Needing your help with which location in Italy to stay

I agree that it will be a hassle to get from Paris to Amalfi. Rome2Rio says the fastest route is 8 hours.

Is this your only chance to visit Europe? If not it would be better, cheaper, easier to concentrate on one country on this visit and then come back next year to visit the other.

You have 13 days with Paris and Rome set. I would defer the Amalfi Coast until another trip. Pick some places that you can see on day trips from Paris or Rome.
From Paris, you can visit Versailles or the Loire Valley. From Rome you can visit Ostia Antica. Also, you could spend more time in Paris and Rome. If you really want to see another city, Florence would be my choice.

We have to go to Paris and Rome our flights are booked and we are going to the Italian Open in Rome so that can’t change. I’d like to see someplace else for the other 5 nights. Would the Cinque terre work or another suggestion?

Other than tennis, what are your interests. You’ll be in Rome 4 nights but how many days will you be at the Open? Without attending a match, you could easily spend 5-6 days in Rome and take day trips to Ostia Antica, Tivoli and Orvieto. Consider flying Paris to Venice or Florence from which it’s an easy train ride to Rome. I think 5 days on the Amalfi Coast or the CT is overkill.

Some people find travel by train a little intimidating if they haven't done it before and both Amalfi and CT need a bit more train savvy. I am going to say that either can be done - if that is your interest. Both are quite heavily touristed, so it might depend on what your expectations are whether these are good plans or not. If you choose one, there will be people here to advise how to do it.

As asked, what are your other interests and why do either of these appeal? I do agree that often first timers could spend more time in either city and do day trips, but if that doesn't suit you, maybe we can suggest some alternative.
I wonder if flying into Milan and then the train to Lake Como has any appeal?.....as a more scenic location like CT or Amalfi.

Well you are pretty much killing a day of your trip to get to Rome, so you could make it longer and harder getting to the AC. As mentioned, you could extend stays in both Paris and Rome. Four nights each is not a really long time, even though it sounds like it. But as a first timer, if you really want a third location, it might be less stressful to choose somewhere easier to get to than the Amalfi Coast. However, if you really want to go there, see how the transportation works out for your travel abilities. And remember you lose another half day, at least, transitioning to Rome from wherever your third place is.

You could stay in a number of beautiful locations only a couple of hours by train from Rome. Florence makes a nice in between choice with lots of options. I myself would not want 5 nights in the CT (maybe somewhere near but not in the five villages) but others might. Or pick a place in France.

You just need to sit down with the travel logistics and see what your comfort level is along with the practicalities of the travel.

If you want to see Amalfi coast and have 5 spare days (or nights) as you say it's not a big deal to do it from Rome. You are right - from Paris it could be a hassle. Take a fast train from Rome to Naples, change there for Circumvesuviana train and go to Sorrento. Make that your base and from there visit Amalfi coast, Pompeii, Capri.

Why not fly from Paris to Naples to make that trip shorter? I see flights that week as low as $62 one way and the flight time is only 2:15. Of course, you have to get to the airport in Paris and then to your final destination, so you are still using a day for travel, but it might be an easier day.

A good way to plan is to write out each day on a line of paper, and next to it write what you are doing that day and where you will sleep.
Like this:

Day 1: Fly to Paris.
Day 2: Arrive in Paris. (I'm assuming you are from N. America and flying overnight.)
Sleep in Paris.
Day 3,4,5: sleep in Paris.
Day 6: travel to ??

You see what I mean.
Travel days take up most of a day.

hey klarmour
you'll have a great time visiting and enjoy. savor your time and atmosphere and don't rush. it will be busy everywhere you go. are you flying in from USA/Canada?
you don't have "5 extra days". i count 12 nights (may 8 could be a jetlag, fuzzy brain day; may 21 is departure day, get up, pack, breakfast, transport to airport 3 hours before flight). what are your days in rome and how many days are you going to be at italian open?
you don't have time for the amalfi coast (my opinion), it takes time to travel to different places on the trains, as i.p. says i look at rome2rio.com to see length and times of trips. stay in rome and do a couple days trips, you could take a short train ride to castelli romani on lake albano or oldfrascatiwinetour.com to see the country side, taste wine and food.
just some info to think about, it's your vacation and we want you to enjoy.
aloha

Leave it to the Princess to recommend a wine tour 🍷🍷🍷!

You could fly Paris to Naples and stay in Sorrento ( not officially the AC), but it makes a good transportation hub to tour the area, then train to Rome for your time there. Perhaps add on more night each to Rome and Paris and 3 nights Sorrento to have a break from 'big city' experience

So we are flying May 7th and will arrive May 8 in Paris. groggy day, will be tired, staying 4 nights. The we have May 12-16 up in the air before we head to rome. The Italian masters is only one day on the 19th. We will be in Rome May17-21. We like to walk around, eat good food, maybe cycle, be near the water if possible. I am gluten free and dairy free so I have food restrictions which is why spending more time in Italy as apposed to France seemed important.

What about going from Paris to Provence/French Riviera and then on to Rome?

That would be easier to do by train (especially Provence) than by trying to fit in the Amalfi Coast.

Fly Paris to Naples, take the train to Sorrento and if you like, a bus on to an AC town. Or just stay in Sorrento. It is on the water, has great food, easy to walk around so no need for a car. You can take the train to Pompeii or Herculaneum, bus to Amalfi, Positano, Ravello.

I don't think going to Provence or Nice would be any easier/faster than the Amalfi Coast. In fact I think it would eat up even more total time.

Four days in Paris (even though one is jet lagged and really only a partial day at best) is a minimum but it will give you a taste of Paris. No time for any day trips though. Then on 12th fly Paris to Naples and train to Sorrento. That will take up most of the day but depending on flight times you might get in a morning walk around Paris, or if it's an early flight you'll get to Sorrento in time to see a bit of it that day. Then you have four full days. One take a boat to Amalfi, spend a few hours, bus to Positano for a few hours, bus back to Sorrento. The bus ride is very scenic (although people prone to motion sickness sometimes do have a problem). I don't and I love that ride, almost better than the boat ride. Next day do a boat trip to either Capri or Ischia. Leaves you two more days - are you interested in Pompeii?, seeing Naples itself? Both of those are easy day trips from Sorrento. In fact some people do both on the same day. Another possibility is to do one of them en route to Rome. There is left luggage at both train stations. As much as I love the Amalfi Coast region if I were you I might take one night from there and add it to Rome. You only have three days to see Rome and there is so much there.

I don't think going to Provence or Nice would be any easier/faster than the Amalfi Coast. In fact I think it would eat up even more total time.

Actually Isabel, we basically did that in 2014. We took a TGV train from Paris to Avignon - spent 3 nights there, then broke up our trip to Florence with a couple of nights in Torino, which was awesome by the way. From Torino to Florence, we had to change trains in Milan, which has multiple trains to Rome as well.

I think that a trip to the Amalfi coast would be very easy from Paris. Like mentioned above, just fly Paris-Naples, take an early flight, you will be sipping prosecco by noon whether it is in Capri, Positano or Ravello. The Amalfi coast is gorgeous and would complement your cities perfectly!!

May 12th:

6:20am ORLY Paris, lands in Naples 8:40am (but there are also multiple later flights). $61 skyscanner.com

Ferry Naples: there is a 9:30am or 11:35am ferry to Capri. capri.net for schedule. Et voilà.

Obviously you can stay at other locations on the Almafi Coast. You could have a driver waiting for you at the airport to take you to Ravello or Positano.