Cinque Terre or Sorrento/Capri?

Hi Marie,
It's so hard having to make those trade-offs, isn't it!?

I think you're going to get different answers here but having done both Capri and the Cinque Terre - and being an avid (amateur) shutterbug myself - I'd go for the C.T.

Both places are going to be very busy but as you sound as if you're willing to escape the piazzas for some of the trails, you can get away from the very worst of them. Heck, there are spots up in the higher reaches of the villages which the bulk of the masses do not go as they're unwilling or unable to make the climb. It's from these lofty vantage points that some wonderful shots can be captured, as well as some churches and cemeteries which are fun to explore.

Additionally, I found that the multi-colored houses and other structures in the C.T. made for more visual "eye candy" than Capri's. And as a bonus, there are 5 villages to explore rather than just the two on the island. The lower "Blue Trail" trail between them has had parts closed for various sorts of repair lately but you're apt to find at least a couple of them open next year, and they're also mere minutes apart by train.

DO make your hotel reservations well in advance though; I can't underestimate how important that is!

As far as beaches, Capri doesn't really have what you'd call a proper beach. There is a relatively large one in Monterosso (in the C.T.) but it's going to be crowed, and it's more pebbly than sandy.

Hope this helps!

I have not to been to either place yet, and had to make the same exact choice for my upcoming trip. It didnt take much research to determine that Sorrento/Amalfi coast was the destination for me. It has so much more to do and see! I've wanted to see Pompeii since I was maybe 10 years old. And I'm not much into hiking.

But perhaps CT would be the better choice for you and your family. Research both places and decide for yourself which one is the better fit.

OK, it trying to cut cost, one way is to reduce transportation. And it appears that you need to cut two nights as 14 are on the board. I would drop Venice as it is on the other side of Italy and would be a longer travel time. Fly into Naples to start and add a night in CT. Beaches are not a big item in Italy so don't put them very high on your list. No question that Capri is very pretty and a pleasant area to spend a day. But the boat ride to Capri is just a boat ride - nothing exciting. And can be a bumpy ride if the weather is marginal. Is it twelve days in Italy and two days of travel coming and going or just 12 days?

We are trying to get at the 12 days plus two full days of travel, so really 14 days. Venice is on the top of everyone's list. I went there 30 years ago and didn't like it - the canals were smelly and I went the cheap route and spent only about 14 hours there (poor college student). My understanding is that the canals are in much better shape, and everyone I have talked to lately has just loved it, so I don't want to drop Venice. Five years ago I did a day only trip in Hallstadt (sp) in Germany. It was a beautiful town and the boat ride was wonderful. I couldn't get hotel reservations 6 months in advance so had to settle on a day trip. I want to make the right "choice" here - something different than city museum life - and with beauty and serenity. Beach time to me is just hanging out around the water - doesn't have to be too fancy as long as we can walk in the water. And I have 3 teenage girls who I need to please as well - otherwise they are just hard to deal with. So not too much walking/hiking on trails is fine - and some down time is good as well. I hate giving up one of these. Not sure if CT is worth it as a day trip from Siena?

I've been to both areas twice - once about 10 years ago and again in early June of this year with two young kids. I think either would be a good choice, but here are a couple of considerations that may help you:

1. The scenery is spectacular in both locations. The road along the coast south of Sorento will give you some great photographs. You can also get some nice shots of the coast on the ferry boat between the CT towns and Portovenere (down the coast to the south). There are also good photo ops on the hike between Manarola and Vernazza, but check to make sure the route you want to hike is not closed for repair.

2. The beaches are merely OK in both locations. Monterosso Al Mare has a nice beach, the other CT towns do not. Sorento does not have much of a beach. Positano has a small one. I'm not sure about the other locations along the Amalfi coast.

3. Both areas have interesting small and smallish towns to explore. I think everyone in Sorento speaks English if you want a language break. I think the overall look of the villages in the CT makes them more interesting.

4. It is much easier to travel between the CT towns compared to the Amalfi coast towns. They are closer and are served by frequent trains and boats. The CT is also much closer to your other target destinatations which will reduce your overall travel time.

5. The Amalfi coast has much more to see if you like ancient history (e.g. Pompei, Herculaneum, Naples Archeology museum, some parts of Capri). There is nothing comparable in or near the CT.

Based on the interests you mention and the remainder of your itinerary I'd suggest the CT. However, if you have an interest in ancient history the Amalfi coast wins hands down. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Is CT more laid back and much less touristy? Both places sound like they get a ton of people, but I also don't want to be knocking down other people all around me - we'll have enough of that in the bigger cities. I just know it will hard to get a hotel reservation there unless I do this 9 months + in advance - I have been in that position before and wasn't happy about not getting a room. Would a one LONG day trip to either of these places work? CT from Siena or Sorrento from Rome?

I vote for CT.

You could set your teenagers free, ride the trains, lounge on the free beach in Monterossa, hike up the stairs to Corniglia or take a bus up to the sanctuaries and trail. Shopping in Vernazza market, walking in the vineyards. A great place to relax and very safe.

CT is a photographer's paradise - send him out at sunrise for best light and no crowds.

