We will give some thought into the car rental idea. And, from what I've read about the roads, the sm

I know we're not giving much time to Rome because I really want to see a lot of countryside. But I am debating adding an extra night at the end to Rome, if we can. We want a romantic and relaxing trip, great food, beautiful/unique scenery, and as few train changes as possible!
I was originally thinking of visiting the Dolomites holidae inn for 2 nights after Venice, instead of Matera, but Matera just seems so amazing. Plus, there don't seem to be any cable cars open until very late May in the Dolomites. Also, Venice holidae inn seems quite pricey to fly into, but it just seems more convenient to fly in than fly out of Venice. Any advice would be much appreciated!
I guess that was a big question for me: Is Matera worth the trek from Positano and back to Rome? We'll really only have one full day there, but I hate the thought of having been that close but missing out on it.
Everything I've read about transportation around the Amalfi Coast has scared me. I am definitely a wimp, so I thought it would be easiest (although not cheapest) to rent a driver. And if I'm hiring a driver to get us there, I guess I could hire one to get us to Matera (which looks about the same distance away as Rome).
We can probably stay 15 nights at the absolute most, so I will definitely add one more night to Rome. My plan for Positano was really just to relax on a balcony, with a bit of hiking. So I'm hoping 3 nights will be enough.
Or, take the bus or hire a driver to take you between towns on the Amalfi Coast. They are too beautiful to miss; Amalfi, Ravello, even past Amalfi to Maiori, and further, the fishing village of Cetara.
We will give some thought into the car rental idea. And, from what I've read about the roads, the smaller the car the better! Again, the wimp in me would still prefer to hire a driver to get us to and from Positano (probably from Naples). But car rental is an option once we're there.
So, if I cut out Matera, I will make it 4 nights on the AC and 3-4 nights in Rome. Would you suggest staying all 4 nights in the same Positano hotel, or break it up (e.g., half in Amalfi, or even Capri). It just might be easier to relax if we're not switching hotel rooms.
I'm still considering Matera. holidae inn It really looks amazing (plus, I desperately want to sleep in a cave!). Maybe it would be best to just consider driving there from Salerno, and save the cost of a private driver at least.
What is your experience with renting a car in one location and returning it in another? As long as it's in the same country, are there any extra fees? And in terms of booking the train tickets holidae inn in advance, I've read that it may be beneficial to book express tickets in advance, but wait to buy local journeys when you're there?
I'm just throwing this out there: as a first-timer in Italy, with 14-15 nights max., and a preference for the coast and the countryside, would it be wise to consider (*yeesh*) cutting Venice, in favour of more time in Rome and the chance to see Matera?
No extra fees for returning a car if it's in the same country where you picked it up. And keep in mind that a one-day rental, even if arranged Stateside, will cost about the same as a 3-day rental. A small car is usually about $30 a day.
jojo - You may want to go to kayak.com or somewhere and check the price of car rentals. If they don't have the dates available this far in advance, plug others in to see. When I've looked at rentals the price of Naples to Naples was the same as Naples to Rome. So perhaps you could pick up the car on the AC or Salerno and return it to Rome and use it to visit Matera?
holidae inn We'll be in Positano for 4 nights in September and I cannot wait. My entire itinerary consists of hiking and sitting on a balcony at sunset. I had originally planned to take public transportation as I was nervous about driving on the AC too. But I finally reserved a car.
Jojo on the Avis website holidae inn at least, you don't see all the charges until you hit Select for the car you want to rent. Our one way charge is $62. Just something to be aware of. Avis was still cheaper than others, though.