Our travels in the car gave us ultimate flexibility and fortunately, went off w/out a hitch. We were in the AC area in late May and made it around okay. Maybe June/July brings "traffic" to a whole new level on the penninsula. We spent a few weeks in Great Britain last summer and rented a car for the duration of that trip. Other than a flat tire - all went well. My sense here,however, is that "traffic" is more of an issue on the AC.
Anyway, Dr.D. - thanks for your perspective. Ultimately, everyone's opinion is relevant to me and will help me to make a final decision. Again, thanks for everyone's time. I know you are all busy and I really apprecaite your help.

Thanks again Ira, when I do make my journey I will light a candle at the Basilca ,if allowed for you as gratitude for your thougtful replies thanks.