Sorrento - Driving around - how bad an idea?
Discussion
Hi - flying out to Naples on Saturday with a week in an ABNB just outside Sorrento (Santa Agata) as a family of 8 including our 83y/o father in law.
Have hired a Merc Vito for the week.
I understand that we will be OK getting to our accom as the odd/even and road restrictions allow free travel to pre booked accom but have some questions;
- For the odd/even days - which is which? i.e. is it by date? i.e. 25.08.24 is an odd day so only cars with odd plates,
- We plan a trip back to Naples to visit Pompei that is pre booked for the Monday - can we still travel if we have the wrong digit on the end of our number plate?
- I understand that parking is expensive but I also understand that Sorrento has a car park just outside the ZTL for eu25/day is it feasible to travel on the days permitted and use the car parks etc?
Have hired a Merc Vito for the week.
I understand that we will be OK getting to our accom as the odd/even and road restrictions allow free travel to pre booked accom but have some questions;
- For the odd/even days - which is which? i.e. is it by date? i.e. 25.08.24 is an odd day so only cars with odd plates,
- We plan a trip back to Naples to visit Pompei that is pre booked for the Monday - can we still travel if we have the wrong digit on the end of our number plate?
- I understand that parking is expensive but I also understand that Sorrento has a car park just outside the ZTL for eu25/day is it feasible to travel on the days permitted and use the car parks etc?
I have no idea.
I'm only replying to say that if you are that way then you MUST visit Paestum.
It is, in my opinion, the most magnificent ancient ruin I've ever been to and is way more impressive than Pompeii.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paestum
I'm only replying to say that if you are that way then you MUST visit Paestum.
It is, in my opinion, the most magnificent ancient ruin I've ever been to and is way more impressive than Pompeii.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paestum
Still got PTSD from driving to Sorrento back in the 90s. It wasn't the town itself, we just parked up when we arrived at the hotel and didn't use the car till we set off home again.
It might indicate just how terrifying was the driving we'd encountered on the way down that we left at 3 in the morning to be well north of Naples by rush hour.
It might indicate just how terrifying was the driving we'd encountered on the way down that we left at 3 in the morning to be well north of Naples by rush hour.
Many years ago, we booked a coach trip on the Amalfi Run taking us along the coast and up to Ravello.
Interesting wasn’t the word - on the journey we saw 4 separate accidents.
I understand they no longer allow coaches along the Amalfi Coast as they just caused absolute chaos.
Italy is definitely one of the maddest countries to drive in but it doesn’t bother me (just drive like the locals and you’ll be fine).
My biggest gripe is the ZTL zones in towns which can easily catch you out and parking generally is an absolute nightmare and expensive (it’s even worse than the UK and that’s saying something).
We didn’t hire a car in Sorrento but we have in Lecce, also Taormina in Sicily - both those areas parking was an absolute pain. In Taormina the police would drive through the town late at night and hoist any cars incorrectly parked onto a low loader to be put into a storage compound.
Personally I wouldn’t be hiring a car in Sorrento and that is dead against my normal advice as you miss so much by not discovering areas for yourself.
Interesting wasn’t the word - on the journey we saw 4 separate accidents.
I understand they no longer allow coaches along the Amalfi Coast as they just caused absolute chaos.
Italy is definitely one of the maddest countries to drive in but it doesn’t bother me (just drive like the locals and you’ll be fine).
My biggest gripe is the ZTL zones in towns which can easily catch you out and parking generally is an absolute nightmare and expensive (it’s even worse than the UK and that’s saying something).
We didn’t hire a car in Sorrento but we have in Lecce, also Taormina in Sicily - both those areas parking was an absolute pain. In Taormina the police would drive through the town late at night and hoist any cars incorrectly parked onto a low loader to be put into a storage compound.
Personally I wouldn’t be hiring a car in Sorrento and that is dead against my normal advice as you miss so much by not discovering areas for yourself.
Very simple answer: I wouldn’t remotely dream of trying to drive a Vito around Sorrento or the surrounding area. On any day. You will find it an incredibly frustrating, exasperating and painful experience. The roads, let alone the traffic, are not cut out for such vehicles in any way shape or form.
I used a 500 when I went down there, I lived and worked in Italy at the time and was well used to such things. Even in the 500, when I was going into Sorrento I would fold the wing mirrors in as I knew I wouldn’t get down some roads otherwise.
