Travel from Cinque Terre to Sorrento- what is best?

That's a long trip! You can take the train (Trenitalia.com) from Monterosso to Naples. From Naples, you can take the Circumvesuviana commuter train to Sorrento. Or you could arrange for a driver or take a ferry from Naples to Sorrento (we took a ferry and it was pretty cool). Another option is to take a bus all the way. Either way, it will take 7-13 hours to get there. Check Rome2Rio.com for more details. You could rent a car if you are adventurous!

As mentioned in the previous reply, that's going to be essentially a full day of travel. The method I'd use would be something along these lines.....

• Buy tickets from Monterosso to Napoli Centrale. Depending on the route you choose, this will require three tickets.
• The quickest trip appears to be a train departing at 09:07, arriving Napoli at 15:05 (time 5H:58M, two changes at Pisa Centrale and Firenze SM Novella).
• When you arrive at Napoli Centrale, you have a few choices: you can take the Campania Express to Sorrento, you can take the "colourful" Circumvesuviana (keep on eye on your luggage or it may disappear) or you can hire a private driver for the last part of the trip (this will of course be the most comfortable option but also the most expensive).

I wouldn't recommend taking the Ferry from Naples after a longer travel day. You'd first have to make your way from Napoli Centrale to Molo Beverello or Mergellina by bus or taxi, buy tickets and wait with your luggage until the boat leaves. The trains or car will be far quicker and should get you to Sorrento in time for a brief walkabout and then a fine meal. After a long travel day, getting to the balcony of my hotel as quickly as possible and enjoying a glass of Limoncello would take priority over schlepping luggage off and on the Ferry.

I traveled from the CT (from Levanto, one train stop north of Monterosso) to Sorrento a few years back. I simply took the earliest train via La Spezia to Naples and picked up the Circumvesuviana train from there on to Sorrento. Yes, it was along day, but otherwise it was fine. (I love train travel, so that that probably helped.)

I've since read a lot of negative things about the Circumvesuviana commuter train, but I had no problem with it. Just be mindful of your belongings. If there's another express train option where the timing works out for you, you could take that instead, but I wouldn't wait around hours longer just to do that.

Depending exactly when your travel day is, flying from Genoa to Naples could be considered.

Volotea has non stop flights, per skyscanner.com