My friends and I are going to France and Italy this fall. It will be our first time to Italy. We will be arriving in Florence via Paris. We plan to rent a car while in Florence and Tuscany, drive down to the Amalfi Coast and then back up to Rome to drop off the car. Is there a better way to travel? We like the option of having the freedom with a car especially in Tuscany. Will it be too difficult and cost too much to drive down to Rome and the Amalfi Coast? We are trying to save some money, but not waste time. We will have a Eurail pass for transportation between major cities (i.e. Paris to Florence). Would the Eurail pass be a better option. What about traveling by bus?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Michelle