Cinque Terre or Florence?

I can only tell you that personally I like to take some down time between cities so CT would be my choice since Barcelona is your next destination.
I would probably add one day to Rome and take 2 days in CT.

I will try and help you decide on it. Florence is an art capital and for people who wish to be immensed in all forms of man-made beauty. The Cinque Terre, on the other hand, is incredibly beautiful from a natural perspective. I know of people who have gone fo the Cinque Terre, and then done a day trip through Florence just to see the major sites, but other people may prefer the opposite. I guess the difference comes down to your preference of seeing art, or hiking and dining in a beautiful setting on the coast of the mediterranean. My personal preference would be the CT for two days, and Florence for one, if I were limited to three days.

Both place are nice. However if it were me, I would choose....(drum roll) Florence. The Cinque Terre is very beautiful with wonderful coastline views. Hiking between the towns is fun. However, you have beautiful coastlines and hiking in Oregon. Florence is a world class city with wonderful museums, open air markets, and world class sites (duomo, Ponte Vecchio Bridge, etc.) The day spent out biking in the wine country will be a relaxing break from the city. We did a bike ride last September with tuscany-biketours.com and it was great. I am not a huge museum person, so with 3 days I would probably spend a busy day in Florence, a day biking, and then maybe a day trip somewhere else (Siena, The hills of Chianti, Lucca and Pisa, etc.) The day we biked, my sister and her husband visited the Academia, Uffizi, Pitti Palace, the duomo another church, 3 markets, and the Michaelangelo Plaza where the views are wonderful. In addition to our bike trip, we visited a market and Michealangelo plaza (we have been to Florence before and see many of the more famous sights that my sister and her husband visited.) Whichever you choose, you will have a great time.

I continue to want to rant that, on a brief visit, particularly a first visit, the CT is not worth sacrificing the chance to visit some of the world's great cities (Florence, Venice). The CT are pretty, but they are a destination to visit on a break during a longer tour of the great sites.

"a bike ride in wine country in Florence"

Actually, the Tuscany wine country is not in Florence. It begins 30min to an hour outside of Florence. You'll have to take some kind of public transportation out of the city. It is quite beautiful, however.

For your schedule, the train from Florence to Barcelona (Train 9494) goes through Bologna and Milan. It doesn't go anywhere near the CT. Thus, I suggest that you need to be in Florence for your departure to Barcelona. For the CT, you would need to consider a 3hr train ride to get there and a 3hr ride to return. For 3 days, you wouldn't do justice to either Florence or the CT. But, many travelers will do both because they had to see these places while they had the chance.

Where are you flying out? Are you flying out?
Details, details, details...

What exactly is your itinerary? If you are going to Rome, then to Florence, then Barcelona; Do Florence, don't bother with the CT. Been there, done that, CT is overrated. Its nice, but not so very nice, and not so very extra-ordinarily different than other coastal areas in Italy. Other places have coastal trails, other places have tiny towns with tiny harbors and pretty fishing fleets and ancient watchtowers. The CT is not unique in this sense.

It is an easy choice for you.

Either the culture of Florence or the scenic beauty of nature in CT. Which do you prefer?

I would choose hikes over museums because a half a day in most museums is enough for me. But you may prefer the artwork of Florence.

I agree with Carl. It depends on what you want. Culture or scenic hikes. It it were me and I'd just done Rome with Barcelona also on the itin I'd do CT. I loved CT and our 1 1/2 days there were not long enough. Can't wait to go back.

Thanks to everyone!!

Hello everybody..
I'd like to point your attention on this site about the 5 terre italy where you can find useful information, travel tips, maps and pictures. Also online a section of cinque terre video on the blog.
Thanks to all for visit.

I agree with most on CT. Loved it, relaxing, do the side trip to Florence. We did and squeezed in all the highlights.

Lisa,

Don't even think about CT if you are going in the summer. It is crowded and way overated.

If you go in the spring or fall, it is wonderful, otherwise "fagetaboutit".

There are so many other places in Italy that offer much more beauty, and are not crowded with people like us.

Take a good look at staying in Sienna and visiting Florence. Sienna is magical at nite.

And please read Ricks book about this subject. He is "right on the money".