My husband and I are taking our first trip to Italy at the end of March 2009. We are starting in Rome, then traveling to Florence for two nights, back to Rome for a day, then to Praiano (Amalfi, Positano, etc.) for two nights.

My question is about our travel to Praiano. We are very open to renting a car but I've heard horror stories about the cliff driving and getting lost. We're pretty good drivers, but I'm afraid we might miss some of the scenery and not be able to find a place to park. I know our other options include trains, ferrys (in march?), the Circumvesuviano, buses, and more. But there are so many options! Can someone please help us? We would love to stop at Pompeii along the way but we can always do that after we get there. We're just looking for scenic, shortest travel time (epecially if in a bus) and any 'back door' specialties you can recommend. Thank you in advance for you help!

Websites and/or suggestions for how/when to book would be great too!

Whatever you do, don't try and drive yourselves for absolutely every reason under the sun. Try trenitalaia.it for train schedules, go on line for private car hires, ask at your hotel in Rome for bus schedules, go on line to Praiano and ask them how to get there, etc. Just don't drive! There really isn't a right way or a wrong way with all the other options, so enjoy whichever way you go.

Going to the Amalfi Coast for two nights is hardly worth the drive. Why do you want to spend that one day in Rome between Florene and Priano? Can you just add that day to Priano? ViaMichelin gives a driving time between Florence and Priano is about five hours. Trenitalia shows about a four and half hour train trip between Florence and Salerno. So I would pick up a car in Florence and drive down to Priano. It's basically all autostrada except for the Amalfi Drive so it is difficult to get lost. The Amalfi Drive is not that difficult. The worst part is the the horrible traffic on summer weekends which you won't encounter. Priano is going to be nearly deserted in March so you won't have trouble finding a parking spot. The car will be convenient for seeing Amalfi, Ravello, Positano and driving to Pompeii.

Is there a reason you are staying in Praiano? Are you open to staying elsewhere?

I agree that this is a very long trip (to Amalfi Coast) for just two nights. Can't you fly into Florence, then visit Rome and then the Amalfi Coast, returning home from Naples? Is the entire trip only 5 nights?

If you are set on doing this, I would not hesitate to drive at that time of year. I can't imagine that you could get lost on the Amalfi coast..there are not that many roads! But you have so little time! I really think you need to rethink your plans! You ask about "back door" specialties, but you will barely have time to get from place to place, let alone explore any out of the way spots.

Some hotels offer free parking, and some have parking for a fee. So I do not think parking will be an issue.

From Rome, you will take the train to Naples central station. Trenitalia.com

If you like, but there isn't much point, IMO, you can take the Circumvesuviana train from there (on a different level; same train station) to the end of the line, which I think is Sorrento.

From Sorrento, you can take a boat if they are running (but remember that Praiano is a very small town and you will probably have to ferry or boat to Positano or Amalfi), or a bus (which stops atop Praiano).

I think those are pretty crappy options. In the first place, there may or may not be boats at this time of year, depending on the weather. You may have to wait until you are there to find out.

In the second places, you are making too many transportation switches to go to one place.

In the third place, Amalfi Coast busses make me horribly ill, even with full strength, heavy duty, motion sickness meds. Too many starts and stops in a giant bus with no fresh air.

OK: if the 4th place, you picked a town with the fewest transportation options in terms of the sea. Or maybe none; I'm not sure.

Why go to Praiano in the off season? Just asking; it seems like a lot of trouble to get to a very quiet place when things may be completely dead, or the weather may be a factor.

So, what can you do that would simplify all this?

You can have a car service, like Renato Cuomo, pick you up at Naples train station, and go from there to your final AC destination.

OR you can go from Naples to Sorrento by train (Circumvesuviana) then get a car service to take you to Praiano.

If you don't want a car service, you will have to get the bus in Sorrento to get to Praiano.

Now: if you don't go to Pompeii until after you are settled in Praiano, you will have to repeat all this, TWICE. Personally, I would never, ever do that. By that, I mean go from Praiano to Sorrento by bus, then get a Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii. Then do it all in reverse.

Me? I would have to simplify. Get the train from Rome to Naples, then a ferry to Amalfi town or Capri (bigger boats running more often and in worse weather).

Or: get the train from Rome to Naples, then the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento and stay there.

From Sorrento, you can get to Pompeii by Circumvesuviana. The town will be much more "open" in late March and you won't be spending all your time on trains, busses, and boats.

Now, I still think your itinerary is not optimal.

From Rome, assuming you are landing at the main airport, you can take a train right to the city. From there, I seriously think you should transfer to a train to Florence. Very easy, very quick.

Spend two nights in Florence.

Train back to Rome for three nights.

Train to Naples then Sorrento.

Way more time to spend enjoying yourselves.

The way your itinerary exists, all you will be doing is moving from place to place.

To answer some questions about my post:
1. we will be in Italy a total of 10 days, I just didn't include our whole itinerary in my question.

2. we are flying in and out of Rome because we got free plane tickets through frequent flyer miles, therefore saving ourselves a lot of money.

3. That is not a bad idea to drive straight from Florence to Praiano...we were just trying to break up drive times by stopping in Rome for a night. But we'll have a car (driving to Florence from Rome) so we could just keep it! Since it won't be beach weather, will there be enough to do in Amalfi for three nights? Maybe instead we should stay one more night in Florence?

There is definitely lots to see on the Amalfi Coast even if you do not go to the beach. But I would counsel you to select Amalfi as your base at that time of year.

With ten days and given the places you are going, I would not bother with a car at all. It is easier IMO to just train from Rome to Florence and not have to deal with driving or parking in Florence.

I would definitely not stop back in Rome in between Florence and the AC. I would spend that night on the AC or in Sorrento or even in Naples.

Some people love driving on the AC, but I am not one of them. In summer, it is crowded. In Spring, it can be rainy/foggy. It can be hard for the driver to enjoy the scenery. I've done buses and ferries and much prefer ferries. You have the freedom to walk around on the ferry, so are not restricted to the view from one seat as on the bus or car.

I also love further south actually on the AC, but given the time of year you are going to be there, I would probably stay in Sorrento and play the rest somewhat by ear, depending on the weather. It is convenient to get to Capri, Amalfi, Positano and back to Pompeii from Sorrento. Take a ferry down the AC or to Capri on whatever is the nicest day you will have. Visit Pompeii on the other day. However, you will be outside either way, and you will enjoy both either way.

Everywhere in that part of Italy is Scenic and beautiful. No matter which options you choose, you will have a great trip.

Thank you for the tips everyone! I'm thinking about skipping our Rome night in between Florence and AC. I'm still weighing all the options about transportation though. There are too many! I love the ferry idea but not sure if they are running the last week of March. I am searching the internet though...hopefully I'll find out.

Hi BV - The Amalfi Coast ferries from Salerno (Salerno-Amalfi-Positano) DO run in March - weather permitting, of course.

The hydrofoil service from Naples (- to Positano/Amalfi) does NOT run in March.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Seems to me, if you were going to have a car anyway, it makes sense to keep it and drive down to the AC and use it while you are there. Trains and ferries might seem fun and convenient but why add extra steps you don't need or rely on unpredictable spring weather? I'm glad you are thinking of dropping that one night in Rome and adding it to the AC.