Driving the Amalfi Coast is fashionable bucket record expertise. To drive this winding street, previous dramatic coastal cliffs, a few of the most lovely cities in Italy, and well-known seashores, it appears like an exquisite factor to do.
However does driving the Amalfi Coast reside as much as the hype?
We drove your complete size of Amalfi Drive in October 2022. Now we have a number of sensible info to share with you and we’ll provide you with our opinion if driving the Amalfi Coast is value including to your Italy to-do record.
What’s Amalfi Drive?
Amalfi Drive, additionally known as strada statale 163 Amalfitana, or SS163, is the primary street that runs alongside the Amalfi Coast. It’s roughly 50 km lengthy and with out stops or site visitors, it takes about two hours to drive your complete size of this street.
With its views of dramatic cliffs plunging into the aquamarine sea, dotted by colourful coastal cities, this drive has been labeled as one of the crucial lovely on this planet.
As a result of its immense reputation, additionally it is one of the crucial congested roads on this planet, notably between the months of June by way of September.
About Our Expertise
Driving the Amalfi Coast has lengthy been on our bucket record…ever since planning our honeymoon a number of a long time in the past, when our journey agent painted an excellent image of a memorable scenic drive alongside one of the crucial lovely coastlines on this planet. We honeymooned in Hawaii by the way in which, not Italy.
We didn’t make it to Italy till 2014 and our go to was in July. We heard horror tales of parking points in the summertime, so we selected to get round by public bus, since we had been touring on a price range.
In 2022, we deliberate our go to for the tip of October, because the Amalfi Coast heads into the off season and site visitors is way lighter. On this journey, we drove your complete size of Amalfi Drive, lastly crossing it off of our bucket record.
Having executed this drive, and utilizing different modes of transportation, we realized that there are a lot better methods to get across the Amalfi Coast than renting a automobile and driving it your self. For extra particulars, take a look at our information on The right way to Get Across the Amalfi Coast.
Nonetheless, I completely get it whether it is one thing you need to do. Simply so you are ready, right here is what to anticipate should you plan to drive the Amalfi Coast.
The Amalfi Coast
What to Count on Driving the Amalfi Coast
Driving the Amalfi Coast may be described a number of other ways, relying on the supply.
Some individuals name it one of the crucial lovely drives on this planet. Others describe it as a white-knuckle drive or one of the crucial harmful drives on this planet.
The truth is that driving the Amalfi Coast is irritating, a bit disturbing, and never all it’s cracked as much as be. Sure, there are attractive views alongside the way in which, however don’t count on an attractive, stress-free drive the place you’ll be able to calm down and benefit from the views.
There’s hardly a straight stretch of street on your complete drive. With quite a few blind turns, you run the chance of hitting an oncoming automobile that crosses the middle line. And since Amalfi Drive has so many twists and turns, this generally is a nauseating experience for these liable to movement illness.
Amalfi Drive is simply extensive sufficient for 2 vehicles. At many locations alongside Amalfi Drive, lengthy strains of vehicles are parked on the shoulder, shrinking this already slender street.
On the drive, you’ll meet oncoming vehicles that cross into your lane, big buses that take up some severe actual property on the street, and tons of of drivers on bikes and scooters weaving out and in of site visitors.
After which you’ve vacationers and other people strolling alongside the roads, taking images, and typically they’re fully oblivious to what’s going on round them.
It feels as if you’re continuously dodging vehicles, buses, individuals, cyclists, and bikes. And we did this in October, when site visitors was comparatively mild.
We noticed a number of this…vehicles parked alongside the street and partially blocking one lane of site visitors, and vehicles regularly crossing the middle line simply earlier than a curve within the street.
One factor to pay attention to is {that a} thick barrier, both fabricated from concrete, rock, or metallic railings, runs alongside the size of Amalfi Drive. Driving off the street and plunging into the ocean will not be one thing to fret about on this drive. However you do must be ready to dodge the entire transferring obstacles alongside the street.
Through the summer season months, when visitation on the Amalfi Coast skyrockets, lengthy site visitors backups on Amalfi Drive are a every day prevalence, inflicting journey complications and large delays getting across the Amalfi Coast. At occasions, these backups may be as much as 6 km lengthy!
Now, throughout the summer season, an alternating license plate system has been instituted for rental vehicles, to restrict site visitors.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: You’ll be able to keep away from a few of these hassles by taking the bus or hiring a personal driver. However the buses and personal drivers will nonetheless have to sit down by way of these backups. Contemplate touring by boat or ferry in the summertime.
Vehicles and motorbikes parked alongside Amalfi Coast Drive.
Parking on the Amalfi Coast
Driving Amalfi Drive may be sluggish going and disturbing. After which to truly do something (go to the seashore in Positano, buy groceries in Amalfi, go to the villas in Ravello), it’s a must to discover a place to park your automobile.
Parking is extraordinarily restricted within the cities. Even within the second half of October, parking tons in some cities had been fully full, so we needed to park in a close-by city after which stroll a kilometer or two to get to our desired vacation spot.
In the summertime, good luck! Scoring a parking house in Amalfi or Positano is like hitting the jackpot. Almost definitely, it’s a must to park nicely exterior of city after which stroll 1 to 2 km alongside the busy street to get into city.
