Private tour of Amalfi headaches....

We had Mr. Monetti last year (late in May) and he was a charm. He drives a taxi cab during normal days when he is not booked for the tour.

He knows the local road condition very well. Along the Amalfi drive (Positano, Amalfi, Paestum), we made numerous (I almost want to say hundreds) stops for photos, rest rooms, shopping, site seeing, and sometimes just so that we can "meet" his friends.

If he said to you that you can get through, I believe he has checked it out the best he could.

Good Traveling!

Hi Mike, (thank you for responding)

that is the thing-- from his email, the "Amalfi Drive" part and Ravello is a no go... I don't think he is saying we can get through... He said we need to change the itinerary...

The areas we will now visit will be the drive to Pompeii and then Sorrento and Postiano.

I don't want to lose him since he seems so nice, but are these areas worth the private driver?? (I am sure they are worth it that whole area looks gorgeous..... I mean worth the effort and expense of the private driver)
thank you again

That's what we've heard through the grape vine: that the road will be closed through July, with periodic openings that will make the summer traffic a nightmare compared to the normally just horrendous traffic.

Kent~

I know seems that this will be a headache for a lot of locals... too bad, the Amalfi Drive was the main reason why we went to this area (instead of the Cinque Terre)

However, I am a glass half full gal, so we will be fine... just not sure about this tour..

cheers
Viv

Viv: My understanding is that your driver has told you the original itinerary, which included a part of the Amalfi, is now a no-go because an objective of the original itinerary is beyond the closure (the location of the closure is not clear to me). And now you're wondering if the private guide tour by car is worth the money, with the reduced itinerary, whether what's left you can do by less costly means? Is that the question that's being asked for others to help you answer?Maybe it would help if you list (I know you did it before, up above) what is included in the shortened itinerary? And is the cost of the shortened itinerary the same as the prior itinerary? And could the shortened itinerary be done by you without the need for the private driver and, if so, at what cost?

I would be tempted to cancel the tour and explore the Amalfi coast by ferry instead. You don't say where you will be staying. Pompeii is an easy train ride on the Circomveniza (SP!!) train.

I too am a photographer - I got some great shots from the ferry.

We had also driven the coast - I am not sure where the closure is - but I think it somewhere between POsitano and Amalfi.

If you can still get the tour from Sorrento to Positano along the coast - do it. It is goregeous!!!

Kent, I hope I answer this correctly from your post.. I'll do my best, The original tour included a drive to Pompeii and then the Amalfi Drive and then on to Ravello, (that is all I know.. I was leaving the touring up to Monetti as of specifics He knows I wanted to take a lot of pictures....)

The new tour as quoted by him (and yes for same price) is a morning drive to Pompeii then a drive to Sorrento arriving around 1:30 and then on to Postiano reaching there around 3 pm. (this is all they told me)

My question is: since I don't know the area well, is it worth it to do a private driver in Sorrento and Postiano? Now, I realize "worth" is different to each person. I was just trying to figure this all out since it has changed.

In Rick's book he list prices for the train to Pompeii and the bus cost(s) for the areas... so I am all set knowing that. Working the numbers.. I will probably pay about 250 more by doing the driver.

Now, the cost he quoted is for four people, and we will be doing this tour on our second full day in Praiano. (that is our home base) We will have 5 full days in Praiano (6 nights and 7 days total) the only other thing I have planned now is one day we would like to visit Capri and/or Ischia.

The madness behind this question is not to penny pinch: I am just wondering if it made sense to hire a driver for these areas...

I have a feeling I won't know it until I do it.. but thank you for helping anyway...
Cheers
Viv

Sally,
I heard back from Monetti this morning and all he said was "The road on the Amalfi coast will be closed again from now until end July this year"
I just wrote back asking if we will drive along the cost at all from Sorrento to Postiano...

I think I will keep the booking if he says yes. He really is a nice guy.. I have a feeling I will regret not doing it...
thank you for your input and help! :o)

Viv- the drive I think he is planning for you is spectacular. You will likely go up the road out of Sorrento - over the mountain and drop down on the southern side of the penninsula. If he takes the same road we did - there is a spot at the top where you can see the water on both the north side (Sorrento side) and the south side (the official Amalfi Coast Drive). The only way to see this part of the pennisula is to drive it.

You might ask him if he could also take you to the "tip" of the pennisula. There are two small villages worth a bit of a stop - sorry I don't have their names in front of me)

Enjoy!!!

No don't be sorry... that is wonderful help.. I just emailed him to make sure he knows to keep my tour. He is mentioned in Rick's Italy 2008 book and so far I have really enjoyed working with them to book this tour.

Thank you all for helping with this... now only about 100 more things to figure out... ;o)

Enjoy your trip Viv! You are doing the right thing by researching it all.

The two towns are Termini and Nerano. Both are very interesting - non tourist towns that will give you a great flavour of an Italian fishing village.

We just came back from a wonderful time in Sorrento.
We just took the SITA bus from Sorrento to Posi, Amal & then Ravello. Can't beat the price...6 euro for a 24 hr pass on SITA. We stopped off and visited all those towns and got back to Sorrento around 8:30pm. BTW this was on April 6th '09 and we had no road closures, but seems like that has now changed?
Sorry to hear the roads will be closed, as that could put a damper on the Amalfi ride, as well as create havic on traffic.

Also visted Pompei for a day ( spent 5 hours there ), and just took the local train (1.90 E each way from Sorrento) Also spent a day in Capri ( great day! )

If you are not pressed for time, taking public trans was a breeze and saved $$$. Summer might be a different story, as the area will be quite crowded and public transportation may be slow. All 'n all we spent 4 nights in Sorrento.

So if you add it all up, transit costs to Amalfi area and Pompei are 10 euro per person.

Jeff, that is great information thank you!
Since we will be in the area just shy of a week.. I will buy passes to help us get around. (I only have one tour booked)

We will be on vacation.. so even if it is busy I won't be pressed for time.... As long as I am fed.. I can do anything... :o)