Small enough to meet up later and good cell reception to stay in touch. By mid-trip you will probably need time apart.

And I agree - stay in Venice. In both CT and Venice the crowds disappear in the evening, and in either place one block off the main path is often empty! We did these in 2013 and they are magical places.

Enjoy the trip!

Really good reply by Rob. Should be bookmarked, but I don't think this is a really FAQ.

Trust me, Marie, if it's in Rick's book, there are plenty of people there already. That doesn't devalue the destination. And with hundreds more hotel rooms, it's equally hard to get rooms on short notice in Sorrento/AC.

It sounds cynical, and maybe it is, but I'd venture that RS readers seek an unspoiled provincial Italy on the CT, and readers seek lifestyles of the rich and famous on the AC. Or, as Lonely Planet said about Capri, "seeking the glitterati, but finding only their prices."

We went to Sorrento for five nights this summer, and enjoyed it very much. (Pompeii was our most important target.) But there's nothing un-developed about Sorrento. And despite romance to the contrary, there's nothing undeveloped about Positano. It's just impossible to get a crane in there, so the work was done by hand! To explain what I mean, any Adalusian "white-village", even one with Rick's "bogus parking wardens" is way more authentic than the Amalfi Coast. Whatever "authentic" may mean. It's also important to read one subtext of these replies, reminding you that Sorrento is not on the Amalfi Coast! They are physically and culturally distinct.

Your question about one-day trips belies your comment about over-tourism. Are you going to be one of the "day-trippers" Rick advises us to spend the night so we'll be there "after they've left for the night?" Just kidding. Your question isn't as unreasonable as the millions of people who want to see the D-Day beaches on a day-out from Paris. But it's not a great idea. Why believe you saw it if you were running all the way?

I'd go for Cinque Terre and cut out Amalfi.

There is a high speed train from Monterosso to Rome. You can keep travel time down by Flying into Venice. Seeing venice for a few days. Then head to Siena via the high speed train from Venice - Florence then change to a regional train for Florence to Siena (or walk next door and take the bus from Florence to Siena. I'm not sure how well the bus times are with the trains. The bus is a little faster for Florence to Siena. The train station is outside the city at the bottom while the bus drops you off in Piazza Gramsci in the middle of Siena not far from the Campo). After you are done with Siena and Tuscany you can take the train from Siena to Empoli (change trains) to Cinque Terre (May require another change in La Spezia - depends which village you will stay in. After the CT you can take a high speed train from Monterosso to Rome. You can check the times on TrenItalia.com

For a longer travel day you can leave Venice early around 7 am and be in the CT for lunch. High speed train from Venice to Florence, then a train from Florence to La Spezia and a train to your destination village. After leaving the CT you take the train to Empoli, change train for Siena. Then you can take a train from Siena to Rome.

If time permits you can always stop in Pisa for a couple hours to see the sights. There is a bag storage at the station there to leave your bags while you see the area.

Wow. Thank you for all the replies. I think CT is the way to go for us. I went back and watched the RS videos as well for both areas - but wanted other opinions from people who have been to both. We love great food and wine, but the glitz and glamour is not our style. I really wanted my husband's photo-bug to get enjoyed though, and didn't want to miss out on the AC. However, it appears that the CT will do just fine, and that "speed" of the villages might be a good rest. Great point about day-tripping as well - it's hard to fit it all - but sometimes it's best not to shove to much in a day. Thanks!

See? I knew there would be different perspectives on this.

Very good points from Rob.

Is CT more laid back and much less touristy? Both places sound like they get a ton of people, but I also don't want to be knocking down other people all around me

Again, both locations are going to be very, very busy so there's no escaping the daytime crowds without getting away from the hot spots. Things do settle down a bit in the evenings when all the day-trippers go home; another reason for NOT doing either one as a day trip. The CT felt "less touristy" to me than Sorrento in many ways but not because of less tourists running around. Nothing at all wrong with Sorrento ; it's a nice alternative for people for whom Naples isn't their cup of tea, and it's a good transport hub for the Sorrentine Peninsula /Amalfi Coast.

So not too much walking/hiking on trails is fine

This is exactly how to lose the masses in Capri: hike up to Villa Jovis or Arco Naturale or some other locations. Pack a picnic. You're going to be walking a lot in Italy as it's simply the ONLY way to access attractions which transport can't reach. Capri and Positano? You have to walk/climb stairs virtually everywhere as there are few proper streets; the majority of "streets" are the width of a sidewalk, and much too narrow for conventional vehicles. Same for the C.T: lots of stairs and narrow passageways.

Another alternative to beaches? The girls could swim off the rocks in some of the C.T. harbors - which might be even more fun than a beach. There were young and older people and families doing that in Vernazza and Riomaggiore, as well as in some other spots. Have them wear their swimsuits under their clothes, and pack some towels in the day bag.

In the summer months, the ferries will be running between four of the five villages (Corniglia doesn't have a harbor) so your Other Half will be able to get his boat fix. As they parallel the coast, you get some nice perspectives of the villages from the water.