The Amalfi Coast is likely one of the windiest roads now we have pushed.
So, Is it Price Driving the Amalfi Coast?
I do know I simply painted a dismal image of what it’s prefer to drive the Amalfi Coast. However it’s best to have the proper expectations somewhat than being fully stunned as soon as right here, and never know concerning the license plate system or the restricted parking in cities.
We solely suggest driving the Amalfi Coast if you’ll be visiting from mid-October by way of the tip of April. Throughout this time, it’s the off-season. Site visitors is comparatively mild, so it’s a lot simpler to get round. However you might nonetheless have points parking. The following most suitable choice is to rent a driver throughout this time and allow them to deal with the stress of driving and discovering a parking house.
Alternating License Plate System
In 2022, an alternating license plate system was instituted on Amalfi Drive. These particulars are for 2022 and I think about this may proceed for 2023 however it’s but to be seen if the restrictions will change.
Listed here are the principles:
- These guidelines apply to rental vehicles. Vehicles belonging to locals, taxis, and buses are exempt.
- Rental vehicles with a license plate ending in an odd quantity can drive Amalfi Drive on odd numbered days. Rental vehicles with a license plate ending in an excellent quantity can drive Amalfi Drive on even numbered days.
- The rule is in impact from 10 am to six pm for your complete month of August and for weekends from June 15 to September 30. Some holidays, corresponding to Easter, are additionally included.
- The alternating license plate system is in impact for the 22 km stretch of street between Positano and Vietri sul Mare.
- Along with the license plate system, any automobile that’s longer than 10.36 meters (34 toes), together with automobiles pulling trailers, are banned from 6:30 am to midnight all yr.
From what I’ve learn on-line, if you’ll be staying in a lodge on the Amalfi Coast, you’ll be able to arrive to your lodge in your deliberate date, even when your license plate doesn’t align with the dates. Let’s face it, you received’t know the variety of your license plate till you choose up your rental automobile, so it’s unimaginable to plan I advance which days to drive the Amalfi Coast. I like to recommend confirming this rule together with your lodge earlier than your go to.
How Onerous is It to Drive the Amalfi Coast?
It doesn’t take any particular expertise to drive Amalfi Drive. You want a great deal of persistence and it’s worthwhile to keep alert, since it’s a chaotic drive.
If that is one thing you propose to do, lease a smaller automobile, which makes it rather a lot simpler to navigate the turns and the tight areas as you squeeze previous buses and different automobiles.
Amalfi Coast Drive
Different Methods to Get Across the Amalfi Coast
There are many different methods to get across the Amalfi Coast and now we have executed all of them. Get extra info in our information The right way to Get Across the Amalfi Coast.
Through the summer season months, take into account getting round by boat. This might be on a ferry (probably the most economical), small group tour, or non-public boat. In case you are on the lookout for a splurge, we extremely suggest hiring a personal boat. You’ll be able to journey up and down the coast at your leisure, go to hidden caves and personal seashores, and journey quicker alongside the coast than you’ll be able to by automobile or bus.
Getting round by bus is the most cost effective approach to journey alongside the Amalfi Coast. However strains to get on the buses may be lengthy and the buses will get caught within the site visitors jams, so hold that in thoughts. A personal driver is one other approach to go. It’s dearer however it’s a extra handy approach to get across the Amalfi Coast.
There aren’t any trains that run alongside the Amalfi Coast. You will get to Sorrento and Salerno by practice, however from these cities, you’ll then need to take a bus, automobile, taxi, ferry, or boat to get round.
Europe Journey Recommendation
In case you are new to renting a automobile in Europe, ensure you learn our article 12 Issues to Know When Renting a Automobile in Europe.
And if you’re planning your first journey to Europe, don’t miss our article 7 Issues to Know When Planning Your First Journey to Europe.
In case you have any questions on what it’s like driving the Amalfi Coast, or if you want to share your expertise, tell us within the remark part under.
Extra Data for Your Journey to Italy
AMALFI COAST: Discover ways to journey from Rome to the Amalfi Coast and you’ve got the choice to go to Pompeii on the way in which. We even have a information to the perfect cities on the Amalfi Coast, the way to hike the Path of the Gods, issues to do in Positano, and issues to do in Ravello.
ROME: In Rome, we cowl the perfect locations to remain in our Rome Lodge Information. We even have an in depth 2 day Rome itinerary that covers the perfect issues to do in Rome.
FLORENCE & TUSCANY: If that is your first go to to Florence, learn our information to the Finest Issues to Do in Florence and the perfect rooftop bars in Florence. When you plan to go to Tuscany, discover ways to spend someday in Siena, issues to do in Montepulciano, and the perfect issues to do in San Gimignano.
VENICE: We cowl the highest experiences in Venice in our Venice Bucket Record. Study the place to get the perfect views of Venice in our article 12 Lovely Views of Venice. And that will help you plan your time, check out our someday in Venice itinerary and two days in Venice itinerary.
ITALY ITINERARY: In case you have two weeks in Italy, take a look at our 14 day Italy itinerary, which covers the highlights (Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, and the Cinque Terre).
Now we have TONS extra details about Italy in our Italy Journey Information, together with Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, and Puglia.
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