After 3 nights in CT, we're planning 6 nights in Tuscany/Umbria followed by 3 nights in Amalfi Coast and then finally 3 nights in Rome to finish the trip.
What's the best way to go from Tuscany to AC? We could still keep our rental car, or check in at Orvieto to catch a bus/train if that's easier?
Irene, you still haven't answered the question of where you will be departing from in Tuscany.
Tuscany and Umbria are large areas. Where will you be originating this journey to the AC? The answer can vary depending on where you originate.
We had a car doing the opposite direction (Sorrento to Florence), and we really enjoyed having it. It depends on what you plan to do while in the Amalfi Coast area, where you're staying, etc. If you want to drive to Vesuvius, Pompeii, other sites, having a car can be very convenient. The other question is where you're heading after the Amalfi Coast and whether having a car there will be desirable and, if not, the logistics of getting rid of the car and on to your next location.
We're not planning on doing too much around AC other than maybe day trips to other coastal towns (we haven't yet picked a spot to base outselves). I would drop the car off before our stay in AC (Sorento or Naples??) and then take a train back to Rome for our last 3 nights there before heading back home.
sorry - meant Salerno, not Sorrento
Given that, I would recommend against the car and for basing yourself in Sorrento.
We're picking up the car in Pisa or Luca and then travelling south through Tuscany and Umbria. We'd drop off the car where it would make most sense, likely Orvieto.
We drove from Cortona to Positano in September 2005. We stopped in Rome to pick up some friends at the airport. The trip was fine until we got to Naples. We got there at "rush hour" and I think it took us an hour or two or more to get through Naples and Sorrento. My husband said he would never again drive on the Amalfi coast, he recommends to everyone that they take the ferries. I think your idea about dropping the car off at Orvieto is a good idea. It is easy to get a train from there to Naples and then bus or ferry wherever you are staying in the Amalfi coast area. We would like to go back and stay in Ravello some time. But I did really enjoy Positano. I think I would like Sorrento as a base too.
Thanks, Sherry. I was worried that driving would be longer and more expensive than train. The ferry sounds really interesting. Could you give me an idea of how expensive it would be?
Since we drove, I have no idea what the ferry costs would be. I'm sure other readers on the board probably know, and Rick may mention it in his book. I did take a ferry to Capri and back for a day trip and I don't remember it being that expensive.
We drove from Siena to Sorrento in May and it was a nice drive. It was actually pretty easy as it is almost entirely autostrade until you get off in Naples for Sorrento. Driving on the freeway in Naples was like driving in a big US city to me, lots of construction, lots of roads crossing each other.
We dropped our car to Sorrento, and used the ferries/buses to get around the Amalfi Coast and took a train from Naples to Rome on the way out.
