Cinque Terre or Belagio

With the exception of Tuscany, why the car? It's pretty useless in the CT. Have you driven in Italy before?

I was wondering the same thing about the car. Both the Cinque Terre and Bellagio are wonderful places, but you don't need a car for either place. I would just pick up a car in Tuscany for your time there. What would you like to do in either destination? Have you seen photos that could help you decide? I have been to both CT (stayed in Vernazza) and Lake Como (stayed in Varenna). CT is nice if you are a hiker. Bellagio is nice for beautiful scenery and relaxing. It is easy to take the ferry to different towns on the lake. I took a cooking class at Il Caminetto in Varenna that was a lot of fun. The class needs to be reserved well in advance.

sandi, Given the specifics of your Itinerary, the Cinque Terre would be a better "fit", as it will be a quicker to get from there to Tuscany. It would help to know whether you're "leaning" towards one or the other, and also what type of activities you want for that point in your trip. I agree with the others that a rental car is perhaps not the best choice, especially for the C.T. With such short time frame, travel by train would be faster and more efficient. Also, are you aware of the usual "issues" regarding driving in Italy? If not, post another note for further information. Which town in the C.T. are you planning to stay in? Happy travels!

I would probably vote for CT though I love Bellagio and I would do all the travel by train except possibly tuscany
I would not use a car for Venice, CT