How to drive to Amalfi Coast
First, a warning: It is not particularly fun to drive the Amalfi Coast itself, for reasons explained here (in brief: narrow, impossibly twisty road with oncoming buses taking up both lanes; also, limited parking).
However, if you do wish to stick with your own car, you can drive either to Sorrento and then down the coast, or—again, less desirably—up the coast from Salerno. (Or, even less desirably for most, over the mountains directly to the Amalfi area.)
How to get to the Amalfi Drive by car
There are two main road access points to the Amalfi Coast.
If you want to see the best of the Amalfi Coast, start from the Naples and Sorrento end. That way, you get to drive the fabled Amalfi Drive from west to east, on the outside lane, affording you the best sweeping panoramas down the coast—and the most vertiginous views straight down into the waters below. » more
- Via Sorrento
- Take the A3 south from Naples.
- Get off at the exit for Castellammare di Stabia.
- Take the SS145 toward Sorrento.
- In Piano di Sorrento—just after the road takes a sharp bend to the right—turn left up Via dei Platani/Via Cavone, following the blue signs for Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi.
- At the next T intersection, continue straight (do not turn right toward Sorrento).
- When the road ends, turn right towards Positano and Amalfi.
- Congratulations. You are now on the SS163, which—after a few frightening switchbacks—will become the famous Amalfi Drive along the Amalfi Coast.
- Via Salerno
- Stay off the highway (the A3). Follow the SS18 (Corso G. Garibaldi/Via Benedetto Croce) west out of town toward Vietri sul Mare.
- In Vietri, soon after passing the remarkable ceramic-studded facade of Solimene factory, you will need to fork/turn left to follow the SS163 "Amalfitana" road (lots of destinations are listed in the blue sign, the first shuld be Cetara, the last Positano).
The mountain roads to the Amafi Coast
There are also a few impossibly twisty, sometimes scary, seemingly interminable—though beautiful—roads that wend and wind their way up over the mountains and lead—eventually—to the coast either just east or west of Amalfi town.
However, few tourists use those as they take quite a long time to navigate, and you miss out on the coast itself (not that the Latteri Mountains aren't lovely). A big part of touring the Amalfi Coast is driving the Amalfi Drive coastal road.
The SS366 is an exit off the SS145 in Castellammare di Stabia (signposted in blue for Gragnano, Lettere, and Agerola, and in brown for "Costiera Amalfitana"). Soon after the looping exit, you'll want to follow the main road as it turns right to head up into the mountains, climbs up over the peninsula, dives through a tunnel near the top, then switchbacks its way down through the villages of San Michele and Furore and—eventually—hits the Amalfi Coast road a few miles west of Amalfi.
The other two mountain roads start at Corbara (just east of the Angri exit off the A3 Autostrada), shortly after which they split. The right fork leads over the mountains to Scala, Ravello, and Amalfi; the left fork—eventually—ends up in Maiori.

- Autoeurope.com - Wholesale prices on rentals (and short-term leases) from major rental companies. You end up picking up the car at the local Avis, Hertz, Europcar, or whatever office; you just pay less than the rack rate from those companies.Partner
- Rentalcars.com - Comparison shop the rates at multiple rental companies all at once.Partner
- Momondo.com - Comparison shop the rates at multiple rental companies all at once.Partner
- Europebycar.com - Offers both short-term rentals and short-term leases, making it easy to compare prices on a single site.
- Priceline.com - Actually finds good prices on European rentals.Partner
- Carrentals.com - This Expedia.com property searches about a dozen major rental companies at once.Partner
- Accessibilitacentristorici.it - Information about ZTLs across Italy.
- Urbanaccessregulations.eu - Information about ZTLs across Europe.
- Amazon.com - A link to get road maps of Italy.Partner
- Autostrade.it - Nifty official site of Italian Motorways Association that lets you quickly caclulate distance, time, tolls, gas costs, weather, and traffic conditions on any route in Italy.
- Sabait.it - find parking lots all over Italy
- Parkopedia.com - Search for lots, garages, and other public parking options.
- Parkatmyhouse.com - Like Uber for parking, a "sharing economy" site allowing individuals and private entities to offer parking, often just a space or two but for far than garages and lots (plus it is reserved in advance and gauranteed).
- Urbanaccessregulations.eu - Central clearinghouse for information on every city in Europe (most, nowawdays) that has some sort of limited access to the city center, congestion charging, Low Emission Zones, or other wrinkle you need to be aware of.
- Aci.it - Italian AAA
- Theaa.com - The British version of AAA provides good intel on driving rules and norms in countries across Europe.
