I booked my wife an I on a transatlantic cruise that ends in Civitavecchia (Rome) on April 28 next year. We are planning to stay 8-9 nights in Italy at the end of the cruise. I was initially thinking Rome but started looking at Positano and Capri. I think it would be cool to see the sights in Rome but am beginning to think the Amalfi coast and Capri are more our style. I think splitting the stay three ways between Rome, Positano and Capri would be too hectic. I am beginning to consider skipping Rome altogether and split the stay between Positano and Capri. Or should we split between Rome and either Positano or Capri? If choosing between Positano and Capri which should we choose? This is likely the only trip we'll ever take to this part of Italy. What are your recommendations?

Thanks,
Martin

Welcome, mhconley. Read about Sorrento... it's a reasonable base for visiting Positano and Capri, but also Pompeii.

If it’s your only trip, consider staying in a base from which it’s easier to reach other places. Positano, in my limited experience, was good for about half a day, and more fun to see from the ferry than to walk around. Consider Sorrento, as mentioned, or Amalfi. You’d probably enjoy a day trip to Ravello. The views and gardens are stunning, and you won’t be sharing them with too too many people in early May.

Capri is a place to relax and unwind. Is that what you’ll be needing by then? Then combine a few nights on Capri with a Sorrento or Amalfi. But if you would like to create memories of essential Italy, stay perhaps four nights in Rome.

Flying home from Rome? You will need to spend a night there, might as well make it two nights and tour whichever sight compels you the most.

How are you and your wife with stairs? Positano is built up into the hillside so it's very stair heavy. I'd avoid it as a base if either of you have any mobility concerns.

With that suggestions for another base as already mentioned might be better choices for you.

I'd take care choosing Capri. To some it is just a steep shopping mall.

Granted, it's been a while since I was there (2007), but that was not my experience. I found Capri Town and the harbor area too crowded during the day, but the island was glorious in the evening. And Anacapri -- stunning! The views from the Villa Sn Michele and Monte Solaro were memorably breathtaking.

I would recommend Ischia myself. But have a look at some YouTubes on the two before making a decision

I should have noted: While I enjoyed my time on Capri, I would not make it my base for a first time visit to the Amalfi Coast. Depending on what, exactly, one wants to do, I would instead consider Amalfi, Ravello, perhaps Sorrento, perhaps Salerno. If the OP is willing to split time, including a night or two on Capri in addition to one of the bases on the Amalfi Coast might be worth considering.

Thanks for the responses. Interesting... I'm now looking at splitting the stay between somewhere on the Amalfi coast and Rome, likely 4 nights in each place. Looking for two Airbnbs now. I plan to rent a car from Civitavecchia to get us to the Amalfi coast, around there and to Pompeii, and on to Rome. I'll probably ditch it there as we won't need one in Rome. Looking at somewhere central along the River Tiber between Ponti, Trastevere, and Centro Storico on the east bank.

Thanks,
Martin

I travel often to Italy and nearly always find the train is better than a car unless I'm going to some crazy isolated village. Without being rude but Italians know how to drive in Italy but people from other countries (including my own) are well out of our depth. If you want to spend extra money travel first class.

seat61.com is a good place to start.

Bilbo is right. ZTLs in the cities and parking/license-plate restrictions on the Amalfi coast will add to the woes of driving. Train from Civitavecchia to Napoli Centrale will take as little as 3 hours with one change in Roma Termini, and cost as little as €30 each. You can hire a private driver to take you to the coast. These drivers will also stop in Pompeii and wait for you, keeping your luggage safe as you tour the site.

One more vote to forget the car idea. It's not so much not knowing "how to drive in Italy," but dealing with everything in another language, following different road and parking rules, and facing lots and lots of access restrictions. The Amalfi Coast road and Rome are two of the worst places to be "dropped in the deep end" in an intro to driving in Italy.

And I'll also vote against AirBnB for a first-time visitor. Unless you do significant research yourself on your sightseeing priorities, transportation options, etc., you may feel a bit like a fish out of water. Hotel/B&B staff can be an invaluable source of local info, tourist tips and recommendations, and can make a first-time visit to Italy a much more enjoyable, less stressful experience.

FYI, May 1st is a national holiday. Transportation in the AC area will likely be on holiday (less frequent) schedules that day.

Add me to train travel recommendations. From Sorrento, it's an easy train ride to Pompeii, Naples,; Bus to Positano; and boat to Capri.

