Lonely Planet Amalfi Coast Road Trips , livre ebook

CONTENTS

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast Map
Amalfi Coast Highlights
Naples City Guide
Need to Know

ROAD TRIPS

1 Amalfi Coast
2 Shadow of Vesuvius
3 Southern Larder
4 Cilento Coastal Trail
DESTINATIONS

Naples & Pompeii
Naples
South of Naples
Ercolano & Herculaneum
Mt Vesuvius
Pompeii
Sorrento & Around
Sorrento
West of Sorrento
Massa Lubrense
Sant’Agata sui due Golfi
Marina del Cantone
East of Sorrento
Vico Equense
Capri
The Amalfi Coast
Positano
Praiano
Furore
Amalfi
Ravello
Minori
Cetara
Vietri sul Mare
Salerno & the Cilento
Salerno
Paestum
Agropoli
Cilento Coast
Palinuro
ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS

Italy Driving Guide
Driving Licence & Documents
Insurance
Hiring a Car
Bringing Your Own Vehicle
Maps
Roads & Conditions
Road Rules
Parking
Fuel
Safety
Radio
Italy Travel Guide
Getting There & Away
Air
Car & Motorcycle
Sea
Train
Directory A–Z
Accommodation
Electricity
Food
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Health
Internet Access
Money
Opening Hours
Public Holidays
Safe Travel
Telephone
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Visas
Language

Behind the Scenes
Our Writers
WELCOME TO THE AMALFI COAST

Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast are the Italy of your wildest dreams – a rich, intense, hypnotic ragù of Arabesque street life, decadent palaces, pastel-hued villages and aria-inspiring vistas.
     With a car you’ll discover there’s more to Italy than Michelangelo masterpieces and Roman ruins, and you’ll be able to properly explore Campania’s rugged mountains, steaming fumaroles and ethereal coastal grottoes. Welcome to Italy at its most seductive and intense.

Bridge on the Amalfi Coast BUENA VISTA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©

AMALFI COAST HIGHLIGHTS
Amalfi
Legendary Amalfi sparkles the brightest among the glittering string of coastal gems. See it on Trips

LEOKS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
 
Positano
Pearl of the Amalfi Coast, Positano is scandalously stunning, a picture-perfect composition of pastel-coloured houses tumbling down towards a deep indigo sea. See it on Trip

SLOW IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES ©
 
Pompeii
The ruins of Pompeii are a haunting reminder of Mother Nature’s merciless force and the fleeting nature of life itself. See it on Trip

DAVID SOANES PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©
CITY GUIDE
NAPLES
Naples (Napoli) is an exhilarating sprawl of bombastic baroque churches, Dickensian alleyways and electrifying street life. Its in-your-face vitality can be overwhelming, but once you’ve found your feet you’ll discover a city of regal palaces, world-renowned museums, superb pizzerias and sweeping seascapes.

Teatro San Carlo opera house RICHARD I’ANSON/GETTY IMAGES ©
Getting Around
Neapolitan traffic is so anarchic that even Italians balk at the idea of driving here. Much of the city centre is closed to non-resident traffic, so try to leave your car as soon as you can and use public transport (bus, metro and funicular).
Parking
Street parking is not a good idea – car theft is a problem – and few hotels offer it. There’s a 24-hour car park east of the city centre at Via Brin, otherwise ask your hotel for advice.
Discover the Taste of Naples
To taste authentic Neapolitan pizza, head to the centro storico where you’ll find a number of hard-core pizzerias serving the genuine article. For a more refined meal, make for seafront Santa Lucia and the cobbled lanes of Chiaia.
Live Like a Local
For maximum atmosphere, consider the centro storico . Seaside Santa Lucia is home to some of the city’s most prestigious hotels, and Chiaia is cool and chic. For lofty views and a chilled-out vibe, hit Vomero.
Useful Websites
I Naples ( www.inaples.it ) The city’s official tourist-board site.
Napoli Unplugged ( www.napoliunplugged.com ) Attractions, up-to-date listings, articles and blog entries.
Road Trip through Naples
Destination coverage ( Click here )

TOP EXPERIENCES
A Cappella Sansevero
Marvel at human ingenuity in the Capella Sansevero, a baroque chapel where you’ll find Giuseppe Sanmartino’s amazing sculpture Cristo velato (Veiled Christ),
A Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Eye up classical interiors and erotica at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, which hosts one of the world’s finest collections of Graeco-Roman artefacts.
A Teatro San Carlo
Demand an encore at Italy’s grandest opera house, which regularly stages opera, ballet and concerts.
A Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte
Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte might be one of Italy’s less famous collections, but it’s also one of its best, showcasing names such as Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Masaccio and El Greco.
A Certosa e Museo di San Martino
This charterhouse turned museum combines cloisters and carriages with romantic views.
A Neapolitan Street Life
There’s nothing like waking up to the sound of a Neapolitan street market, whether it’s rough-and-ready Porta Nolana market or the city’s oldest, La Pignasecca.
NEED TO KNOW

