Rome to Ravello - questions/car/and all your good thoughts

Okay, I still may be a little confused so here are questions and comments: Car size-do I take it that your parents are not with you in Ravello? You said the car seats 5 so I guess that is the case. So it is good that you have a smaller car and not a larger van-should make the driving easier. Driving-why are you terrified? Fear of heights, in which case even if you were in a tour with someone else driving this would terrify you? Or fear of your husband driving the coast? We've done it twice now and it wasn't that bad, but my husband is a good and confident driver and yes, he drove a stick. I really wouldn't worry about it as long as he feels okay doing it. The only thing is that it is my understanding that even if you reserve a pn automatic, one may not be available upon pickup. I'd verify this as much as you can. Dealing with a car- I think a car would be great to drive to Pompeii and some other areas. We stayed in Ravello both times and it was a lovely place to stay. The only real problem we had was in trying to visit other towns on then amalie coast. The parking was very difficult and we eventually just gave up. But I think there is a bus that will take you up and down-and isn't there a path from Ravello down to maybe Amalfi? Maybe park the car for those trips and keep it to visit other areas. Now that I think about it, Sorrento was not that bad to drive in, better than Positano and Amalfi so the car could be useful then. Tours-we havent done any. Pompeii is a huge place and depending on what you really want to get out of it, you could pick up one of their group tours or get a really good guidebook and do it yourself. We enjoyed the wandering around Pompeii. I will warn you it is VERY hot, so frankly I was glad to be at our own pace instead of with the sweaty group.

One other thing-parking was easy in Pompeii. Good directions, easy to get to.

So sorry - we're the 50 year old parents with our 3 kids. That's why we need a bigger car - one that holds 5 people. I like your idea of getting the car for some things. I hope i can find one cheaper than 1500! Thank you SO much - and I agree about being hot and sweaty for hours on end especially with the kids. We did Greece last summer and the littlest one was very cranky in Rhodes!

Ah, that accounts for why I added 2+2+3 = 7 and you said you needed 5. The light bulb comes on!! ... but 5 plus luggage for 5 will still be very tight in anything but a large car... that probably accounts for 1500. There are several experts here on car rentals. Perhaps they will chip in...

Haha Nigel,
You're terrific. Ok hope some of the car people pop in. THANK YOU for taking the time to figure out my confusing math problem!

Hello ellen, I'm glad you found it, too. I'm a likkle confuzzed. 1500 what's? Do you mean money or engine size? If money, what kind? If engine size that's for a small 4 seater.
Do you mean you will have a car for 7 nights? You say, "my husband only drives manual" , that's perfect because most cars will be manual. Is he to be the only driver? Have you been to Italy before? Have you ever driven in Rome or Naples before? Cars in Italy (and Europe) are much smaller than American ones and streets are way, way, way narrower, so the cars have to be. 5 adults and 2 teenagers and luggage for 7 will be nigh impossible to fit in a normal car. Are you getting some huge vehicle you can all fit in? Or will you have two smaller cars (still very crowded) and try to stay in touch as you negotiate the alleys and lanes? Sorry, but your questions raise more questions.

More questions - Does your villa have parking? Where will you park in Positano? (I've been there. Wouldn't want to find parking. I was in April, can't imagine trying in July.) Same question about Pompeii? Easy to get to by Circumvesuviana, as are Naples and Sorrento, and Herculaneum. Paestum is easy by car, parking is easy.

I am so sorry - he does NOT drive manual. 1500 US dollars is the cost for the car the travel agent found - it's a large car for 5 people (not a van - I think she said Mercedes). Our US travel agent found this. Yes, the villa has parking. Sounds like it might make more sense to rent one day to Paestum rather than an expensive tour for 5... I found an Italian travel agency http://www.touringpoint.it/menu.htm I did email them. Thanks for the replies and sorry my first post was confusing.
Ellen

Hi Ellen, We were on the Amalfi coast in Octorber of 2011 and it seems if you want to see the sites of the coast you are based in the wrong town. Ravello is beautiful, but it is a half hour drive each way up and down to the main Amalfi coast road. That time of the year the road will be slow going and it will take you a long time to get from point to point. I agree with the previous poster that a car for 7 is impossible. The bus service on the coast runs between the towns and seems to me to be much better than trying to drive between towns. The parking in the towns will also be a problem. For the cost of the rental car you can get a couple of private car tours for a couple of days. Check Rick Steves Italy book for private tour suggestions. I personally would base in Sorrento, more to do for everyone. Good luck.

I already paid for my villa, so changing our town is not an option. Still dump the car?

We were in Positano in June and can't imagine trying to find place to park. Also, Pompeii was HOT. Try to get there when it opens. Enjoy.

Okay. Glad we got the number of people problem settled. One thing, when you are talking about the expense of the car, I imagine that is because it includes the CDW insurance. This is expensive but I haven't been able to find any way around it as my credit cards don't cover Italy. If you will spend most of your time actually in Ravello or don't mind busing up and down the coast you will probably be fine without a car. But anything you do like take a tour in order to not have to drive, you will be multiplying by 5 so the cost adds up. We found on our trips with 2 kids (4 total), that the car was the same or cheaper than train tickets for all of us on several days. But that may not be the case now.

