Off season travel is our choice and with it comes the need to roll with the unexpected...
We booked a one week stay near Sorrento (arriving Naples, renting a car, departing Rome) at the end of January.
The Good:- Scenery is the same regardless of time of year- wonderful views, museums, outdoor sites (Ercolano, Ostia Antica), ferry to/from Naples and to/from Capri all available to us with manageable crowds.
- First time booking a condo via Marriott Homes and Villas was a solid experience- responsive local managers when there were issues (ant infestation when the heat came on (!); power failure)
The bad:- Social media is generally a reliable way to keep track of what is open and closed... except in south/central Italy apparently. This was especially true for restaurants. Note- we expected seasonal shut downs and did our research. But still came up against closed without notice in numerous places. While inconvenient, this also led us to use the 'Where Google says people are congregating' to find some local gems. We did not starve and probably lost a few pounds from the extra walking!
- Acknowledging NA bias regarding housing standards, we were unpleasantly surprised by how long it took for our rental to warm up. Note the day/night temps were single digit above 0C so not off the charts cold. This can be attributed to the use of the AC units as heaters apparently. Judicious use of fans to circulate the warming air and blankets were our solution. Side note- the indoor museums had not climate control so were freezing- like hat and mittens on freezing...
The Ugly:- Renting a car in Italy remains the most frustrating experience. Based on our itinerary and where we stayed it was a necessary evil. Upcharge for 'theft coverage' after a complicated explanation of the 'zones of theft incidence'; gas station that ate our cash were the most trying. Not surprising given the season, parking was not a major issue. We tended to park in off street parkades vs on the street due to our unfamiliarity with the pay to park zones- a wise choice.
- Toll roads- perhaps we did not prepare well or research alternatives but the egregious toll (excess of EURO 80) on the A1 between Naples and Rome was a shock.
Other comments- once you pick up the rhythm of traffic flow, it is not as intimidating as it appears. esp on the narrow roads in rural Campagnia. Our biggest problems came from Google Maps 'seeing' the road down the hill vs where we actually were (eg turn left.... did not exist).
All in all, an enjoyable trip filled with good memories and colourful anecdotes.