# Problems driving along the Amalfi coast



## Vennwood

Hi all you knowlegeable ones,

We are on our way meanering down the Italian west coast and came across a fellow traveller that mentioned that an 8 metre MH would have severe difficulties driving around the Amalfi coast road. As we are heading that way does anyone have any experience to support or deny this statement? I wouldn't want to get stuck and/or cause a traffic jam trying to back up or turn around etc.

Pete


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## Don_Madge

Vennwood said:


> Hi all you knowlegeable ones,
> 
> We are on our way meanering down the Italian west coast and came across a fellow traveller that mentioned that an 8 metre MH would have severe difficulties driving around the Amalfi coast road. As we are heading that way does anyone have any experience to support or deny this statement? I wouldn't want to get stuck and/or cause a traffic jam trying to back up or turn around etc.
> 
> Pete


Pete,

I've driven that route a few of times, the first time is dangerous and after that it's just exciting. 8O Just joking of course.

You should have no problems as long as you take it easy, coaches and buses use the route so you at 8 metres should be OK and this time of the year you won't have the heavy tourist traffic to contend with.

Enjoy yourself.

Safe travelling.

Don


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## RAH

I wouldn't do it. Buses do get around that road by honking and there are a few places between Sorrento and Amalfi that have over hanging rock above the road. Also, not many places along the way to park to view tourist sites below. And I would never attempt driving down to Positano!

Better would be to stay in Sorrento and rent a scooter or take the bus! We buzzed through with the Ultima GTR, but of course that is low enough and fast enough to get around things!

Don't forget to drive to Paesteum, also worth a visit. Good Mozzerella! Just my humble advice, although do-able if very careful!


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## Guest

Vennwood said:


> severe difficulties driving around the Amalfi coast road.
> Pete


We did it a couple of years ago, pretty scary. And we were in a hired Corsa.

But, the coaches do it. I've no idea how.

It's nice but so congested, not *that* nice.

Sorrento is well worth a day or two with a boat trip to Capri.

Pompei, complete with campsite has to be done but don't miss Herculanium which is better preserved and shows just how good life was for a wealthy Roman.


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## Rapide561

*Amalfi coast*

Hi

Never been round in a motorhome, but have in a 12 metre coach with twin rear axles - admittedly it had rear steer axle too - and it was needed.

I do not think an 8 metre motorhome should present too much of an issue.

From experience, the journey was easier from Sorrento towards Salerno via Positiano than in the opposite direction.

Russell


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## cairngorm

*Reply*

We drove along the coast in a six metre m/h. It was interesting and challenging and was getting on fine until a lady policeman stopped us and told us it was illegal to drive a m/h along the coast and we would have to turn back and go over the top of the mountain. This we did and that was equally spectacular. 
We saw lots of uniformed people along the coastal route and I think we were unlucky to get turned back. We therefore took the bus from the other side to see what we had missed and we did meet m/h on the road. If you are driving, you do miss a lot as you are concentrating on not going off the side or making a nasty mess of your van. :wink:
Eight metre's would be ok if you know what you are doing,BUT you could get into a right jam if meeting a poor driver in another m/h going the other way.


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## Vennwood

Hi All,

Many thanks for your comments - keep them coming. One other thought - did you travellers come across any Sostas or campsites on that peninsular - I've read the entry on Sorrento in MHF and wondered if there were any others?


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## zulurita

I have never done this route so can't comment on that. However for Aree di Sostas have a look at this site.

http://www.turismoitinerante.com/sostare.shtml?osCsid=b1dafe4f44d2f048907f403da980ec62


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## eddied

Buona sera, just logged in because trip to Spain aborted, but that's another story.
You cannot take a motorhome of any length along the full length of the Amalfi drive,SS 163., except between the hours of 23:59 to 07:00. Full stop. You would be foolhardy to do it in this time slot, which is used by commercial vehicles over 3.5 T. Any other time is illegal, and between March and November 1 way Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi.
Your best bet is to stay in Sorrento and take the frequent local SITA bus service Sorrento -Positano - Amalfi, Euro 5 Campania Unica ticket valid 24 hours as many trips as you want. April to October also frequent Hydrofoil service from Sorrento to Positano & Amalfi 'Metrmare' and 'Medmar'.
Trust me on all this.
saluti, eddied


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## eddied

Buona sera, just seen request re campsites. MHF database has a sosta I entered recently, and Nukeadmin has entered Camping Nettuno at Nerano/Marina del Cantone, very nice. In Sorrento nice sites are Nube d'Argento and Santa Fortunata. Not in an online mode that enables me to enter details at the moment. saluti, eddied


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## RAH

I can confirm that a 1971 Triumph 650 Bonneville can do the 23:59 - 07:00 run quite excitedly. In my youth, this was the only time you can go flat out to Positano in the moonlight since (hopefully) you can see headlights coming around the bend.

But at this age, I second the bus!


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## Don_Madge

eddied said:


> Buona sera, just logged in because trip to Spain aborted, but that's another story.
> You cannot take a motorhome of any length along the full length of the Amalfi drive,SS 163., except between the hours of 23:59 to 07:00. Full stop. You would be foolhardy to do it in this time slot, which is used by commercial vehicles over 3.5 T. Any other time is illegal, and between March and November 1 way Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi.
> Your best bet is to stay in Sorrento and take the frequent local SITA bus service Sorrento -Positano - Amalfi, Euro 5 Campania Unica ticket valid 24 hours as many trips as you want. April to October also frequent Hydrofoil service from Sorrento to Positano & Amalfi 'Metrmare' and 'Medmar'.
> Trust me on all this.
> saluti, eddied


Hi Eddied,

Very sorry to hear your trip to Spain has been aborted, I know how you feel I should have left for Turkey on the 5th January but I'm still stuck at home.

