Ravello: Do we need a car?
 

My husband & I will be in the Amalfi Coast area in October for 3 days. We are considering staying in Ravello, as I understand it is wonderful.

We will not have access to a car. Would this be a problem? We would like to enjoy the hotel, but also get out and explore during the days (+ go to Positano, Capri) , and have dinner in the evenings.

Not really---My wife spent a week between Rome & Ravello.
Normally, we do rent a car when in Europe but not this time.
Trained from Rome to Sorrento; then an easy walk to where the bus then took us to Positano. It was all very easy...
Spent 2 or 3 nites in Positano then bused down to Amalfi; from there bused up to Ravello for 3 nights. At first we bussed up to the "wrong" Ravello!! So a 10 min bus ride back to Almalfi and then the a bus up to the right place. All very funny of course...
Tip: One day We hiked down to Almalfi along the back trail. It brings you into the backside of Almalfi village. It was a fantastic hike! And Half way down was a lovely little restauraunt which we reached by 11a.m. We were the only ones there for 30 or 40 min! Food/atmosphere were great & they topped it all off by giving us 2 glasses of Lemonchello on the house!
The hike took at least 3 hours---its steep at times, so good balance and decent walking shoes/sneakers are a must.
After hanginging out in Almalfi for the afternoon we hiked back-up to Ravello by a different route.
It's a lovely area---ciao!

We just spent four days in and around Sorrento. We didn't have a car thank God(s). People there are very good drivers. But there are too many blind turns, scooters and tailgaiters for me. And why they bothered to paint lines on the road is beyond me.

A car is not needed---the bus runs down to Amalfi often. However, next time we are considering staying in Amalfi for convenience since Ravello is only :20 up the hill and Amalfi is the bus transport hub.

I visited Ravello on the SITA bus so it's certainly doable, but beware that "often" may be a relative term for the bus service.

It didn't run all that often when I visited Ravello on a Sunday in September and I waited a couple of hours for the bus back down to Amalfi. (There was a lot of grumbling from the waiting crowd that one bus didn't come, so maybe it was a fluke thing.) Check the bus schedules carefully, esp. on a Sunday or holiday.

1. Ravello is indeed splendid.
2. You don't need a car in Ravello, nor anywhere along the Amalfi Coast. A car is a liability for most. Parking is difficult and the roads are winding and narrow, with blind curves. There are often traffic jams, especially in the summer.
3. The SITA bus service is hourly between Ravello and Amalfi until about 10 p.m. The ticket costs 2 Euros for 45 minutes (or 6 Euros for a full-day ticket). The bus takes 25 minutes between Ravello and Amalfi. Bus often fills up, so board quickly.
4. In Amalfi, there are hourly SITA buses to both Salerno (75 mins.) and Sorrento (100 mins.) as well as several direct buses to Naples (120 mins.). The bus going to Sorrento stops in Praiano and Positano. The bus going to Salermo stops in Minori, Maiori, Cetara and Vietri sul Mare.
5. There are also direct boats to Salerno and Positano, although service stops some time in October. There may still be direct boat service to Capri, but you'll need to check.
6. The full-day bus ticket for 6 Euros is a good deal. There is also a 3-day ticket for 15 Euros. It is called the "UNICO COSTIERA", valid for travel between Sorrento and Salerno (including Ravello).
7. Print out the SITA bus schedule and bring it with you. Note that the autumn schedule won't come out until late September.
8. In Ravello, visit both the Villa Rufolo and the Villa Cimbrone.
9. Enjoy your stay in heaven.

www.sitabus.it (SITA bus services)
www.coopsantandrea.com (boats to Positano and Salerno)
www.metrodelmare.com (hydrofoils to Naples and area)
www.salernocity.it (boat and hydrofoils along the Amalfi Coast to Capri and Ischia)

I agree with Bob about staying in Amalfi. Ravello is lovely, but so is Amalfi, and so much more convenient if you want to travel around the area by bus. Ravello is very small.

we were in positano for 3 nights and rented a car one day to drive around and visit a few little towns. you could probably get it through your hotel if you decide you want to rent one for a day. ravello itself is small and you dont need a car.

If you're planning to do a lot of sighteeing along the Amalfi Coast, the town of Amalfi is the better choice to use as your base because it is the terminus of all SITA buses to and from Salerno and Sorrento, as well as the boat services to Salerno, Positano, Sorrento, Naples, Capri and even Ischia. You avoid the 25-minute bus ride up the mountain and the need to account for the connection time.

By contrast, Ravello has a distinctly more "rarified" atmosphere, greater tranquillity, better vistas and less crowds. It is the perfect place for a honeymoon. There are fewer independent restaurants than in Amalfi, and the hotels are somewhat more expensive. I've stayed overnight in both places, and am quite happy to return to either.

In my previous posting, I forgot to mention that certain parts of Ravello are unreachable by car, and require negotiating steep steps which can be a problem with heavy luggage. For this reason, some (but not all) of the hotels along the route have a porterage service, which you must ask for specifically when booking.

Also bear in mind that there is a 350 meter difference in altitude with Amalfi, and therefore nights and early mornings during October can be chilly in Ravello, and tourists should dress accordingly.

I was in Ravello for the first time several months ago and fell in love with it. Perhaps I would stay there on a subsequent visit, but for a first timer I recommend Amalfi for its charm and convenience to Ravello and Positano. We stayed at the Hotel Floridiana. They have very reasonably priced duplex suites with whirlpool tubs. Wonderful place to stay with excellent service.

I will be staying half way between Ravello and Amalfi, when I go to Italy in late June. Is there enough to do there for 4 days, considering that I'll be spending a few days in Capri and Sorrento as well.

Mischella:
I think 1 day is more than enough for Ravello,you can visit the two most important villas(Ruffolo and Cimbronne);have lunch if you like and visit the rest of the town.
In your remaining days,you can visit Amalfi,Atrani,Vetri sul Mare,Salerno,Paestum(Positano and Capri you can visit from Amalfi or from Sorrento,and the same is valid for Pompeii; but the latter is easier to visit from Sorrento).
In 2009 we were in the amalfi coast one full week,you can see my report at:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...1-to-oct-3.cfm
Enjoy your trip!!!