ChateauMargaux

I'm planning to go to AC in November, but not sure how AC will look - is it green all year around? I understand from my research that it is the rainy season and many restaurants will be closed due to a lack of tourist in the low seasons, but there is not a lot of commentary on the natural scenes there. Thanks!

speedlog

The weather can be very nice: think low 20s (C) and sunny during the day, and cool evenings, especially along the water. Yes it can be very rainy also, it is hard to predict. That is indeed low season and many of the more tourist-focused restaurants and shops will likely be closed, but you will always find some restaurants/cafes/bars open, especially in the larger towns.
November is a really good time, in my opinion, to do the Path of the Gods hiking route!

13901

Italy doesn't really have "rainy" and "dry" seasons. It's true, however, that autumn tends to be more rainy than, say, August. As for being 'green', well, November is indeed autumn so there'll be less leaves on trees. Vineyards will be cut up, or at least they'll be in the North, and those trees that aren't evergreens (so basically everything but pines and shrubs) will be losing leaves.

ChateauMargaux

Thank you all for your help. We are planning to stay in Ravello - is this town walkable? Are there dining options beyond what is available at our hotel?
Can we effectively see the coast without renting a car or scooter?

13901

I'll leave it to more knowledgeable people about restaurants, but in terms of walking I'd say it very much depends. I went to the Amalfi coast a good 20 years ago on a school trip. We were from the deepest Alps, to the point that locals had trouble understanding our accents (and viceversa) and everyone mocked us for being 'basically Swiss'. We walked everywhere, I remember there being trails and small streets. Nothing took more than an hour or so, though it was quite hilly, but coming from where we did, it felt normal: walking was something we all did. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but on average I'd say that Americans are less inclined to walk around and more used to driving, so perhaps a scooter could be useful? A car is more a hindrance than an advantage, especially considering the narrow streets.

rickg523

The town itself is walkable. Lots of restaurants. But it's up on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean. It's lovely, but you'll need transport to get to the coast. There is bus service down to the town of Amalfi and back. From Amalfi there is a bus that runs to Sorrento via Positano. This bus is famous, or infamous, depending on your tolerance for riding on cliff roads at speed (well in the summer season, the road, the only road, is a parking lot, so it's an endless crawl). Another, more pleasant alternative is to take the ferry to Positano which you can then continue later to Sorrento. If you time it correctly, you can do this as a day trip, though you may need to grab a taxi back to travel from Amalfi back to Ravello on the return. In any event, I'd try to avoid driving. I rented a car on an earlier trip to Amalfi, and found it not that enjoyable or necessary, for that matter. But I stay in Sorrento, which is an excellent travel hub for all forms of public transport.
NB - this information is based on a 2018 trip.
Here's a couple of links - https://www.positano.com/en/bus-schedule
https://www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule

KLouis

When you say that everything other than pines and shrubs loses their leaves, one can immediately see you're a polentone! You're talking about Campania and you forget Olive trees, all Citrus trees (the Amalfi Coast is famous for its... lemons), and several others. It is definitely green, especially when you compare it to everything north of the Alps.

13901

That was a good call!

ChateauMargaux

Thanks all for the help! Is the best way to get from Rome to Ravello to take the train to Salerno and then take a taxi from there? Is there a need to pre-book a car for the Salerno-Ravello part, or are there plenty of taxis to be found at the Salerno train station in November?

speedlog

The train to Salerno is a good idea. Salerno is the last stop for most the high speed rail lines. You may consider contacting your hotel if they can arrange a transfer from Salerno station, if not there should be a fair amount of taxis available, but I have not been there during COVID times.