- Ztl-italia.blogspot.com - A bit outdated, but handy, with links to cities' traffic-free zones
- Amalfitouristoffice.it - official site
- Sorrentotourism.com - official tourism site
- Aziendaturismopositano.it - official site
- Comune.sorrento.na.it - civic site
- Ravellotime.com - official site
- Prolocominori.it - official site
- Turismoinsalerno.it - Amalfi Coast tourism
- Amalficoast.com - useful private site
- Amalfinotizie.it - news, events, & info
- incampania.com - regional site
- Regione.campania.it - regional tourism info
- italia.it - Official tourism site for Italy. Great for links to local sites, but light on info.
- Beniculturali.it - official site for major sights across Italy
- italiantourism.com - This site, set up by the North American office of Italian tourism, is not as handy as the general one.
- Culturaitalia.it - Italy cultural patrimony
- Coopculture.it - Handles the online presence for major archaeological areas, monuments, and museums in most of Italy's major cities and surrounds.
- Vivaticket.it - tickets to about 75 sights across Italy
Useful Italian for car travel
English (inglese) | Italian (italiano) | Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun |
car | automobile | ow-toh-MO-bee-lay |
scooter/motorboke | un motorino | oon mo-tair-EE-no |
gas station | stazione di servizio | stah-zee-YO-nay dee sair-VEE-tzee-yo |
gas | benzina | ben-ZEE-nah |
diesel | gasolio [or] diesel | gah-ZOH-lee-oh [or] DEE-zell |
Fill it up, please | al pieno, per favore | ahl pee-YAY-noh, pair fa-VOHR-ray |
Where is... | Dov'é | doh-VAY |
...the highway | l'autostrada | lout-oh-STRA-dah |
...the state highway | la statale [written "SS"] | lah sta-TAHL-eh |
...the road for Rome | la strada per Roma | lah STRA-dah pair RO-mah |
to the right | à destra | ah DEH-strah |
to the left | à sinistra | ah see-NEEST-trah |
straight ahead | avanti [or] diritto | ah-VAHN-tee [or] dee-REE-toh |
keep going straight | sempre diritto | SEM-pray dee-REE-toh |
to cross | attraversare | ah-tra-vair-SAR-ay |
toll | pedaggio | peh-DA-jo |
parking | parcheggio | par-KEH-jo |
road map | carta stradale | kar-ta stra-DA-lay |
where can I pay the fine? | dove posso pagare la multa | DOH-veh Po-so pag-GAR-ray la MOOL-tah |
Typical road signs / terms » more
English (anglais) | French (français) |
Stop | Stop |
Exit | Uscita |
Staffic light | Semaforo |
One-way | Senso unico |
Dead-end | Strada senza uscita |
Parking prohibited | No parcheggio or parcheggio proibito |
Pedestrian zone | Area pedonale |
Limited Traffic Zone (you pay to drive in) | ZTL or Zona Traffico Limitato |
Basic phrases in Italian
English (inglese) | Italian (italiano) | pro-nun-see-YAY-shun |
thank you | grazie | GRAT-tzee-yay |
please | per favore | pair fa-VOHR-ray |
yes | si | see |
no | no | no |
Do you speak English? | Parla Inglese? | PAR-la een-GLAY-zay |
I don't understand | Non capisco | non ka-PEESK-koh |
I'm sorry | Mi dispiace | mee dees-pee-YAT-chay |
How much is it? | Quanto costa? | KWAN-toh COST-ah |
That's too much | É troppo | ay TROH-po |
Good day | Buon giorno | bwohn JOUR-noh |
Good evening | Buona sera | BWOH-nah SAIR-rah |
Good night | Buona notte | BWOH-nah NOTE-tay |
Goodbye | Arrivederci | ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee |
Excuse me (to get attention) | Scusi | SKOO-zee |
Excuse me (to get past someone) | Permesso | pair-MEH-so |
Where is? | Dov'é | doh-VAY |
...the bathroom | il bagno | eel BHAN-yoh |
...train station | la ferroviaria | lah fair-o-vee-YAR-ree-yah |
to the right | à destra | ah DEH-strah |
to the left | à sinistra | ah see-NEEST-trah |
straight ahead | avanti [or] diritto | ah-VAHN-tee [or] dee-REE-toh |
information | informazione | in-for-ma-tzee-OH-nay |
Days, months, and other calendar items in Italian
English (inglese) | Italian (italiano) | Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun |
When is it open? | Quando é aperto? | KWAN-doh ay ah-PAIR-toh |
When does it close? | Quando si chiude? | KWAN-doh see key-YOU-day |
At what time... | a che ora | a kay O-rah |
Yesterday | ieri | ee-YAIR-ee |
Today | oggi | OH-jee |
Tomorrow | domani | doh-MAHN-nee |
