Tour of Almalfi Coast

Maya, As I recall, there are some Drivers listed in the Italy Guidebook (the ones that Rick uses). It would probably be good idea to travel to Sorrento via train, and start the road tour from there. I wouldn't recommend driving along the Amalfi Coast on your own! Given your location, you might take a drive to Edmonds one day, and speak with the experts at ETBD. They may have some good suggestions for you. Happy travels!

If no one has personal experience they can share, you could contact your Rome hotel and inquire. Many hotels will help arrange a tour, and my experience is that they tend to favor tour companies with which they and their guests have had good experiences and are happy to pass along feedback they've received from past guests.

It's pretty expensive to rent a car in Italy because of all the extra insurance they require. Our friends have driven the Amalfi coast a couple of times and said it was a very nervewracking experience because of the way the locals drive and the twisty, winding roads along the coast. Not something they would ever do again.

Janis Thanks - I always have enjoyed driving in Italy and the Amalfi Coast was as enjoyable if not more than most. Full disclosure - I drive my own car (yes right hand drive) from England to Italy almost every year. Its a big car for European standards, a Honda Accord. I always have my wife in the other seat ready to pull in the wing mirror. It is important to go from the Sorrento end towards the Salerno end, otherwise the traffic will be much worse. If you do drive, you can pull off the road many times along the way and admire the views, shrines, and an absolutely mad village diorama/shrine that has to be seen to believed. But I do agree that everybody's skill and comfort level vary. By the way, I found driving along the beach road in Villefranche sur Mer near Nice much tighter. Had the mirrors in almost all the time there. Much harder.

i have toured the Amalfi coast with a tour guide and on our own. The tour guide was fantastic and expensive. Go to Sorrento train station and take the bus for 7.5 euros and do it on your own. It was fantastic....great tips in RS book. You can get on and off at your leisure and spend the amount of time you want. Loved Ravella and highly recommend Ristorante di Casimo. it is down an alley from the main square. (facing the church, go left) This is Rosie O'donnel's fav restaurant too!

I think Susan may be remembering Trattoria Cumpa' Cosimo at Via Roma 42. If so, I agree, the food is to die for.

Are you planning to stay in the area? We traveled to Sorrento last October (early.) We were based in Sorrento for eight days. From there, we traveled to Positano, Amalifi by ferry. Was really beautiful. I hear the bus ride is lovely, but a little too exciting for me.
Rick does recommend someone in his book for driving. Didn't use him, but Rick's recommendations are pretty good.

I don't think driving the Amalfi coast road is any different than driving Hwy 1 along the coast of Washington. But I think you would enjoy a private driver and car much more.

Rosalyn...you are right! That is the name of the restaurant! Went there both times that I was in Ravello on a recommendation of a friend.
The bus tour, I thought, was excellent and I loved going at our own pace! We took it two days and each day saw something different!

Can't recommend an expensive private or bus tour or driving your own car, but would certainly suggest using the cheap, local SITA buses that ply the twisty, and yes, nerve-racking two-lane highway - which has no shoulders, and very rarely a place to stop. Parking is next to impossible, and expensive when you find some. I guarantee that a driver will hardly see seawater or other sights while driving! Some people base themselves in Sorrento and do round trips from there, but while the distances are short, the heavy and dangerous traffic make a day-trip a long day. You could use Sorrento as a base to day-visit half the coast places such as Positano or Praiano, and then stay there or move to Amalfi to day-trip tp Ravello and onward to complete that section of the coastal highway towards Vietri sul Mare and eventually Salerno.

Please be advised this is NOT a drive for the faint of Heart!!! High season is highly unadvisable. These roads twist and wind their way thru the cliffs along the coast. Most are, at most 1 1/2 lanes wide, hairpin turns,and no guard rails. During high season the roads are for the most part 1 way with busses having the right of way. If this is your first trip, hop on one of the tour buses or take the local sita bus. A good web site, giving various transportation options is (summerinitaly.com)