Amalfi Coast vs. Cinque Terre

Amalfi Coast, hands down. We found Cinque Terre to be the Estes Park of Italy. Great scenery, but very crowded, and many, if not most, of the businesses selling tourist tat.

This year the tour we were on stayed in Levanto, rather that the CT proper, and we preferred it. We took a nice walk to a nearby town, wandered around Levanto, and didn't feel overwhelmed.

Well, I would have been hard pressed to decide between the two if we'd only visited CT once - we visited in 2008, then returned in 2012. Well, what a difference. If 08 had been like '12, there wouldn't have been a second visit. For the record, it was practically the same days in Sept (off by maybe one day). Perhaps a big difference was first trip was weekdays, second was weekend...but oh my - crammed trains and platforms, villages overrun...the cruise ships have really discovered CT, to its detriment. We stayed in Corniglia both times.

AC was nice as well. Beautiful villages and towns. A little more polished perhaps. My only gripe about AC - way more spread out of course, and you don't have the luxury of a quick train ride between towns. It's a bus or a car, and either way, you're still stuck in traffic.

I would contemplate returning to the CT if it was April and a little further out from tourist season. Otherwise, I have no desire to go back. AC def needs more exploration! CT even 10 years ago was a much diff animal than it is now.

I have spent weeks on the Amalfi Coast over the years, an hour in Monterosso.

Ferries connect the main Amalfi Coast towns, and I have walked between some of the towns.

Amalfi Coast wins for me too. Hands down.
However in some cases, the Cinque Terre may make more sense for some people depending on their itinerary. If one is visiting the Northern side of Italy only, the Amalfi Coast may be too much of a detour. Also the Amalfi Coast has a lot more to do and see. If all you have is a day and you are in Tuscany, then the Cinque Terre is a better choice.

We've used ferries, buses, and trains to get around the Amalfi Coast. Easy, once you figure out the timetables.

We've used ferries, buses, and trains to get around the Amalfi Coast.
Easy, once you figure out the timetables.

Same with the Cinque Terre but ferry service for both is dependent on season, and train service is much more accessible in the C.T.

Weird, maybe but I don't think there can be an apple-to-apples comparison between the two as they felt very different to me. The color of the C.T. villages were more visually appealing although we enjoyed both regions.

I visited the CT briefly (1 night) in 2008, before it became super popular. I hiked the first two sections starting in Riomaggiore and it was beautiful, then used the train for the rest to Monterosso, then an afternoon ferry back to the start. I thought the villages were very picuresque - just as pretty as the postcards. And for much of the hike, I was alone on the trail, with just a few folks passing me when I stopped for photo ops.

I expected something similar when I visited the AC, and was wowed by the natural beauty of the coastline - even though it was winter and I wasn't able to see it from the sea. The towns weren't quite as striking as the CT, but the scenery was so much better.

I don't mind never returning to the CT - since the daytripping crowds, it just doesn't sound attractive to me. But I'm sure I'll be back to the AC at least once more, hopefully more.