My fiancé and I taking a 12-day trip through Italy starting on October 2nd. We will be starting in Venice and working our way down to Florence, Positano, and leaving out of Rome on October 14th. We initially planned to take trains throughout our trip but now are considering renting a car in Venice (after spending 2 nights there) and driving down to Florence (where we will stay 2 nights). Our B&B in Florence is in the ZTL zone but owner indicated that they have private parking available.
Our main reason for renting a car is so that we can take a leisurely drive through the Italian countryside on our way south and so we have a chance to stop for lunch at a hill town (either Montepulciano or Orvieto). However, on our way to Positano, I want to avoid driving through the Amalfi Coast so I am thinking of dropping off the rental before we reach that part of the trip. Is there any benefit to dropping the car off in Rome instead of Naples? Also, once in Naples or Rome, what is the best (cheapest or fastest) way to get to Positano? I have seen that you can take a ferry from Naples to Sorrento; does anyone know what bus takes you from Sorrento to Positano?