Cinque Terre or Amalfi?!

Since you’ll be in Rome for just 5 days, neither. It don’t regard either as a day trip from Rome.

Both are to far for a day trip.

Why not try a day trip to Orvieto? Much easier and a great town.

Amalfi but it is too far for just an overnight.

Too far even with the high speed rail???

Cinque Terre would be 4-5 hours each way and Amalfi Coast would be 2.5-3.0 hours each way by high-speed train plus local train, bus or ferry connections to your final destination. The high-speed trains don't get you all the way there, and the fastest connections aren't available at all times of the day. Most people regard those travel times as too long for a day trip, but ultimtely the decision is up to you.

Voting here with the others that both are really too far for a day trip. Definitely not the CT. The A.C. takes some doing (and expense) to get to, and just an overnight wouldn't leave you much time at all for exploration of the region but of the two is the most do-able. That said, I'd save it for another trip when you can give that area the time it really deserves.

It would eat at least 1.5 days/nights of what is, most likely, closer to 4.5 days or less in Rome, and you definitely don't want to be on the A.C. on the day of a morning or midday international flight out of Fiumicino. There are a couple of other day trips from.Rome that wouldn't involve an overnight or change of hotel (Orvieto, Ostia Antica, Tivoli).

Too far even with the high speed rail???

High speed rail doesn't exist in all areas of Italy. The fastest rail service from Rome to Sorrento is almost 3 hours. It's 4 hours from Rome to La Spezia if you take the high speed rail to Florence, then the train from Florence to La Spezia.

That's just getting to the rail station. Then you have to get to what you want to see. Amalfi and CT are very generic terms. It's like saying I want to see Rhode Island.

If you are itching to take a day trip from Rome (again, you really don't have enough time), there are a number of opportunities nearby. Ostia Antica is an hour from downtown Rome.

Look at RS tour books. They are great for major cities like Rome, giving you suggestions based on the amount of time you have. Personally, I could spend a month in Rome and barely scratch the surface of what I want to see.

Thanks for the advice. We are definitely going to talk about this.

Check out Tivoli - home to the fabulous Roman ruins of Hadrian's Villa and the stunning Villa d'Este (palazzo and gardens will blow your mind).

For a taste of a classic hill town, my home town of Orvieto is my vote!

High speed rail does go to Florence in 90 minutes and Naples in 70 minutes, making those cities viable day trips, if something there draws you enough.

Otherwise, with only 5 days in Rome, I'd either just stay in Rome and see it slower (and so enjoy it more than you will by running from the Colosseum to the Vatican Museums to the Spanish Steps), or see the closer-in places recommended above, like Ostia Antica, Tivoli, or Orvieto.

While it would be possible to see either place you mentioned, an "overnight" is not going to provide much time to actually "see" the places so I have to wonder if the travel time and cost is worth it.

Travel to the Cinque Terre is going to take at least 4.5 hours each way, assuming you use one of the direct Intercity or Freccia trains from Roma Termini to La Spezia Centrale. The local trains from La Spezia to each of the towns is only abou 9 - 20 minutes or so. If you left early in the morning, you could be there by early afternoon but would really only have the afternoon to look around. You'd have to be out of your hotel by about 11:00 the next morning, but may be able to take a few more hours for exploring.

Are you referring to the town of Amalfi or just somewhere on the Amalfi Coast? Transportation in the south can be more challenging so the travel time will depend on where you're going. If you wanted to go to Salerno, there are direct Intercity trains from Roma Termini to Salerno with a travel time of 3H:11M (and many other trains with at least one change).

If you wanted to go to Sorrento (which is not technically on the Amalfi Coast, but close enough), there are high speed trains to Napoli Centrale with a travel time of 1H:10M, but you'd need another 1.5 hours or so in addition, to take either the Campania Express or Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento. You could also use a private car service, although that would make the cost higher.

Good luck!

I'll also toss in Appia Antica as well (Appian Way) - we spent a half day there on our first visit to Rome - took the bus, visited the catacombs, poked around some ruins, walked along the ancient Roman road - and I wish I had know about Aqueduct Park as well - didn't get there, but I'm wishing we had gone.

Agreed that both the C.T & A.C. are too far for a daytrip, or even an overnighter. You're better off basing in Rome for the 5 days and staying there each night.

But if you're independent, and have your wits about you, a daytrip to Pompei through Naples is doable. I used to not recommend this, but upon further review--and especially because you'll be there in October, when the temperatures won't be so hot--if you haven't been, you should go. It's spectacular.

If the weather's decent, leave Roma Termini train station no later than 9:00 AM. That puts you down at Napoli Centrale station a little after 10:00, then switch to the Circumvesuviana commuter train (at the same station, I believe just downstairs) for the 30 minute ride to the Pompei Scavi stop. The entrance to the ruins are not far away from there.

Take 3-4 hours to browse this magnificent stuff, then retrace your steps. If you want a taste of real Napolitan pizza in Naples--I know you can get it in Rome as well--take a taxi from the Naples station to one of the many revered pizza joints in Naples, then take a taxi back to the station. Then take the fast train from Naples to Roma Termini. Even with a pizza stop, you could be back in Rome early evening.

Oh, as an alternative--a daytrip from Rome to the hilltown of Orvieto in Umbria is about a 90 minute train ride each way, and it's just a beautiful place, well worth the trip.

Enjoy your planning!