Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast

There's far more to see and do on the Amalfi coast. From Sorrento - which itself is a lot of fun - you can easily visit Pompeii, Capri, Positano, Ravello, etc. If you take an express train from Rome to Naples, and then the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, the trip would take under 4 hours. On the other hand, if you just want to kick back and relax, you might prefer CT.

Greg, It would help to know which airport you'll be using for the flight home? Travel to either area is going to take about four hours, so your decision will probably depend on what type of travel experience you want? Budget may also be a consideration as the Amalfi coast is somewhat more "upscale" than the Cinque Terre. The Amalfi Coast is beautiful and there are lots of interesting sights to see there. With only three days, you'll have to be very sellective as you won't have time to see them all. You could spend one day touring Pompeii & Herculaneum, possibly Mt. Vesuvius, another day for a trip to Capri and the last day just "chilling" in Sorrento. I'd suggest a fine hot meal at L'Antica Trattoria for your final night there. The Cinque Terre is a great place to just relax, enjoy the atmosphere of the villages and of course some great food in the area where Pesto was invented. While there you could also take day trips to Porto Venere, Levanto or the "upscale" resort of Portofino. Regarding the "mudslides cleanup", it's important to remember that three of the five villages were not impacted by the floods, so it's "business as usual". Recovery in the "old town" section of Monterosso has been remarkable, so everything should also be back to normal there by September. The "new town" section was mostly unaffected. Although Vernazza was seriously damaged, they have also made incredible progress with recovery and repairs. You might have a look at This Website to see the current status of various businesses there. Good luck with your decision and happy travels!

Thanks for the insights. I'll be traveling out of the Rome airport if that makes a difference.

If you are flying out of Rome, I would vote for the A/C.

Are you looking for a beach? As I understand it, (I'm planning my first trip so someone feel free to correct me) the Amalfi Coast has mostly private beaches. In the CT, Monterosso has a small -but nice- swimmable beach that has free access. Dave

Greg, Thanks for the additional information. The decision will probably depend on which area interests you the most. While the transportation times are about four hours in each case, the trip from the Cinque Terre will be a bit easier and faster. From La Spezia to Rome, the travel time will be as short as 3H:21M via direct train (reservation compulsory). It's a very pleasant trip. Depending on the time of your flight, you'll probably have to spend the last night in Rome. Cheers!

@Dave, Regarding the beaches in the Cinque Terre..... The town of Monterosso has both an "old" and a "new" section. The beaches in the "new" section and some in the "old" section are pay-per-use. Umbrellas and lounge chairs are provided, so it's quite nice. I've never rented "beach time" but the cost is likely quite reasonable. There is also a "free" beach which I believe is at the end of the "old" part of town. Vernazza has a small protected harbour which is formed by a large stone breakwater. It's a very popular swimming location, although it's not a large area. It was badly impacted by the flood, but hopefully it will be back to its former state in the near future. The other three villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola & Corniglia) have somewhat "unofficial" swimming areas, usually accessed via rocks at the water's edge. Judging by the crowds I saw there last fall, these are also very popular. Even Corniglia (which sits high on a bluff) has a trail leading down to the water. Here's a few photos that will provide a better look: Vernazza Harbor Monterosso new town Monterosso old town Various photos This should provide a few glimpses of what the area looks like. For some reason, after looking at the photos I'm starting to crave Trofie al Pesto (LOL). Cheers!

Ken, Boy, I'm glad I booked 3 nights in Monterroso! Thanks - I can't wait to go! Do you think the photos will sway Greg? :) Dave