Pick up your rental car at Naples Capodichino Airport, but don't rush south immediately. Naples deserves at least half a day. Drive to the Spaccanapoli district and park in a supervised garage (street parking in Naples is an extreme sport). Walk the narrow streets, grab a pizza margherita at Da Michele or Sorbillo — this is where pizza was invented, after all. Visit the Naples Archaeological Museum for the Pompeii artifacts if time permits.
Driving tip: Naples traffic is legendary for its chaos. If you're not comfortable with aggressive city driving, consider spending your first night in Naples and picking up the car the next morning. Alternatively, park at the airport hotel and take the metro into the city.
Stay: Hotel Piazza Bellini in the historic center, or Grand Hotel Vesuvio on the waterfront for a splurge.
Distance driven: Airport to city center, approximately 8 km.
Head south on the A3 motorway toward Pompei (the modern town has one 'i', the ancient site has two). Arrive early at the Pompeii archaeological site — it opens at 9:00 and the morning light is best for photos. Allow 2-3 hours to explore the forum, the amphitheater, and the remarkably preserved houses with their frescoes.
After Pompeii, continue south to Sorrento via the SS145. This road hugs the clifftops above the Bay of Naples with jaw-dropping views of Vesuvius across the water. Sorrento is your base for the next two nights — it has better parking options and more reasonable hotel prices than the Amalfi Coast towns.
Driving tip: The SS145 is your first taste of Campanian cliff roads. It's wide enough here, but practice your confidence with tight turns and oncoming buses before tackling the narrower Amalfi Drive tomorrow.
Eat: Ristorante Bagni Delfino in Sorrento for seafood on the waterfront. Try the gnocchi alla sorrentina — potato gnocchi baked with mozzarella and tomato sauce.
Stay: Hotel Antiche Mura, a converted monastery with pool, or Maison La Minervetta for boutique luxury with balcony views.
Distance driven: 50 km.
This is the day you came for. The SS163 Amalfi Drive is 50 km of hairpin turns carved into sheer cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is simultaneously the most beautiful and most stressful road in Italy.
Leave Sorrento early (by 8:00 if possible) to beat tour buses. Drive east toward Positano, your first stop. The town cascades down the cliff face in a tumble of pastel buildings — the view from the road above is one of Europe's most photographed. Park at the upper town lot (don't attempt to drive down to the beach) and walk the steep stairs to the waterfront. Allow 1.5 hours for exploration and a lemon granita.
Continue east to Amalfi town itself. The cathedral of Sant'Andrea with its striped facade dominates the small piazza. This was once a maritime republic rivaling Venice, and the narrow streets still have a trading-port energy. Park in the Luna Rossa garage or the waterfront lot.
In the afternoon, drive up the winding road to Ravello, perched 350 meters above the sea. Visit Villa Rufolo and its famous gardens — Wagner composed here, and the panoramic terrace views are staggering. If you're visiting during the summer Ravello Festival, book concert tickets in advance.
Driving tip: The Amalfi Drive has no guardrails in many sections. Buses have right of way and will squeeze past on blind corners. Use your horn before blind turns (the locals do). Mornings heading east and late afternoons heading west have the sun behind you for better visibility.
Eat: Da Vincenzo in Positano for classic Amalfi seafood, or Trattoria Da Cumpa Cosimo in Ravello for home-style cooking at reasonable prices.
Stay: Return to Sorrento base, or splurge on a night at Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi.
Distance driven: 80 km (allow 4-5 hours including stops).
Today, explore the less-visited eastern section of the coast. Drive back along the SS163 past Amalfi to the tiny village of Furore, famous for its dramatic fjord — a narrow inlet between towering cliffs. The beach at the bottom is tiny but spectacular, accessible by stairs from the road.
Continue to Cetara, a working fishing village that hasn't been polished for tourists. This is the home of colatura di alici, an anchovy sauce descended from ancient Roman garum. Buy a bottle at one of the local shops as a souvenir. Have lunch at Al Convento, where the seafood pasta with colatura is transcendent.
In the afternoon, take the road up from Ravello or Scala to the Lattari Mountains for a different perspective. The hiking trail between Ravello and Minori (the Lemon Path) is a moderate 2-hour walk through terraced lemon groves with aerial views of the coast below.
Driving tip: The road east of Amalfi toward Cetara and Vietri is wider and less trafficked than the Positano section. It's a more relaxed drive and equally beautiful.
Eat: Al Convento in Cetara (book ahead), or Sal De Riso in Minori for extraordinary pastries — his ricotta and pear cake is famous throughout Italy.
Stay: Return to Sorrento, or stay in Cetara at Hotel Cetus for a quieter atmosphere.
Distance driven: 60 km.
On your final day, choose between two departures. Option A: drive back toward Naples via the mountain road to Mount Vesuvius. The drive up takes about 40 minutes, and from the parking area it's a 30-minute walk to the crater rim. Standing on the edge of the volcano that buried Pompeii, looking down into the still-steaming crater, is a profound experience.
Option B: park your car in Sorrento and take the morning ferry to Capri for a few hours. The Blue Grotto is overpriced and overcrowded, but the chairlift to Monte Solaro and the views from Villa San Michele in Anacapri are genuinely worth the trip. Return by early afternoon ferry and drive to Naples airport.
Driving tip: Allow at least 2 hours for the drive from Sorrento to Naples airport, including potential traffic delays on the A3 motorway. Weekend and holiday traffic can double this time. Return your rental car with a full tank — airport fuel stations are at the entrance to the airport complex.
Final meal: If time allows, stop in Ercolano (Herculaneum) on your way back. The site is smaller and better-preserved than Pompeii, and the town has excellent local restaurants. Viva Lo Re serves outstanding Neapolitan cuisine at local prices.
Distance driven: 55 km to Naples airport.
For multi-country trips, pick up and return the car in the same country to avoid expensive one-way drop-off fees (often €200-500).
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Rental car (5 days, compact) | €150-220 |
| Fuel | €40-50 |
| Tolls (A3 motorway) | €5-8 |
| Parking (5 days total) | €60-100 |
| Accommodation (4 nights mid-range) | €400-700 |
| Food (meals for 2 people) | €300-450 |
| Attractions (Pompeii, Ravello villas, Vesuvius) | €50-70 |
| Total estimated (2 people) | €1,005-1,598 |
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