Day after tomorrow | dopo domani | DOH-poh doh-MAHN-nee |
a day | un giorno | oon je-YOR-no |
Monday | Lunedí | loo-nay-DEE |
Tuesday | Martedí | mar-tay-DEE |
Wednesday | Mercoledí | mair-coh-lay-DEE |
Thursday | Giovedí | jo-vay-DEE |
Friday | Venerdí | ven-nair-DEE |
Saturday | Sabato | SAH-baa-toh |
Sunday | Domenica | doh-MEN-nee-ka |
Mon-Sat | Feriali | fair-ee-YAHL-ee |
Sun & holidays | Festivi | feh-STEE-vee |
Daily | Giornaliere | joor-nahl-ee-YAIR-eh |
a month | una mese | oon-ah MAY-zay |
January | gennaio | jen-NAI-yo |
February | febbraio | feh-BRI-yo |
March | marzo | MAR-tzoh |
April | aprile | ah-PREEL-ay |
May | maggio | MAH-jee-oh |
June | giugno | JEW-nyoh |
July | luglio | LOO-lyoh |
August | agosto | ah-GO-sto |
September | settembre | set-TEM-bray |
October | ottobre | oh-TOE-bray |
November | novembre | no-VEM-bray |
December | dicembre | de-CHEM-bray |
Numbers in Italian
English (inglese) | Italian (italiano) | Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun |
1 | uno | OO-no |
2 | due | DOO-way |
3 | tre | tray |
4 | quattro | KWAH-troh |
5 | cinque | CHEEN-kway |
6 | sei | say |
7 | sette | SET-tay |
8 | otto | OH-toh |
9 | nove | NO-vay |
10 | dieci | dee-YAY-chee |
11 | undici | OON-dee-chee |
12 | dodici | DOH-dee-chee |
13 | tredici | TRAY-dee-chee |
14 | quattordici | kwa-TOR-dee-chee |
15 | quindici | KWEEN-dee-chee |
16 | sedici | SAY-dee-chee |
17 | diciasette | dee-chee-ya-SET-tay |
18 | diciotto | dee-CHO-toh |
19 | diciannove | dee-chee-ya-NO-vay |
20 | venti | VENT-tee |
21* | vent'uno* | vent-OO-no |
22* | venti due* | VENT-tee DOO-way |
23* | venti tre* | VENT-tee TRAY |
30 | trenta | TRAYN-tah |
40 | quaranta | kwa-RAHN-tah |
50 | cinquanta | cheen-KWAN-tah |
60 | sessanta | say-SAHN-tah |
70 | settanta | seh-TAHN-tah |
80 | ottanta | oh-TAHN-tah |
90 | novanta | no-VAHN-tah |
100 | cento | CHEN-toh |
1,000 | mille | MEEL-lay |
5,000 | cinque milla | CHEEN-kway MEEL-lah |
10,000 | dieci milla | dee-YAY-chee MEEL-lah |
* You can use this formula for all Italian ten-place numbers—so 31 is trent'uno, 32 is trenta due, 33 is trenta tre, etc. Note that—like uno (one), otto (eight) also starts with a vowel—all "-8" numbers are also abbreviated (vent'otto, trent'otto, etc.).
Related
An overview of the amazing, spectacular, gravity-defying, cliff-hanging scenic road along the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Salerno
General tips of similar interest
There are hundreds of road signs blocking your view on Italian roads and—more importantly—telling you how to get where you're going
Italian road rules are similar enough to North American ones that you'll get by fine; here are the important differences
The hotel garage will often be far costlier than a nearby public garage or other parking option
Stay in the slow lane (the rightmost one) on a European highway unless you are actively passing another car
How to get the most out of renting a car in Italy with the lowest cost and least hassle
A good road map of Italy can save you time and help you discover places and things not in your guidebook
How to arrange for a short-term lease on a brand-new car in Italy—cheaper than a rental for longer periods, and far better insured
Camping is a great way to see Italy, but you needn't be tied down to tent pegs; RV rentals are as easy in Europe as they are here at home
There are hundreds of road signs blocking your view on Italian roads and—more importantly—telling you how to get where you're going
Italian road rules are similar enough to North American ones that you'll get by fine; here are the important differences
The hotel garage will often be far costlier than a nearby public garage or other parking option
Stay in the slow lane (the rightmost one) on a European highway unless you are actively passing another car
How to get the most out of renting a car in Italy with the lowest cost and least hassle
A good road map of Italy can save you time and help you discover places and things not in your guidebook
Where to park legally in Italy (white stripes: free; blue stripes: paid; yellow stripes: off-limits), how to use a disco orario parking disk, and how to avoid fines and getting towed