Driving along Amalfi Coast

[jabjab]

Planning a trip to Italy and looking at car rentals. For people who have rented a car to drive the coast was it better to use a company like hertz for a modern car or I've seen some vintage car rentals companies as well.

Would to hear your personal experiences

[littledan]

Use a north american brand. Whatever you do dont use europcar. Unless you want to wait 3 hrs at the rome airport to pick it up in a line that looks like a refugee cue.

[jabjab]

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Use a north american brand. Whatever you do dont use europcar. Unless you want to wait 3 hrs at the rome airport to pick it up in a line that looks like a refugee cue.

Thanks for the advice, I'll stick with a well known north American company.

I inquired about the vintage bugs and mini Cooper's and they were around 250 euros a day!

[DonJuan]

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Planning a trip to Italy and looking at car rentals. For people who have rented a car to drive the coast was it better to use a company like hertz for a modern car or I've seen some vintage car rentals companies as well.

Would to hear your personal experiences

My friend did something similar for his honeymoon; Barca to Rome. He rented a small hatch through big name company after hearing about theft and crazy drivers in Spain and Italy. Funny enough his car broke down early on and had an ordeal to get a replacement. A classic car on that drive though... wow

[shakalaka]

I actually rented through Europcar and didn't have any issues. Though I picked up from middle of Rome and not the Airport. As for driving on Amalfi, I can't say anything other than I was highly encouraged by people to not do it which is why I ended up removing it from the itinerary. Does look beautiful and everything seems from when I did more research later on but the trip had already passed by then. Knowing what I know of Amalfi though, if you're going to drive, I'd imagine a classic vert would be much more fitting than a 'regular' vehicle.

[hurrdurr]

I booked at Hertz in central Naples. No issue with car rental at all - Was a tiny POS Opel hatch but the drive to Positano was amazing regardless the vehicle - Next time - Hopefully I'll have more money to rent something more fun but it's worth the drive regardless - one of the best drives of my life - very enjoyable.

[littledan]

Amalfi you really need to watch out for oncoming tour buses. They rip around the corners and just push through. My front quarter almost got run over and I had to reverse along the cliffside while people in the bus were screaming like they were watching a murder.

[DonJuan]

Something like this is what I was envisioning

[Cagare]

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Amalfi you really need to watch out for oncoming tour buses. They rip around the corners and just push through. My front quarter almost got run over and I had to reverse along the cliffside while people in the bus were screaming like they were watching a murder.

This is so true. It sounds really cool to drive the Amalfi coast, but it's just like this, and often very slow going. I would find it more relaxing taking a bus. Lots of other routes in that part of Italy that are fun for driving.

[shakalaka]

I guess my information was correct then. Good thing I didn't end up doing it. My absolute worse experience with driving in Italy was not knowing what the fuck to do at all the toll checkpoints and there are so fucking many. They are all automated and in Italian so it was a huge fucking pain trying to select the right options with a line-up of angry Italians collecting behind you.

[Cagare]

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I guess my information was correct then. Good thing I didn't end up doing it. My absolute worse experience with driving in Italy was not knowing what the fuck to do at all the toll checkpoints and there are so fucking many. They are all automated and in Italian so it was a huge fucking pain trying to select the right options with a line-up of angry Italians collecting behind you.

Yeah, I really don't like driving many populated/busy places in Italy to be honest. It's only nice on the backroads through the Country. Most of the roads where my family is from look like a stage rally.

[taemo]

^this.

finding a parking spot and daily cost can be a nightmare too.

we rented one from Napoli to Positano for one day only, returned the car to Sorrento the next day and enjoyed the view from the bus back to Positano.

[Cagare]

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^this.

finding a parking spot and daily cost can be a nightmare too.

we rented one from Napoli to Positano for one day only, returned the car to Sorrento the next day and enjoyed the view from the bus back to Positano.

I guess I never thought about the parking either. Not usually an issue in the paese or in the valleys. Usually we park on the side of the highway by the gate. Only risk is that in the country there is sooo much theft going on.

[shakalaka]

Would love to go back there one day and have more time. Such a beautiful country with SO many things to see and do that the 2 weeks we had was nowhere near enough to even fully see the major cities we visited (Rome, Florence, Venice, Pisa). I did get in my trip to the Lamborghini and Ferrari factories so I guess that part has been covered. Haha. I loved the rolling hills of Tuscany - not a wine guy, but can see how that would be heaven for someone who is. But basically, you could very easily spend upwards of 3-4 months exploring it in and out, including the Coast, islands, Milan, Cinque Terra etc.

[cycosis]

I drove from Munich down to Amalfi in a BMW 4 series convertible. No joke, I could not drive to my airbnb because the road was too narrow lol. We had to park at a hotel and hike in 1.5km with our bags. Was funny and a good memory. We went through Sixt and had no issues.