My husband and I are planning our first trip to Italy in June/July 2005 for 4 wks. So far our itinerary is:

6/25 - Toronto to Venice, arriving morning of 6/26
6/26-6/30 - Staying at Apt Ziani in Venice. We're still finalizing exactly what we will see and do while there
6/30 - Train to Florence
6/30-7/2 - Staying at Hotel Caravaggio
7/2-7/9 - Rent a car and drive to Montepulciano, staying at Sant'Antonio

This is where we get stuck. We had originally thought we would go back to Florence for another few days and take the train to Napoli, then the bus somewhere on AC where we could spend a week, but now we are wondering if we should drive to Napoli from Montepulciano, spending a day here and there along the way. Is this a worthwhile drive? Which towns/cities along the way should we stay in? Or are we better off spending 2 more days in Florence, returning our rental car, and taking the train to Napoli? Or return the rental car to Siena and catch the train to Napoli from there?

We would like to spend a week on the Amalfi Coast, although we have yet to decide which town, then a few days in Capri, and the last 4 days in Rome since we will fly back to Toronto from Rome on 7/24. Does this sound reasonable?

I have found this board to be incredibly useful so far and appreciate all the advice.

As long as you already have the car I'd go ahead and drive to the Amalfi Coast. From Montepulciano to Positano, for example, would take between 5 - 6 hours. It's up to you how much is comfortable in one day. I would get out the door by 9 and drive for 3 - 3.5 hours, stop for lunch and a walk, then push on and arrive in Positano by 6 PM, check in to my hotel, relax and then go to dinner.

You could certainly break the trip into two days if you dislike long days in the car.

Why not drive to Rome for a few days and then drive to Almafi Coast for your time there? The drive is not all that special but since you will want a car on the coast, why take the train. You could stop in Naples for a day to take in the fantastic museum with artifacts from Pompeii and then head on. You will enjoy Sant' Antonio--for sure. We love it there.

I would take the car and drive directly to the Amalfi coast. Skip Rome and come back to do it specifically. In July it will be hot and Rome will be hot. I would take your swimsuits and snorkling gear and go to the beautiful seaside in the Amalfi and Positano area.

I recommend that you have hotel reservations well ahead of time if you will be going to the Alamfi area during the last few weeks of July and especially if you will be anywhere near the seaside on the weekends.

Oops--I do agree with Tuscan Artist. I didn't read your post well and missed that you were flying home from Rome. So--yes, go to Almafi Coast and then back to Rome where you can turn your car in early and save some money and have an easy departure to the airport.

Thanks for all the good advice. I think we'll plan to get up early on 7/9 and drive to the Amalfi Coast, stopping somewhere along the way for a nice lunch and walk around.

I've heard the Amalfi Coast has terrible traffic in the summer and minimal parking. Would we be better off returning our rental car somewhere on AC and using public transit, or should we keep the car while we are there? We haven't decided exactly which area on AC we will stay yet, so suggestions for that would also be appreciated.

Hi Sandy,

quote:

Would we be better off returning our rental car somewhere on AC and using public transit,

That's what I would do.

With the money you save, you can hire a driver (about 100E) to take you to the Naples train station.

We very much liked our week in Praiano (abt 6 km E of Positano) at the Hotel Le Sirene.

I say--keep your car and drive. That is what we do and have not found it to be the problem that it is presented to be--unless you are a timid driver. The coast is beautiful and as with anywhere you are, having a car gives you a flexibility that is nice to have. Praiano is a nice location. In addition to the recommendation from Ira, you might want to check out Onda Verde. If you go to my site and do a search, you will get some pictures of the hotel and location and a web address HERE. That hotel has its own parking so it is easy at night.

We did the drive in reverse--from Naples to Tuscany. The ride is not particularly scenic but we enjoyed it anyway. We found it easier to drive then planning around a train schedule, dragging luggage and hopping trains...but that's us.

Of course, it was absolutely necessary to stop along the way and our choice was Orvieto which we enjoyed immensely. Since you will not be too far from Orvieto, you could explore the town and the Duomo first, and then have lunch before you get back in the car again.

We also stopped to take a photo of Montecassino along the way. That could also be a destination for lunch. I'm sure others will offer even more suggestions.