I'm quite surprised at these responses... I have driven California highway 1 and the streets of San Francisco on numerous occasions, on St. Maarten/St. Martin, and throughout Europe including on the autobahn and over alpine passes. I've watched several YouTube videos of people driving the Amalfi Coast and look forward to the challenge. I know how to drive and love doing so; driving a rental car will save time and hassle vs. train/bus and money vs. private car hires.

I booked a Peugeot 208.

Regarding hotels, my wife are seasoned travelers and truly enjoy Airbnb. We feel it gives one the experience of living like a local rather than just visiting as a tourist. I know it sounds like a commercial but it's true. We've also found Airbnb hosts as knowledgeable and helpful as the best hotel concierges.

I've booked an Airbnb with free parking in Nerano and look forward to living like a local and driving the Amalfi Coast. I've also booked an Airbnb near Campo de' Fiori in Rome and thoroughly understand the ZTL there. We plan to arrive after 18:00 when we can drive in and drop off our luggage (ZTL varco non attivo); I'll then return the rental to the Rome train station before 23:00 (ZTL varco attivo Friday night).

Martin

Your previous driving experiences in other parts of the world are irrelevant to driving the Amalfi Coast road. Access to the road for non-residents is determined by the license plate on your rental car. Cars with even-numbered plates can be driven on the road on even-numbered days, odd on odd. So, every other day, although you can drive around the Nerano/Massa Lubrense area, you can't drive on the coastal road to the AC towns. On the days you can drive the coastal road, you'll need to avoid driving into each town's ZTL and hope you can quickly/easily find parking. The drive from Nerano to Amalfi/Ravello would take more than 90 minutes each way, possibly as much as 2 hours each way

If you stay on Capri for a couple of nights, you'll pay for the rental and parking for a car that sits idle... probably at/near the Sorrento ferry dock.

Driving into Rome is slightly less problemmatic, but why not return the car on arrival and take a taxi to your lodging? Coming from the Amalfi Coast, you'll be driving within a couple of blocks of the Termini station as you enter the city..

Although I understand the preference for having a car while staying in Nerano, I disagree with your premise that "driving a rental car will save time and... money." Have you included petrol costs, highway tolls, parking fees, etc.? Have you considered renting and returning the car in Sorrento and taking trains for the long transfers before and after the AC?

OP, the people here about a car on the AC are not pulling your leg. The restrictions Jean detailed are real, the traffic horrendous, the drive dangerous, and parking... Driving Amalfi Coast Drive is NOT what you see in the movies! Doing a cursory search on Google Street view shows just how narrow it is and parking limits in many of the villages.

This blog details it, with pictures: https://www.theroadreel.com/driving-...l%205%2D6%20PM.

If you need further "proof," go ahead, search for this on Reddit, Trip Advisor, youtube....

Of course you know how to drive, like lots of us. The alpine passes, CA highway 1 etc are tricky but not difficult.

Still up to you, you asked for advice and have rejected it.

I have no plans to have a car in Rome and will return it after checking in there. In all my research I had not found the information concerning the Amalfi coast alternating plates scheme which looks like it will be in effect during our stay, April 28 - May 2, 2025. Thank-you for that information; it illustrates why forums like this are so helpful.

My wife does not know the meaning of the term pack lightly. I will have a garment bag and a carry-on sized bag; she'll likely have three or more very large suitcases. The last thing I want to do is wrestle all our luggage through multiple train stations. A private car one way from Civitavecchia to the Amalfi coast itself costs more than the car rental is going to be, including fuel and tolls. That does not even include the trip back to Rome or one to Pompeii, which we definitely do not want to do on our arrival day.

Regarding alternating plates: The information I have found indicates the scheme is in effect between Vietri Sul Mare and Positano. That will not effect our drive from Civitavecchia to Nerano nor traveling to Pompeii from Nerano. Our full days on the coast will be Tuesday 4/29, Wednesday 4/30 and Thursday 5/1. If we get a car with an odd numbered plate that only gives us one day to drive the coast. If we get one with even numbered tags we can drive it on two days. I'll put that request in with our rental car company and keep my fingers crossed.

ZTL zones between Naples and Salerno to be small and easily avoidable and I'll be using Waze which includes routing information for ZTL zones. That should be very helpful.

In any case no matter what I decide I'll be sure to post a trip report when we return home.

Thanks,
Martin

Thanks for taking the time to respond to all for posts, mhconley. Please report back when you return....confirm or deny the driving advice.

(If you scroll down to page 12, you will see just at the end of page 11 my description of Italian drivers:

Sicily 2002 - A Trip of Miracles

It doesn't describe the Amalfi Coast "ballet" among motor cycles, cars and busses.)

Well, you know "best" I suppose, having not driven the drive yourself....

What does your wife think? Has she seen the videos?