Just how steep & winding is the road into Positano?

Looking at various private tours from port of Naples. I have read a lot about how the road into Positano is very winding, steep and narrow. I would love to see the town, but not if it is a difficult ride in. I understand that no bus tours are allowed in, just cars.

Along the Amalfi coast all buses have to have local drivers. If you´re not used to drive in mountains with narrow and winding roads I would not suggest to drive on your own. You need to know the "special rules" there too. If you hear someone honking stop immediately.

steamboats

Better way to visit is by ferry. We anchored off Amalfi & got the local ferry to Positano - €8 each way. (Have to say tho’ we were disappointed by Positano - an absolutely stunning place utterly ruined by tourism - we were there on a Sunday & it was wall to wall people)

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Better way to visit is by ferry. We anchored off Amalfi & got the local ferry to Positano - €8 each way. (Have to say tho’ we were disappointed by Positano - an absolutely stunning place utterly ruined by tourism - we were there on a Sunday & it was wall to wall people)

 

 

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We will disagree because approaching this city by vehicle, as you drive along the famous Amalfi Drive, gives you amazing views from above. We have seen it from above, below and even when we stayed in the town. But its that Amalfi Drive view that is the stuff used in movies (and in some nightmares). I do not recall any films that used ferry views :).

As to the day crowds, that is much less of a problem if you visit in the early (or even late) evening. Most of the crowds are "daytrippers" who are either on a cruise ship or staying in other areas such as Sorrento. By 4 pm the daytrippers are all leaving and the city takes on a much more magical atmosphere.

Hank

Grandma's ferry option won't work for a one-day Naples port-of-call visit, ferry routes & timings won't suit.

By bus along the Amalfi drive won't work either, certainly in season. Ferry or train to Sorrento then bus to Positano sounds fine, but the bus is only an hourly service and it's heavily over-subscribed.

If you're so far back in the line for the bus that you have to wait another hour it'll screw-up your day.

If the same thing happens for your bus back to Sorrento it'll screw-up your whole cruise :eek:

Nor will renting a car suit.

Unless you can con one of your group to be the unwitting driver.:evilsmile:

The driver will have to give his full attention to the twisty road, the badly-parked cars, the on-coming buses and trucks, the kamikaze scooter-riders, and the blind bends. He/she will also find parking almost impossible.

I've driven it and we survived. We also took the ferry - it's great to see the coast from both perspectives. But that was during an Italian road-trip

IMHO the only way to visit from a one-day Naples port-of-call visit is a car or van tour.

JB :)

You could do a both/and solution. The section of the Amalfi Coast drive that everyone has seen and is expecting is between Amalfi and Positano, and best in that direction (going toward Positano from Amalfi).

Therefore, from Naples you could take the train to Salerno and get on the ferry to Amalfi. At Amalfi hire a taxi to take you along the road to Positano. From Positano you could take a bus or another taxi to Sorrento where you could get the 4:25 PM ferry back to Naples. The ferry timing between Positano and Sorrento just doesn't work, unfortunately.

You can do this on your own within the confines of a port day but only if you limit your goals to (1) seeing Positano from the road above and (2) having lunch in Positano.

Oh gosh, I should have been clearer...I would never dream of renting a car and driving myself. :o I just meant I was looking at private car service tours and was wondering how much of an issue the drive down into Positano was in terms of possible motion sickness or fear factor:D.

We will disagree because approaching this city by vehicle, as you drive along the famous Amalfi Drive, gives you amazing views from above. We have seen it from above, below and even when we stayed in the town. But its that Amalfi Drive view that is the stuff used in movies (and in some nightmares). I do not recall any films that used ferry views :).

Hank

You are amazing - I often read your posts with info regarding driving in Europe. Honestly, if I had driven around Italy (in particular) as often as you apparently have, I would be, by this time, safely secured in a mental facility. I am absolutely terrified of the Rome drivers!

Oh gosh, I should have been clearer...I would never dream of renting a car and driving myself. :o I just meant I was looking at private car service tours and was wondering how much of an issue the drive down into Positano was in terms of possible motion sickness or fear factor:D.

No special motion sickness unless you're particularly prone to car-sickness.

And absolutely no fear of being in a runaway car or plummeting over the cliff. - for most of the trip the road is up high but pretty level and with very solid walls. The risk is scraping and scratching bodywork and mirrors and mebbe a minor low-speed fender-bender - and that's the driver's problem, not yours :)

JB :)

You are amazing - I often read your posts with info regarding driving in Europe. Honestly, if I had driven around Italy (in particular) as often as you apparently have, I would be, by this time, safely secured in a mental facility. I am absolutely terrified of the Rome drivers!

ROFL :). I agree with regard to Rome. You can probably find some of my old posts where I talk about driving in Italy and mention that Rome is the one place where I do not ever want a car :). Driving on the Amalfi Coast is really not difficult, but parking can be a complete nightmare! I think the most difficult issue when driving in Italy is always being aware of the motorcycles. The follow no rules and auto drivers have to be very alert (with lots of attention behind) and truly drive defensively.

Hank

No special motion sickness unless you're particularly prone to car-sickness.

 

And absolutely no fear of being in a runaway car or plummeting over the cliff. - for most of the trip the road is up high but pretty level and with very solid walls. The risk is scraping and scratching bodywork and mirrors and mebbe a minor low-speed fender-bender - and that's the driver's problem, not yours :)

 

JB :)

Oh good. Sounds like I can definitely consider Positano on a tour then. Thanks John Bull and everyone else for the advice.

Hank,

I partly disagree :'):')... they do have rules they follow but we don´t know them:'):')

We´ve done that drive... o.k. more than 30 years ago and my Dad was the driver me sitting in the back seat. Parking was a nightmare back than too. I remember the Grotto Smeralda ... the guys at the parking lot told us to leave the window open and the keys in the car... they have to move the cars parking them bumper at bumper... Hmm, thought about our German insurance and what they might think of leaving the window open and the keys in the car... We survived so did our car with no scratches...

And BTW ... Rome ... the drivers there are moderate compared to Naples :')!

steamboats

A little off topic but has anyone found a tour that visits Pompeii and Positano (not just views from above)? I'm having a hard time finding one that does both. I'd booked it on ItalyTours.eu but when I got the confirmation it said view Positano and when I contacted for clarification, I was told they were in the process of updating their website and the description was not accurate. I really want to see both Pompeii and Positano.

A little off topic but has anyone found a tour that visits Pompeii and Positano (not just views from above)? I'm having a hard time finding one that does both. I'd booked it on ItalyTours.eu but when I got the confirmation it said view Positano and when I contacted for clarification, I was told they were in the process of updating their website and the description was not accurate. I really want to see both Pompeii and Positano.

Just keep in mind that if a tour is using anything larger then a van it will not be able to enter into Positano. Your best bet is to get together with 1 or 2 other couples (use the CC Roll Call) and then book your own private small vehicle tour. There have been plenty of posts over the years recommending small private tours, but I will not recommend a tour provider since we have no personal experience with these companies.

Hank