The roads across the interior of the peninsula are generally fine - woeful potholes, but ok on traffic and width, ish. The coast road however is very narrow for such a “main” road and in a Vito you will wincing for half the journey. God alone knows if a Vito can even get through Positano!
Oh and if you even think of driving into Naples, except to both pick the thing up from the hire place and drop it off - just don’t. Drop the idea even before thinking of it. I can/could drive Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence, Pisa, Avezzano, Pescara without crashing or being crashed into. I could cut and dice with the locals quite happily and navigate them without GPS. Naples is very very different, it is just a f
ked up mess of a place. I’ve been doing 100kph on the Autostada and seen ppl reverse up the road as they missed their exits! Watched ppl drive the wrong way down 1 way streets into traffic, Hollywood movie style. Watched a car jacking outside a pizza restaurant. It’s a loony place.
I used a 500 when I went down there, I lived and worked in Italy at the time and was well used to such things. Even in the 500, when I was going into Sorrento I would fold the wing mirrors in as I knew I wouldn’t get down some roads otherwise.
The roads across the interior of the peninsula are generally fine - woeful potholes, but ok on traffic and width, ish. The coast road however is very narrow for such a “main” road and in a Vito you will wincing for half the journey. God alone knows if a Vito can even get through Positano!
Oh and if you even think of driving into Naples, except to both pick the thing up from the hire place and drop it off - just don’t. Drop the idea even before thinking of it. I can/could drive Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence, Pisa, Avezzano, Pescara without crashing or being crashed into. I could cut and dice with the locals quite happily and navigate them without GPS. Naples is very very different, it is just a f
ked up mess of a place. I’ve been doing 100kph on the Autostada and seen ppl reverse up the road as they missed their exits! Watched ppl drive the wrong way down 1 way streets into traffic, Hollywood movie style. Watched a car jacking outside a pizza restaurant. It’s a loony place. You've got some good advice already. Sorrento and the Amalfi coast will challenge you and challenge your van's insurance. Whatever vehicle(s) you end up with, make sure you have the top level of insurance.
For car hire excess insurance I would advise buying on the internet before you go, the hire company will rip you off.
I've just reread your post. Don't drive in Naples centre, just don't - unless you are utterly comfortable driving in complete chaos (think India). Normal rules don't apply, not even close. If you do go to Naples, take nothing of value - especially watches.
Also my tuppence on Paestum - best ancient site I've ever been to in terms of turning up and getting the wow factor.
Herculaneum is like a mini-Pompei and vastly better preserved.
For car hire excess insurance I would advise buying on the internet before you go, the hire company will rip you off.
I've just reread your post. Don't drive in Naples centre, just don't - unless you are utterly comfortable driving in complete chaos (think India). Normal rules don't apply, not even close. If you do go to Naples, take nothing of value - especially watches.
Also my tuppence on Paestum - best ancient site I've ever been to in terms of turning up and getting the wow factor.
Herculaneum is like a mini-Pompei and vastly better preserved.
Edited by Puggit on Saturday 24th August 10:47
Puggit said:
Don't drive in Naples centre, just don't - unless you are utterly comfortable driving in complete chaos (think India). Normal rules don't apply, not even close.
Thinking about it, I can't imagine it's any worse than Bradford and the immediate surroundings. Only difference is that in Naples you'll be t-boned by a Fiat 500. In Bradford it'll be a chavved-up Bentley Bentayga, so at least in Naples you're likely to live!clive_candy said:
Still got PTSD from driving to Sorrento back in the 90s. It wasn't the town itself, we just parked up when we arrived at the hotel and didn't use the car till we set off home again.
It might indicate just how terrifying was the driving we'd encountered on the way down that we left at 3 in the morning to be well north of Naples by rush hour.
I totally agree with this. We drove to Sorrento in 2012 and the most terrifying part of the journey, was Naples to Sorrento, the worst driving I have ever witnessed. When we got to our hotel, we simply parked up for the week and let the Circumvesuviana and ferry to Capri take the strain.It might indicate just how terrifying was the driving we'd encountered on the way down that we left at 3 in the morning to be well north of Naples by rush hour.
https://www.sorrentoinsider.com/en/naples-to-sorre...
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