Rome to Catania

Roads are ok. The major and only highway connecting Salerno to Reggio Calabria is undergoing extensive renovations, you will likely encounter 60km of working zones, some reduced to one-lane per direction only. September is past the peak season so you shouldn't expect large congestion there. The A3 highway actually goes to extremely beautiful scenery at times, like when it crosses the Polino National Park, the final descent to Villa San Giovanni, and near the dotted villages on the dry mountains of Basilicata. I don't like Salerno itself that much, it is a giant port city, rather ugly some parts. Now if you are talking of taking the Amalfi Coast road, then it's worth. I'd break the drive from Battipaglia to Catania in two, actually, sleeping over in Cosenza or Lamezia Terme. That way I'd make a couple stops in the Polino park, in some village that catches your attention, and necessarily in Scilla, an amazing village with houses pressed between the sea and the mountains. The ferry over the strait takes 15 min and they have ferries like every hour or more frequent. Nigh trains to that area are hideous and crap now that Trenitalia retired some of the "premium" sleepers and left mostly old and crap couchettes and sleepers on the route. I'd not recommend it to anyone. An alternative if you don't want to drive back all the way is to take a night ferry ship Catania-Napoli and drive back from there only. Its cabins are just okay-ish but much better than night trains. The ship is biggish, but has no cruise atmosphere.

Look up Cherrye Moore and My Bella Vita Travel. She is a Texan who married an Italian, now lives in Catanzaro Calabria and runs a B&B there, and operates a tour-travel advice company. She is an expert on the area, and for a nominal fee will provide you with great information. Jan B