Number of steps and ease of getting around - Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast (esp Positano)

I cannot speak to Amalfi to compare, but I can speak about Cinque Terre. If you'd like to stay near a beach, Monterosso is the place to stay in Cinque Terre. Th etrain station has 1-2 flights of stairs down to the main boardwalk, then one more flight to beach. Most lodging is up on a hill, but there are a few hotels right off the boardwalk. Taxi's seem to be available as people arrive on the intercity trains, but otherwise are not around often. I did see a few hotel shuttles picking people up (wihtout luggage) across from the boardwalk--so that may be worth looking into as well. The other towns in Cinque Terre are quite hilly. Corniglia is up on the top of a hill but has a shuttle from the train station to the top. I don't believe it has a beech, but it's very quant and quiet..

I would say go to SML, just west of the CT. Then figure how far you want to go. Both have steps, and crowds.

If you are in Monterosso on the water, you can probably go to the hotel without much uphill walking or stairs (although some hotels may be a little up the hill). The other Cinque Terre towns are less flat, and require more walking uphill.

If you are in Positano, although there are a few hotels right at sea level, for the most part you have to walk uphill and on stairs (sometimes lots of them depending on where you are staying). Taxicabs cannot take you up and there is no way a taxi can go up those narrow alleys (same is true for much of the Cinque Terre).

A lot depends on the type of day trips you wish to do for the Amalfi Coast. You can stay in Positano at the lower side of town, using ferry only. Or, you could choose one of the other towns, which are much less vertical. If you are going to just stay in the village and enjoy the views, it won't matter as much. If you wish to do day trips, I would definitely stay somewhere on the ferry line.
For Cinque Terre, I assume your travel partner will not be hiking, so again accommodation choice would be the most important factor. Either way, get a place with a great view (and a terrace or some sort of outdoor area) where you don't have to walk for it!
You might have to do some juggling to get luggage to the accommodation--Positano is more high end and it may be easier to get assistance from a hotel. In CT, you will be more likely to be on your own.
Go to Google Maps and YouTube to get some close up videos and pics to see the terrain, good luck!

Positano is nothing but steep steps everywhere. I don’t think there would be taxi service from the very tiny beach or around the tiny town either.
An alternative would be Amalfi- not as steep, transportation hub and there are some nice hotels right at water level.

Or stay in Sorrento or Salerno.
Salerno is a nice “real” town- flat- with a lovely waterfront and sandy beach. Non touristy and some really good restaurants. Easy access by ferry to the AC towns, easy train ride to Paestum- also flat. Much less expensive lodgings as well. Direct trains north to Rome or wherever.

Sorrento is also a good base, mostly flat, easy access by bus, ferry, driver or tour to AC towns, Capri, Naples, Pompeii, etc.

Can’t speak to CT but I like the suggestion of Santa Margarita Ligure. We really enjoyed our time there. Lovely town, very few tourists, right on the water, really good restaurants. Access by ferry to Portofino, train to Rapallo, Camogli and CT towns.

Andrea,

I have been to Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast, staying in Positano. Hands down, the Cinque Terre is easier to navigate if you have mobility challenges. Transportation to and from the towns on the Cinque Terre can be done by train or ferry and is easier than the transportation on the Amalfi Coast.

• Cinque Terre: We went to the Cinque Terre with two people who had challenges with their knees and backs. We stayed in Monterosso because it is relatively flat and easily walkable. It is easy to roll luggage. My recommendation is to find a hotel with an elevator or with a host that will carry luggage upstairs. Our group visited all the towns and we did not hike. There were plenty of opportunities to rest along the way.
• Amalfi Coast/Positano. My husband and I went this time without our friends. I have some knee issues, but managed the 171 stairs to our hotel and the walks to and from the town to the beach. We both remarked on the trip that our friends who went with us to Cinque Terre would have struggled in Positano. Even if you stay by the beach, you still have to go up in elevation to visit the town. In addition, the ferry is not always reliable. We were there in mid May and it was rainy and windy and the ferries didn't always run.

There is a bus system along the Amalfi coast, but it can get crowded and you have to walk to the bus stops. We opted for private car transport instead and while expensive, was a bit more convenient. If I were to go to the Amalfi Coast with my friends, I would opt to stay in Amalfi. It has better transportation options and it is a bit less elevated than Positano.

Hope this helps.

I have to agree with SandyO - I have been to both and the CT would be a lot easier to navigate than the AC, although the towns of Minori and Maiori on the AC are relatively flat, but not as interesting or as scenic as the hillside towns such as Positano.

Just got back from Naples and did a day trip to Sorrento. I was super impressed and would say that it was much more accessible than anything we found in the Cinque Terre. The city is built in two kind of 'flat' areas- one at the top of the cliff and one at the bottom. You can walk, but there are also shuttles and an elevator to go up and down. Once you are in the upper or lower areas it's actually pretty flat. We stayed in Manarola and found it to be a lot more climbing and stairs and uneven ground. No experience with Positano.

Andrea, with mobility challenges I definitely would NOT do Positano: too many steps and uphill climbs. While next door to but not technically the Amalfi Coast, I'd look at Sorrento. The upper part of town is pretty flat, and there is a public elevator and/or buses which service the lower marina area.

Regarding the CT, Monterosso is probably your best bet although I'd be careful to book an accommodation near the water versus up in the hills. No idea about taxis as we never saw one or took one.

Is this an actual mobility issue or just out of shape? Last time I went to both places I actually had mobility issues (Advanced arthritis in both knees requiring knee replacements) but I knew which pain medication to take, how to minimize the pain, planned rest times in my day (10 min on a bench can reset me for another hour). I also knew I could get cortisone shots or gel shots a week prior to the trip to also help. I also started walking about 6 weeks before the trip to ensure I had the cardio and leg/calf conditioning that Europe requires. I kept a tube of topical Voltarin with me at all times to ease any sharp or show stopping pain (As in I can't make it to the taxi stand kind of pain).

So she may want to go see her GP to rule out any actual injury that was causing the pain and possible medical remedies, this may be a really easy fix. If nothing organic is going on, then maybe she could consider a fitness regimen to get her hips and legs in shape well before the trip. Also, good shoes help with knee/hip alignment which can be a game changer for all day walking/traveling.

I found both places Cinque Terrre and Amalfi Coast to be equal in challenging walking. Lot's of stairs and hills in both places. We stayed in Monterosso due to my knees and so glad we did and for Amalfi we stayed in Sorrento.