How difficult is it to drive along the Amalfi coast?

Not difficult nor dangerous for most people, but it can be congested, especially on weekends and in summer practically every day. Parking is scarce and expensive in the few small lots available. Street parking is virtually non existent and often reserved to residents or outright prohibited, although you are in the Naples area and locals are known for not following the law, so you will see lots of cars in no parking zones.

It may take much longer to drive and park at Pompeii from the AC than, say, the Google Maps route planner says. There is only one, two-lane road through Positano, and busses often get caught on sharp turns and have to take another shot at them. The traffic is so heavy that "speed" is not often a problem. So the horsepower of your home auto is not really a factor in "difficult" driving there. There are not many guardrails on the sheer drops from the roadside, however.

You may wish to make sure your housing on the AC comes with a parking space. When you go for a drive, there are precious few street parking spaces anyplace you might want to go.

(We did not rent a car. We hired a car and driver for an 8-hour visit to the AC from our five nights in Sorrento.)

I agree with Roberto regarding the difficulty of driving the Amalfi coast road. A few years ago I picked up my rental near the train station in Naples and then drove to Pompeii where there are numerous parking lots. From there, I drove to my hotel in Amalfi. The Hotel Anna Lara is small, family owned and has fantastic views of the sea and the mountains. They have parking available for €30 per day - which is about the norm for the area. Easy bus and ferry connections if you don’t want to drive for day trips.

From here you can head south to Salerno and then east to the Shrine. Abruzzo is a stunning natural area. I visited last year for the first time mainly to look at real estate and was awed by the unspoiled beauty of the region. On the way to Pescara, drive up to visit the Belvedere Marconi in San Vito Chietino. The views of the sea, the mountains and the beaches is awesome! By all means plan a hike in the Maiella National Park. On the way to Rome, you might want to stop in L’Aquila and go hiking in the Grand Sasso. If you have the time, a stop in Tivoli to see the gardens and fountains is a great break along the way.

Have you driven to Hana? Not as curvy, but more traffic and congestion, and less parking.

Not “difficult”, as when I drove it in July, I rarely got over 30mph. Quite often moving at “parade” speed.

You can actually use Google Maps Street View to see what the road looks like. The road is particularly narrow inside the towns.

I suggest that you also become familiar with the International Road Sign system, since the US has adopted only some of those signs. A full list is here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Italy

Most are self explanatory intuitive symbols, but some not much and are different to what used in the US. In particular note the following:
- Do not stop at any time
- No Parking (hours of operation is 8am to 8pm inside built up areas, or 24/7 outside towns, unless otherwise signaled)
- No motor vehicles permitted (this sign is used for Limited traffic zones or ZTL, pedestrian areas, etc. exceptions may be listed in a separate sign below it)

International Driving Permit is mandatory in Italy for those having a license from outside the EU or the European Economic Zone. The rental agency may not need to see it, but if pulled over by police it will be required and the fine is 408€ minimum fine for not having one (get one at AAA for $20+two photos).

When driving on divided freeways, the left (fast) lane is for passing only. No cruising allowed. Cars can be passed only from the left.

I'm just chiming in about the AC drive; it's not difficult and you probably cannot go fast. I'm a very unskilled driver and I found it to be a lot of fun to drive along this route. I felt like I was behind the wheel of a ride at an amusement park, in the best sense!! And the traffic means you really can't speed, or could not the times I drove in that area.

If you go to the Shrine, and if you have an extra day or three, I would highly recommend a visit to Vieste. It's one of the prettiest coastal towns I've been to in italy--all gleaming white marble. Pretty beaches and some great restaurants.

I did not visit Vasto but we stayed about four nights in Termoli, next door, in Molise. Also really pretty small town, dominated by a looming castle, and with a nice beach below.

Thanks for everyone's advice! The only reason to rent the car in Naples is I figured since we will be flying into that airport it will be the best time to pick up the car. I can see if hotel we decide to stay at has a driver that can take us to Pompeii so we are not dealing with the congested roads, or even one of the 5-6 hour tours on Viator that include Pompeii and then a lunch and day trip around the area. OR we can pick up car and go straight to Pompeii from the airport since it is closer from there as long as i can book a tour that starts at a time that I think we can make, (flight late or any other issues might ruin this idea). However, then our luggage will be in the rental car and I do not like that idea....
Thank you for the links on driving rules in Italy. We never did get the international license last year but I see the need for it now!
I am looking forward to Abruzzo as 3 out of 4 grandparents are from there - born there, then moved to the states as teenagers. Not sure if there's anything worth seeing in Giulianova where one of my grandfather's is from (actually it's a smaller town Corropoli not far from there). would love 3-5 days exploring a few seaside towns and then mountain towns with hiking and relaxing.
What I'm not too keen on is returning the rental car in Rome. That will be a royal pain. Who wants to be driving anywhere near Rome? I hate to return car to the airport and then pay for a driver to take us to hotel for those last two nights. I am hoping to find a car rental return that is somewhere closer to city but not in the city limit but not at the airport either.
Any advice on this would be great as well. thank so much. appreciate everyone's advice!

When I took a cab ride along the Amalfi coast 55 years ago, it was terrifying ! Driver thought he was a race car drver ! Went a week ago in a bus and there was no drama. So much traffic and lots of big buses that speeds are not high.

Donnai: When we took our trip to Le Marche and Abruzzo, a few years ago, we also did not want to return the car in Rome. We ended up returning it at FCO and taking a taxi into the city. But if you are not going to stay in Rome, after Abruzzo, you could also think about returning the car at FCO and spending a night or two in the really nice town of Fiumicino, next to the airport.

Another option might be to return the car in L'Aquila and go from there to Rome by bus; it's about an hour and a half.

Hi! I went to the Amalfi Coast last summer. My Italian friend actually highly recommended not renting a car there — traffic can be intense, the roads are narrow and winding, and parking is both scarce and expensive. She suggested renting a scooter, but since I don’t drive one, we explored the Amalfi Coast by ferry instead. It might be a bit more expensive than the bus, but it’s faster, more relaxing, and honestly, the views of the villages from the water are absolutely breathtaking. I really recommend doing at least part of the Amalfi Coast by ferry if you can. This is a helpful article comparing the 2 options: https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/blog/featured/why-get-around-amalfi-coast-ferry

I don’t have personal experience with the other parts of your trip, but it sounds like an amazing itinerary! Safe travels!

We have rented a car a driven this area three times in the past. However, the past few times that we have gone we have elected not to rent one because the traffic has become so bad on the AC. October used to be shoulder season, but not so anymore. It is still just as crowded as July. We were there last in October and routes that usually take 15-20 minutes were taking an hour and a half because of the number of cars on the road. Locals were irritated and this kind of tardiness was excessive even by Italian standards! There are so many transport services. You can get a private driver to pick you up at the Naples airport and deliver you to your hotel for €140. Taxis are expensive, but prolific along the AC. I think that you may find that the car is more of a burden than a convenience in this part of the world.

So...I have an Italian driver's license and I drive on Italian roads every day. I am a confident driver. But...I spent one week in a villa on the peninsula between the Gulf of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. I had to drive absolutely everywhere we wanted to go. I was so happy to leave, and I will never go back there with a car. (Or probably at all, but that's a story for another day.) Do yourself a favour and find a different transport solution. Why impose that much stress on yourself for a vacation?

As far as must-see towns in Abruzzo, check this thread where I responded at length to that very question: Abruzzo must-sees. I am much fonder of the Adriatic side of the boot than the Tyrrhenian side!