Thursday 16th May 2019
Today we gathered up our nerves and once again ventured into the misery that is driving on Italian roads. We wanted to casually drive the Amalfi coast, stop for photographs, and maybe have some lunch. The route was approximately 85km.
At the top of the climb out of the campground we joined what seemed to be an endless stream of traffic for the next two hours. Within a couple of kilometres I was hooted at from behind for stopping to let someone cross the road, on a crossing!!
The scenery was fantastic and we managed to find a vacant parking spot or two to take some photos before we passed Sorrento but after that spaces to stop and park became non-existent. Every conceivable spot is taken by cars that must have arrived around 6am!
We saw restaurants where we would have liked to lunch but again there was nowhere obvious to park so we continued in the snake like traffic around the coast.
Despite crawling along in this queue, Mario Andretti is still tailgating us in his tatty Fiat Punto, feigning impossible overtaking manoeuvres at any opportunity. Just when you think it probably couldn’t get any more dangerous, Valentino Rossi on his 150cc Vespa sweeps by us both with his phone in one hand.
On entering Amalfi town the traffic ground to halt for a full ten minutes as two coaches attempted to squeeze past each other.
Again we could see nowhere to park, to photograph and video, so we granted ourselves temporary Italian citizenship for a few minutes and ignored all the signs 🙂
Under way again it was beautiful scenery but rammed with traffic. As we approached Maiori I think we both came to the conclusion we’d had enough so we turned onto the SP2a road through the mountains. The traffic was lighter but the road surface was shocking. The amount of litter laying everywhere was disappointing too.
We stopped at a viewing point on the twisty descent on the SP2b with excellent views over Pompei and Scafati toward Vesuvius. Unfortunately the video doesn’t do the view justice.
The casual drive out to explore the wonderful area of Amalfi Coast didn’t quite go to plan but I’m glad we didn’t miss it. I am even more glad we did this in May and not August, it must be bedlam then.
Having decided we hate driving around here we are moving on to the Adriatic coast on Monday, hopefully the driving is more relaxed there. I won’t be holding my breath though.