Is this a recent ban because I don't remember there being any restrictions but this was in the mid nineties. I do remember following a couple pf Italian registered motorhomes through.

Safe travelling.

Don


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## Grizzly

We've done it on the bus and found very straightforward. As mentioned before, if you are driving - and I'd not even take a Mini along some of the roads- you miss so much. Once you get to places like Positano the parking looked like a nightmare and probably costs a fortune whereas the bus simply drives straight into the main square.

G


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## Rapide561

*Amalfi*

Eddie

It was June 2004 when I was there with the coach. Stayed as Massa at the SeaClub resort. Coach was full of ants though

Russell


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## linal

Hi must agree with Eddied park up Sorrento area and use local transport as service & costs are good.

Alex.


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## adbe

we did it by mistake in 2004 and stuck with the bus ahead,scary but the wrong turn into Sorrento was more scary. The bus drivers must have the patience of saints. We also took a very local service bus round the coast, the only things missing were the bolts to hold the seats down and the odd friendly goat( OK a bit of an exageration- the goat) 
Didn't like Sorrento too much,can't tell you why, but the campsite was good with shade. Placements were on the narrow side but more than long enough for 7.15-and ours had a great outlook.www.santafortunata.eu (watch for big ants runs)Swimming pool and boat pier a long way down the cliff, but worth it. It has loads of information re: travel and you can get to so many places Didn't care for Capri ,too designer and expensive, Anacapri marginally better, but the boat ride was worth the money.


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## Vennwood

Thanks Eddied,

Well, problem sorted - I guess my fellow traveller was right then. I'll park up in Sorrento and take the bus ride

Thanks one and all for your much valued and appreciated comments on this

Pete


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## WSandME

I've heard before that large vehicles are prohibited along the Amalfi coast. What I'd like to know is how the prohibition is signed - I'd hope it was obvious, along with a detour option. Any pointers on what to look out for?

I've driven along that coast towing a trailer tent (30 odd years ago) and ran into some interesting moments (long story for some other time) and more recently as a passenger on the bus. As has been mentioned, the busses negotiate the roads thanks to a combination of loud horns and a remarkably sensitive GPS system - I could have driven the bus in thick fog at midnight given the accuracy I witnessed!

Minus point for the bus was that the (quite early) last bus back to Sorrento was unbelievably overloaded - people were quite literally leaning over the driver it was so full :~(


If you're able to, I'd suggest a visit to the Borgo Marinero, opposite the Castel Ovo just West of the port - fantastic seafood restaurants.


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## 105062

3 years ago I did it on my Harley. We had a hotel right on the top and left each day to tour. I found I was ok riding on the inside next to the cliffs but I still have nightmares about riding on the outside lane next to the edge especially when the busses which were there so must not have been prohibited did not give a monkeys if they pushed you over the edge when coming in the opposite direction. Look out for the grave stones / shrines at the side of the road where someone has gone over and not been found!!!

Cheers
650


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## eddied

*Amalfi drive*

 Buon giorno tutti,
well, going for a re-wind of the Spain trip this morning, so a quick update of this thread before I log off/hit the road.
First, another sosta in Sorrento (promise to put it in database as soon as I can)
PARCHEGGIO VITTORIA
Via Cocumella,
Sant'Agnello di Sorrento
phone +39 081 8782441
space for 30 motorhomes, easy access, open/supervised 365/7/24
Grey/black water discharge, fresh water, EHU available, limited toilet facilities. Euro 20 per 24 hour stay.
20 min. stroll to centre of Sorrento, 10 min bike ride ditto, 5 min. bus ride on local bus. Plenty of restaurants/bars withing 300 metre radius. Nearest shops 10 min. stroll.

Hi Don, the ban has been in force for about 10 years, Can't remember exactly the date, but certainly late nineties.
Re signposting, it is well signposted as you exit the A3 motorway at Castellamare di Stabia, and again at the start of the SS 163 in Meta di Sorrento.
Hi Russell, you will find that from March 2008, all coaches longer than 9 meters will be banned, with exception of SITA service buses. And very restrictive timings for one way system.

Hi Rah, so it was you that nearly ran me off the road as I was going home from Chez Black in Positano all those years ago!

Right, off to Civitavecchia now.
saluti, eddied


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## Rapide561

*Sorrento*

Hi

Thanks for the update Eddied.

Russell


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## 107015

*Amalfi coast*

Ciao a tutti e buona sera, i totally agree with Eddied, we were there last may, and my friend Andrew who actually comes from Amalfi, knowing what the roads are like he hired a car to visit his two brothers, and let me tell you that although he is a native of the place and tried to park as close as to where one of the brother lived, it was a no no, even having his wife with full blue invalid papers, we had to park behind the jetty, a very long way away and i really felt sorry for Denise his wife. I suggest you do what has been suggested re, do it by bus. By the way i used to race scooters along that route. Re.Sorrento to Salerno and back and my sister in C?Mare Di Stabia still has some of my trophies i won. Ah those were the days. Arrivederci a tutti e in bocca al lupo eh!


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