Renting A Van in Italy for a Day Trip and I need some advice

[BlueSideUp]

My wife and I are taking a trip with her dad's family to Italy. It's a cruise with various stops in the Mediterranean. My Father In Law's family originates from a town near Naples, my MIL called it Rocco San Felice which doesn't make any sense on Google Maps. Maybe it is San Felice which is San Felice a Cancello but that obviously needs to be figured out.

The question is in regard to transportation. Usually on these kinds of trips I am elected to do the driving (apparently something about flying airplanes translates to hauling family around in a big van). I learned how to drive in San Francisco and I have driven in downtown New York (which I thought was pretty fun) so crowds of aggressive drivers aren't a huge deal for me. Our options are to rent some sort of vehicle that can carry 4 or maybe 5 people with minimal luggage or hire a van with a driver. Am I crazy to think I can drive from Naples to San Felice?

Here is a screen shot of the Google Map showing our "proposed" route (at least until I can get a solid address nailed down.

[vash]

if my sister isnt reading the map, you should be fine.

we did (probably) the same cruise last year. nevermind, mine left from rome. my siblings, and i flew in 2 weeks early, rented a van and drove all over the place. easiest driving ever. the only glitch we had was the toll roads. make sure you pull into the correct lane. some required a prepaid card or something which you will obviously not have. it was fun except for the sister mentioned above. go for it. they drive better than us here, with more courtesy. you will see so many ringneck pheasants alont the highway...cool stuff buddy.

[vash]

oh these cafe/gas stations along the way...auto(something) great food, fun. they are everywhere. i cant remember the name of the company.

[BlueSideUp]

I think I'll make sure to get the map figured out ahead of time and read up on Italian road signs. I have a feeling that I won't get much help from a navigator on this trip. It's not comforting to look over and see the navigator with the map upside down.

Here's a copy of the itinerary just in case you guys have any advice on the ports. I've done a search on here a few times and read through some of the posts.

[vash]

ok.. i have to tell a funny story. my sister planned the van portion. in her infinite wisdom, she managed to plan some stops that were exactly the same stops on the cruise.. anyways, the ship pulls in. i try to arrange two taxis to drive us to mt olympus. sister yells at me..we rent cars. two tiny, screaming, heel and toe, cars. day is looking better and better. the car rental guy gives us hand drawn maps. i pass, but sis grabs one. i look at it though. it is a long straight with ONE right turn. even in my chianti haze i can memorize that. PLUS! there are tour buses with mt olympus on the signs heading out. me and my bro in law each get a car, and we rally style it up the hill. we come to the turn, and he, under my sister's direction take a left. A EFFEN LEFT! my bro and i are dumbfounded. all the buses took a right. i chase them down, honk like a stalker, and basically run them off the road. i was WTF???? she looks me in the eyes, and told me that she thought the buses were wrong. i went to my mom who was in their car, and told me to come clean with her heroin days. she had to have been high when my parents concieved my sister.

worst trip of my life. i will take my wife, and re-do the experience next year. except the cruise portion.. yuck.

[Dottore]

You'll be just fine. Italian roads are well marked.

If you're really paranoid buy a portable GPS (Garmin or Tom Tom) with European software. That's what my old folks do when they head to Europe.

[BlueSideUp]

Vash that is hilarious! I can just see it, two guys driving rally style having a great time until WTF? WHERE ARE THEY GOING?!!!

I think we'll try to avoid that fiasco.

Dottore thank you for the encouragement. After reading stories of the crazy driving in Rome I wasn't sure if all of Italy was insanely busy or if the area I'm looking at is more normal. I'm sure in Naples it is fairly intense driving but once out of the city it's probably fine.

[air-cool-me]

i went over to rome last summer... rented a TINY 4 seater and drove west to the coast.

we had a translator(one guy was from the coast) but driving was still fun. (whats 180kmph ?)

When we got back to rome... we decided to just use pilotage and dead-reckoning to get back to the other-side where the crew hotel was.. after two hours of throwing that little pile of junk around abandoned corners and down cobblestone streets.. I was smiling like a jackass.. and my two passengers gave up and made me pull over and ask someone.

How often do you get to race around 2000 year old streets..

The clutch died on the way to return it.. i nursed it back into the lot...the guy said it was on its way out anyways.. so no charge..

Next time i am renting a motorcycle. Oh yea.. and the gas stations have pretty good food.

[slodave]

Heh heh, the car rentals in Naples will query you as to where you are going. Sometimes they won't rent. I admire your driving abilities, but you ain't seen nothin' yet!

[Bill Douglas]

If you are getting a car in Naples you HAVE to go south along the Amalfi coast. Probably about the most beautiful place on earth. And the food is good too

Don't worry about your father in laws people; they have survived thousands of years without you and an extra day or two won't hurt them.

[stuartj]

The roads are fantastic, the driver standard is the highest Ive seen anywhere. Dump the van, get an Alfa wagon, get on the B roads and have fun. Even Rome isnt as bad as it looks.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by BlueSideUp

I'm sure in Naples it is fairly intense driving but once out of the city it's probably fine.

We did a drive from Rome to Amalfi 6 years ago. A wrong turn dumped us in Naples. It is not intense, it is insane. Drivers in Naples do not obey any traffic rules. And I am not exaggerating. Stop signs & traffic lights are merely suggestions. Lane markers mean nothing. You pass whenever & however you can - even on city streets.

Rural driving is fun but city driving makes NYC & Boston look like calm Sunday drives. And BELIEVE ME, I am NOT exaggerating.

Ian

[air-cool-me]

Amalfi coast?

better get a small car.. some of those roads are tiny..

[LakeCleElum]

I've driven in over 20 countries and Italy was probably the most intense....No problem on the "AutoStrata" or out in the country, just in the cities....Here's how someone once described Naples to me: Once you get down towards Naples, think of yourself as in North Africa!!!!!!!

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by air-cool-me

better get a small car.. some of those roads are tiny..

Yes a nice skinny car.

I clipped mirrors with a police car coming the other way. The GF said "Stop stop stop" I said "No way." and kept driving as the Italians do.

[BlueSideUp]

We survived the trip. The in laws ended up renting a van with a driver which in the end was a good idea. The driving in Naples was a little crazy but pretty much like driving in San Francisco while ignoring all traffic laws. The amazing thing to me was that people would pull these crazy maneuvers cutting each other off without getting all hostile.

The roads out near Rocca San Felice would have been a lot of fun in the Porsche, not so much in the back of a van. The city was beautiful and we had a great time.

Here's a map of the actual trip.



And a photo of Rocca San Felice. My FIL was actually able to find people he is related to, I wish we would have had more time but it's about 1hr and 45 min away from Naples.

[svandamme]

not the best of times to visit Napels, it stinks down there at the moment

[BlueSideUp]

Stinks as in smells?

We actually didn't spend more than an hour in Naples itself. We did have an excellent time in Rome, Valleta, and Villafranche (actually got to see the vintage racing in Monte Carlo!)