Also regarding the size of the car. We have always gotten the equivalent of a ford focus wagon. A small 4 door with a hatchback. We pack lightly but still had 4 carryon size suitcases in the back. There would probably had been room for a 5th. The bigger problem is that your 3 kids will be together on one seat and will probably have their daypack or personal item on their lap which may be pretty squishy. What do you travel in now? Are they used to 3 to a seat? One trip we had 4 kids with us and so got a small mini-van. It was much smaller than ours at home but at least we could all sit okay. If you decide to do a car, even though it will be bigger, you might look into that.

Karen brings up a good point. How light do you pack? Will you be carry-on only or will there be suitcases in the mix?

I don't know about the insurance, but we found a Wagon for 5 for 950 which is a huge difference. We will definitely not lie around for 7 days - we will go places most days so you have convinced me of the car - thanks, Karen and Nigel. Now the car the travel agent just found is pick up in Naples (we hydrofoil in from Capri so we have to add taxi cost) and then she wants us to return it to Rome at 3 am. Here's why: She feels it will be easier to leave the 13th of July and drive to Rome rather than return the car and take the train. We plan on staying at a hotel in Rome and getting to the airport at 3am the 14th (our flight leaves at 6 am). She says we can leave the car at any drop off since it will be pre-paid. I'm wondering if it would be easier and/or cheaper to find a car in Amalfi or Ravello and then taking the bus and train back to Rome. but how to get to an airport at 3am - I hear it's not so easy to get a taxi at 3 am and we certainly do not want to miss our flight back to the States.... You guys rock.

Well, we did actually do the unthinkable and drove into Rome for our last night! I picked a hotel on the east side of the city that was easy to get to and then didn't really have to drive into the heart of the city. Getting up early in the morning and driving to the airport was pretty easy with no traffic. It really was not the horror story we thought it would be but we were on the edge of and not directly IN the heart of the city And also our hotel offered parking. If you don't want to do that then you need to contact your hotel and discuss perhaps ordering a "car service". There are early flights all the time so I'm sure they have a preferred taxi or whatever that they could book for you so you would be more assured of getting there on time. That way you could drop the car, train in, get to your hotel and then taxi out. Regardless you will need to have a discussion with your hotel because even if you decide to drive you need exact directions, ask about parking, any no drive zones, etc.

Sorry, meant to post one other thing. I know you are working with an agent but if you want to compare prices or find out about rental from Amalfi, etc. try AutoEurope. They are a consolidator here in the states and I think they are great for getting info about various car rental issues. And we have rented from them for the past many years and have been happy with their service. Be sure you do check whether insurance is included or, if not, whether your credit card will cover you. We did get a few dings in our cars, but never had to pay.

Okay I checked auto-europe and it was much cheaper. THANKS! The hotel in Rome is the HOliday Inn at VIALE CASTELLO DELLA MAGLIANA 65 ROME, 00148 ITALY
They offer free shuttle service tho not at 3 am. So clearly it's pretty close. Think this will work? I would like to drive the car there and leave it as the travel agent says - at the drop off.. But how does one get from the drop off area to the terminal?Hubby can leave the kids and me and luggage, but I know the airport is huge...

ellen I know you are being careful about this trip, but have you read the TripAdvisor reviews of that place in EUR? I know they have parking are are sorta near the airport but surely you could do better...

Nigel,
I didn't read the review on that hotel as it was only a place for a few hour stay prior to going back - didn't care short of bedbugs. That said, travel agent booked thru your link the first time (she says) and said she just thought we'd prefer a bigger car. She rebooked a station wagon for 931 US dollars - pick up at Naples airport return to Rome airport. She says: You are right - don't drive in Rome. Eat somewhere between Naples and Rome in a quaint town along the way. Drive directly to Crown Plaza Marriott by airport (she agrees about Holiday Inn - we chose it because we had free points). Have hubby drop us off at hotel. Hubby takes car to airport and shuttles back (9 pm or so - yes shuttle runs til 10). She arranged a car for 35 dollars at 4 am. we wouldn't go into Rome that last night - though we're doing 4 days of Rome prior. I know those who adore Rome think we should do our last night in Rome - and I'm certainly not throwing out that idea - but I know the cost of hotels in Rome and we are getting up at 3 am. Now the real decision is: Do we even need the car? I lean towards yes - we can drive to Pompeii and Pasteum saving 400 euro at least right there. That's about 600 US if I'm not mistaken. We also save the cost of bus after Capri to Ravello and cost of train back to Rome. If we never use the car other than those two trips, we lose a few bucks - but we do gain the freedom of having it. On the other hand, maybe we shouldn't have a car. ......

we can drive to Pompeii and Pasteum saving 400 euro at least right there Eh? Where does the €400 come from? Naples to Pompeii by Circumvesuviana is pennies. Naples to Paestum is only 1:24 or so by regular Regionale train so how much can that be, even for your herd? Find a taxi in Paestum and arange a pick up time to get back to the station. Can't be much. I'd have to work really hard to spend that. If you go to Peastum from somewhere on the Amalfi coast the blue bus will get you to Salerno where you hop the same train a bit further along. Have I missed something?

So let's forget money. Is it way more convenient to have a car if money were no object? Or is public transport easy?