Help on renting a car or taking trains?..

True that there is no such thing as a straight road along the Amalfii coast but you might find it most difficult to find parking. One more important thing. You may have to get the CDW with the rental car in Italy. Most credit cards will not cover you in Italy. Check it out.

Go to YouTube and do a search on "amalfi coast driving" and you'll find numerous videos that will give you a good idea what it's like. Be sure to ask your hotel for driving AND PARKING directions. Since you have plenty of time, you might want to rethink your itinerary. You current plan involves a lot of zig-zagging and backtracking.

To have a car in the places you mention would be a liability. There is no reason to not travel by train.

We spent 2 weeks driving though Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Lake Como. Driving in Italy is dicey. Have been to the Amalfi coast and it would be quite stressful to drive there. Some of your itinerary requires quite a few hours of driving to connect these dots. All can be reached by train. You cannot drive in much of Florence, and I would not want to try to drive in Rome. Once you arrive at each destination you will not need, nor can you use, your car. I'd train it.

james, If you're planning on driving in Italy, note that EACH driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. Failure to produce an I.D.P. if requested can result in fines on the spot! You'll also need to be aware of the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato areas, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in Italy. Passing through these zones can result in expensive fines, which you won't know about until several months after you've returned home! Recent posts here would seem to indicate that authorities in Italy are becoming more aggressive in collecting the fines from foreign drivers and there may also be charges from the rental car firm for providing renter information to law enforcement. You may find it helpful to have a look at the excellent Ron In Rome website concerning driving in Italy. If you need further information, post another note. I agree with a previous comment that your proposed route is perhaps not the most efficient. Most of that route is easily done by train, except for the trip to Positano. Travel by train is usually faster on longer routes (especially on the Freccia trains which travel at up to 300 kmH) and therefore I find it to be a more efficient use of my holiday time. There's also no worries about parking, tickets, high fuel costs, tolls, etc. Good luck with your planning!

I think I agree that you should take the train to get around. The only issue would be if your 2 "elderly" companions will have trouble climbing onto a train, dealing with their baggage when doing so, and dealing with the crowds and confusion in big train stations. You will help them of course, but they will need to be pretty mobile. And of course, if you take the train, packing light will be essential.