rent car or not for Amalfi Coast
 

We're planning a fall trip in 2006 to the Amalfi Coast. I assume we'll fly into Milan and then on to Sorrento and all the wonderful places on the AC. Are we crazy to rent a car? People say that parking is impossible. How is travel around the area without a car?

I have driven the Amalfi coast several times in both directions and have never had a problem. I my opinion, driving is the only way to see it because you will want to make stops along the way to savor the scene. There are places where you can safely pull off the road. One caveat though, you must be comfortable driving narrow, winding, hilly roads with switchbacks.

We hear there are lots of problems with parking a car if you rent one. What do you think? Do most hotels provide parking?

Some hotels have some limited parking. Many hotels ask you NOT to bring a car because parking is such a premium. You can get around the coast very easily by bus, boat, or driver. We've never felt the need to rent a car while there and we've been all over the Amalfi Coast.
The buses are frequent and cheap and you can stop virtually any place you want.

We've been there twice and used the buses along the Amalfi coast. Buses are cheap but often very crowded, you may have to stand. I would never drive in that area, it's too stressful. We've seen where a row of cars have to all back up to let the bus through, near misses with buses, very little parking anywhere, blind corners with mirrors where the bus toots loudly but sails around the corner regardless of oncoming traffic. Pretty scary in my book but maybe you are used to traffic like that. We've found Italians have little regard for road rules which also makes being a pedestrian interesting!

You can catch a train from Milan or Rome to Naples then another train to Sorrento. From Sorrento you can catch a bus to Positano or Amalfi then another bus up to Ravello. It's much easier to let the bus driver handle the traffic.

On the train or the bus both of you can look at the scenery or gaze into each other's eyes if you want - in a car you will have one person giving 100% attention to the road (I hope) and the other with their head stuck in the map. And then there's yelling at each other when you get lost. Good luck whatever you decide.
Kay

The hotel we were staying at in Ravello arranged for a car/driver to pick us up from train to there; we used same driver several times (as well as the bus) to explore Amalfi Coast, and he would stop whenever and wherever we wanted and wait for us. This was good for both of us, since we could enjoy the scenery together/ vs. if one of us was driving, since you really have to keep your eyes on the AC -
it was relaxing and beautiful and when rows of cars had to back up to let those buses around a corner, I found it far more relaxing being a passenger in a car w/ a drive who "knew the ropes" than if I'd been behind the wheel. But, then again, I have friends who have driven for the thrill of it and loved it. It's everything you've heard - curvy, hilly, etc so I think only you can decide if you would enjoy that.

Author: TuckH ([email protected])
Date: 10/07/2005, 05:58 pm
We've recently returned from a week's stay (mid-Sept) on the Amalfi Coast - with a car.

Yes, you should want to rent a car. Parking was NOT impossible to find. This would be the best way IMO to see the beautiful towns you describe and the Massa Lubrense area as well (Pta Campanella, etc).

No question about it...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34688905

Hi loc,

In the late fall, you could probably find parking, and the roads shouldn't be too clogged with tour buses.

If you are visiting the AC, wouldn't it be more convenient to fly into Naples?

((I))

We recently returned from a visit to the Amalfi Coast and we had a car. Parking in Amalfi was not a problem, but Positano was another story. We stayed in Praiano, and used the bus several times for our day time touring, along with ferries from Amalfi, Positano, Capri, and Sorrento. Seeing the coastline from the water is spectacular, and not to be missed. It was nice to have a car for going to Ravello and for going out for dinner at night if we wanted to venture beyond Praiano. Most of the time our car sat unused, but the convenience of picking up a car at the airport and driving directly to our hotel made it worth it to me. But if you don't mind taking a train from Naples to Sorrento, then a bus to the Amalfi Coast, and the same on your return, public transportation is very easy, but crowded. Only if you are lucky will you sit on a bus!
I second Ira's suggestion of flying into Naples. Have a great trip.

We've tried the usual suspects in our Amalfi Coast travels - driving, car hire, train, bus, ferries. This is an area that has tested our travel savvy and offered a variety of logistical challenges.

We love to drive and prefer a car over public transportion. However, we will never again rent a car for the Amalfi Coast. For us, a car proved to be a liablity here. YMMV.

We just got back from Sorrento and our hotel, the Antiche Mura, had a parking garage with in and out privileges for only 10 euro a day. We love driving, so we didn't even consider not having a car during our stay on the AC. The winding roads are fun and a far cry from our usual drive around Chicago. It adds to the experience of being on the AC.

We drove from town to town and had no problems parking anywhere.