My friends in their 70s will be taking a two week trip to Italy in September. They don't want to drive on their own in Tuscany so they would like to hire a car for two people. They also could either take the train to Sorrento or have the car take them, maybe stopping Orvieto along the way. Once in Sorrento, they will need a car to tour them on the Amalfi coast. Then possibly have the car take them to Rome, stopping off in Pompeii. The quotes I have received are rather high for the Florence to Sorrento leg so I'm tempted to have them take the train and then hire a car for Amalfi/Pompeii/Rome segment. Any thoughts and recommendations? Thank you!
Posted by
Oak Ridge, TN, USA
44 posts
We had a similar need for May 2013 and a friend highly recommended Giuseppe (Beppe)Mirossi (website below). I have emailed him and found him to be more than helpful and very charming. http://digilander.libero.it/volante94/drivers-pictures.htm If he cannot help you, perhaps he can make a suggestion.
Posted by
Alta Loma, CA, USA
1446 posts
Try Francesco Marrapese for the Amalfi Coast drive. We reserved him for a day this coming September. He has been prompt at responding to my e-mails and seems very friendly/flexible. The reviews of Francesco on TA are very good. He also provides transfers from Sorrento to Rome. His e-mail address is: [email protected] As for Tuscany to Sorrento, the train will be cheaper however it might involve changing trains en route to Naples and then your friends will have to change trains in Naples (to the Circumvesuviana line) to get to Sorrento. Look at Trenitalia to get an idea of how many changes will be involved. Are your friends able to lift their luggage onto/off of the trains & up/down lots of stairs in each station? If not, then I would hire a driver. We took my mother to Italy a few years ago & she was in her 70's & the train stations were really hard on her. She wasn't in the best health & she didn't have to lift her luggage onto/off the trains because my husband did this for her but it still took a lot out of her. There were no elevators up to the tracks so there were a lot of stairs! But, if your friends are pretty healthy/fit, they may not have any trouble with the trains. As for Orvieto, your friends could also visit it as a day trip from Rome. It's a 90-minute trip each way but doesn't involve changing trains and since they would be visiting on a day trip, they won't have their luggage in tow so it shouldn't be that tiresome. Orvieto is a great town and definitely worth visiting.
Posted by
Alta Loma, CA, USA
1446 posts
You might also try APTours (their web site is www.aptours.it & e-mail address is [email protected]). When I inquired with them last year, their prices were really good and a lot of folks coming in for the day from cruise ships use them.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8371 posts
There's a time in everyone's lives that independent travel is very difficult. That's the time to switch to organized tours (like Rick Steves offers) that take care of everyones' needs. Now for your friends: Have you consulted Google for Tuscany or Amalfi Coast drivers or limos? There are dozens of licensed individuals and companies that will provide this service. Whatever you need, wherever you want to go, every need is covered. But with $9.50 per U.S. gallon gasoline and traveling in a Mercedes, their costs are great.
And the quality of the services rendered is supposedly great.