Edit: Sorry, I was typing the note above while you were posting, Marie. Glad you were able to make a decision!

Marie,

I've been to both and agree with many of the points already mentioned. The Cinque Terre would be a better choice in this case, especially as you're trying to reduce the number of days in your trip and it fits well for transportation to the other locations you're visiting. I wouldn't suggest doing that as a day trip as that won't provide much time to enjoy or explore the area. While Sorrento and Capri are also beautiful (in a somewhat "different way" than the C.T.), it would be better to visit that area with more time. I'm also an avid photographer, and there are lots of good photo op's in the C.T.

By dropping the Sorrento/Amalfi portion, you can add a day or two in the other locations. I'd suggest adding at least one day to Rome and perhaps one day to the C.T. With an extra day in Rome, you might consider a day trip to Orvieto, which is a beautiful and historic Umbrian hill town. With an extra day in the C.T., you could take a day trip by boat to Porto Venere, by train and boat to the glitzy resort of Portofino or even Levanto, which also has beautiful beaches. Levanto is only about four minutes by train from Monterosso, so not difficult to get to at all. There's also a trail between the two towns if you're energetic (Laurel can fill in the details on that, as I haven't hiked that one yet).

If at all possible, I'd suggest making your trip at least 14 days. The first and last day will be flight days and you'll be jet lagged for a day or two after arrival, so won't be up to full "touring speed". As this might be one of the last trips you take together with your daughters, that's something to consider. I never had an opportunity to take a trip like that with my Sons before they left home, which I regret. When is this trip taking place?

As you haven't been to Italy for 30 years, it would be a good idea to do some research on using public transit there, as there are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of. The same is true with rental cars. Are you planning to travel by train most of the time?

Once you've nailed down a more-or-less definite Itinerary, I'd suggest getting some hotels booked (especially in the Cinque Terre). Which of the five towns are you planning to stay in? Would you prefer a more conventional hotel that provides breakfast, or just a room with no breakfast provided? Everyone here has their own favourites with the towns, and my favourite is Monterosso.

You might find it helpful to pack along a copy of the Italy guidebook (2015 version will likely be out in Sept. or Oct.), as there's an enormous amount of information there that will help to plan your sightseeing most efficiently. You should be able to find a copy at your local Library to help with your planning.

That's tough. Both of those areas are similar but my vote would be for the Cinque Terre. I have been to both numerous times and I would always pick Cinque Terre. I also think your teen age daughters will really like it. They can do a beach day or hike. Its beautiful and so relaxing. Since most of your other places are big cities you will really need a down day and there is no better place to do that then the Cinque Terre. I would also try to sleep in Vernazza or Monterosso. Regarding boat rides the ferry in the Cinque Terre is great and you could take it longer all the way to Porto Venere. Any photographer would be in heaven.

Thank you. It actually brings tears to my eyes thinking about this potentially being one of the last trips with our daughters - our oldest leaves for college next month (which is one reason we have to watch our money). From a previous thread of mine, I am just trying to nail down dates for frequent flyer mileage - have to get those tickets a year in advance - so am trying to figure the number of days by tomorrow or the next, but we won't be leaving until July 2015. And I know that the CT hotels will be hardest to get - so want to get on that in the next month or so (as I have burned in the past with what I thought was a good 6 month lead time to no avail). And it's especially nice to hear from avid photographers, as that is my husband's passion, and I really want to make sure and get that part of the trip in there for him. Our halls are filled with beautiful framed pictures from out trip to Germany and Austria 5 years ago, and it brings such great memories every day.

That aside, I really like the idea of adding a day in Umbria at the very least. I will look into if I can squeeze that in as we will have a car for a few days in the middle of the trip.

Venice - 3 nights, CT - 2 nights, Tuscany/Umbria 4 nights, and Rome 3 nights. Maybe add a night to Tuscany/Umbria area to make it 13 nights. I might squeeze one more day, but probably not two more days. The planes arrive in Venice mid-afternoon - so can at least get settled in a walk around a small bit in the evening, although I know there will be some jet-lag.

Rick has some good advice on jetlag -- it hates sunshine. After you check in to your hotel in Venice, just get out and walk around and explore. It works for me on my trips. And remember you can't get lost in Venice, it's an island. Just walk to you hit some water, turn and walk a different way. The back lanes are beautiful and some great photographs.

This thread got re-marked for staff review. I see that Jenn already added a vote for Cinque Terre and I would, too, based on friendliness and ease of local transport.

And it's especially nice to hear from avid photographers, as that is my husband's passion, and I really want to make sure and get that part of the trip in there for him.

Marie, he'll find more gorgeous to point a lens at in the C.T than room on his memory card (bring a spare and back-up batteries). I predict some positively stunning new art for those walls!

And really, DO take the ferries as they won't just be fun for all of you but especially so for your shutterbug: he'll get some really great perspectives of the villages clinging to their precarious perches that are more difficult to capture when you're IN them. And, of course, there's the quintessential shot of Vernazza from the Monterosso-Vernazza segment of the Blue Trail (Sentiero Azzurro). It's been taken a kazillion times but it's something else again when it's your own! (insert gasp here)