CURRENCY
Euro (€)
LANGUAGE
Italian
VISAS
Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days (or at all for EU nationals); some nationalities need a Schengen visa .
FUEL
You’ll find filling stations on autostradas and all major roads. Reckon on approximately €1.63 for unleaded petrol and €1.35 for diesel, per litre.
RENTAL CARS
Avis ( www.avis.com )
Europcar ( www.europcar.com )
Hertz ( www.hertz.com )
Maggiore ( www.maggiore.it )
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Ambulance ( 118)
Emergency ( 112)
Police ( 113)
Roadside Assistance ( 803 116; 800 116800 from a foreign mobile phone)
 

When to Go
Climate

High Season (Jul & Aug)
A Prices high on the coast; accommodation discounts available in some cities in August.
A Prices rocket for Christmas, New Year and Easter.
A Late December to March is high season in the Alps and Dolomites.
Shoulder Season (Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct)
A Good deals on accommodation, especially in the south.
A Spring is best for festivals, flowers and local produce.
A Autumn provides warm weather and the grape harvest.
Low Season (Nov–Mar)
A Prices at their lowest – up to 30% less than in high season.
A Many sights and hotels closed in coastal and mountainous areas.
A A good period for cultural events in large cities.
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than €100
A Double room in a budget hotel: €50–100
A Pizza or pasta: €6–12
A Excellent markets and delis for self-catering
Midrange: €100–200
A Double room in a midrange hotel: €80–180
A Lunch and dinner in local restaurants: €25–45
A Museum admission: €5–15
Top End: More than €200
A Double room in a four- or five-star hotel: €200–450
A Top-restaurant dinner: €50–150
A Opera tickets: €15–150
Eating
Restaurants (Ristoranti) Formal service and refined dishes, with prices to match.
Trattorias Family-run places with informal service and classic regional cooking.
Vegetarians Most places offer good vegetable starters and side dishes.
Price indicators for a meal with primo (first course), secondo (second course), dolce (dessert) and a glass of house wine:
€
less than €25
€€
€25–45
€€€
more than €45
Sleeping
Hotels From luxury boutique palaces to modest family-run pensioni (small hotels).
B&Bs Rooms in restored farmhouses, city palazzi (mansions) or seaside bungalows.
Agriturismi Farmstays range from working farms to luxury rural retreats.
Price indicators for a double room with bathroom:
€
less than €100
€€
€100–200
€€€
more than €200
Arriving in Italy
Capodichino Airport (Naples)
Rental cars Agencies are located in the main Arrivals hall.
Airport shuttles Run every 20 minutes from 6.30am to 11.40pm.
Taxis Set fare €19 to €23; 30 minutes.
Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) Airport (Rome)
Rental cars Agencies are near the multilevel car park. Look for signs in the Arrivals area.
Trains & buses Run every 30 minutes from 6.30am to 11.40pm.
Night buses Hourly departures from 12.30am to 5am.
Taxis Set fare €48; 45 minutes.
Malpensa Airport (Milan)
Rental cars In Terminal 1 agencies are on the 1st floor; in Terminal 2 in the Arrivals hall.
Malpensa Express & Shuttle Runs every 30 minutes from 5am to 11pm.
Night buses Limited services from 12.15am to 5am.
Taxis Set fare €90; 50 minutes.
Mobile Phones (Cell Phones)
Local SIM cards can be used in European, Australian and unlocked, multiband US phones. Other phones must be set to roaming.
Internet Access
Wi-fi is available in many lodgings and city bars, often free. Internet cafes are thin on the ground and typically charge €2 to €6 per hour.
Money
ATMs at airports, most train stations and in towns and cities. Credit cards accepted in most hotels and restaurants. Keep cash for immediate expenses.
Tipping
Not obligatory but round up the bill in pizzerias and trattorias; 10% is normal in upmarket restaurants.
Useful Websites
Italia ( www.italia.it ) Official tourism site.
Michelin ( www.viamichelin.it ) A useful route planner.
Agriturismi ( www.agriturismi.it ) Guide to farmstays.
Lonely Planet ( www.lonelyplanet.com/italy ) Destination lowdown.

For more, see Road Trip Essentials .
Road Trips

Amalfi Coast, 7 days
A stunning coastline of vertical landscapes and chic resort towns.
Shadow of Vesuvius, 2–3 Days
Head from Naples’ chaos to Pompeii’s long-buried mysteries.
Southern Larder, 3–4 Days
Pair raw beauty with exuberant cuisine on Campania’s coast.
Cilento Coastal Trail, 4–5 Days
A rugged peninsula where mountains meet the pristine sea.

Sorrento ELLEN VAN BODEGOM/GETTY IMAGES ©
Amalfi Coast

Vico Equense
Sorrento
Sant’Agata sui due Golfi
Marina del Cantone
Positano
Praiano
Marina di Furore
Amalfi
Ravello
Cetara
Vietri sul Mare
Amalfi Coast

Not for the fainthearted, this trip along the Amalfi Coast tests your driving skill on a 108km stretch, featuring dizzying hairpin turns and pastel-colour