Mimar

To me the difference between Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast are the things to do. There are few things to do in the CT, just hike along those trails that may be open. After the ravages of winter, more trails might be closed in spring. Be sure to check before you go. If it rains when you're in the CT, think about taking the train to some place like Genoa or Pisa.

Whereas on the Amalfi coast, there's lots to see: Pompeii and Herculaneum, Capri, Mt. Vesuvius, Paestum (great collection of Greek temples just south of the AC), Naples (Archeological Museum with the best artifacts from Pompeii). In addition to the small towns like Amalfi and Ravello.

I'd fly into Venice and take an extra day or two there to get over jet lag/sleepiness. It's an easy introduction to the intensity of Italy.

Dnf

Massimop,

It sounds like you think starting in the North and moving south is the way to go. You suggested:

Fly to Pisa, immediately go to le Cinque Terre
Lago di Como
Venice
See Florence en route to Rome
Positano
Fly out of naples

In this itinerary how would you divide up the overnights? I am not sure that I can do the baggage at the train station thing. It would feel too Amazing Race-ish to us. We prefer to have some place to set our things out and freshen up etc. We could do one night in Florence if you think we should spend 3 in CT. Based on my research I am not sure it really needs 3 nights though, and to be honest, we prefer nicer accommodations rather than shabby chic.


Miramar thanks for the tip! Never even thought of how the winter could affect our stay! Sounds like you would do 3 nights in Venice to start and keep CT and FL to a 2 nighter. Is that right?

massimop

I completely disagree that visiting Pompei, Vesuvius & Herculaneum or Paestum is doable from the Amalfi coast for most people. It is extremely expensive to hire private drivers to travel to or from the coastal villages, and it is impossibly time-consuming.using public transportation to visit most of these places from the coast, especially in May or June. The roads are clogged, the buses packed. Even if you want to take ferries, it is a long trip that requires added train travel, & if it late May, then you end up touring shadeless ruins & volcanoes at the hottest time of the day.

Most tourists visit these places before or after staying on the Amalfi coast. So how is that different from people who visit Pisa & Lucca on their way to or from le Cinque Terre? It is actually much simpler & cheaper to combine le Cinque Terre with other destinations using the train than tryng to combine the Amalfi coast with sights of historic or artistic interest within 3 or 4 days.

massimop

Dnf,

Best left up to you to figure out how to parcel the time. You originally indicated that you liked your first stops to be longer ones but up to if that turns out to be le Cinque Terre.

massimop

Also, there are advantages & disadvantages to starting north or south. Choice of flights might be the deciding factor in the end.

Dnf

thanks massimop. I appreciate all your suggestions.

AJPeabody

If your Amalfi area goals include Pompeii, Herculaneum, Naples, and Capri more than staying in the most scenic town, consider using Sorrento as a base. It is a nice town with all the connections to those places made easy, compared to Amalfi, which is nicer but with the drawback of time-consuming and potentially expensive or unpleasant transit arrangements, except for ferry to Capri.

Mimar

We liked Sorrento, had a hotel overlooking the Gulf of Naples, and it is a good transportation hub.

Frankly, I'd skip the Cinque Terre and add those days elsewhere. That makes your itinerary more spacious. Plan to go to the CT on another trip. Unless it gets so crowded nobody goes there anymore. Daytrippers do crowd the towns of the CT to the point of unpleasantness.

This probably won't be your last time in Italy. Plan to return.

Dnf

Thanks guys. AJPeabody and NICHOLAS81, the visit to the AC only includes laid back day trips to Amalfi, Capri and Sorrento or Ravello. We are not interested in seeing Pompeii or Paestum etc. It seems too much like what we experienced when we visited Delos- which is not really our thing. The "heavy lifting" sightseeing will be in Rome and possibly Florence.

Mimar, starting in Venice for 3 nights and reversing the order of the trip (but totally skipping CT) and ending in the AC or Rome might be in the cards for us. I get the feeling that seeing CT after the Amalfi may be anticlimactic so if we do get to the CT it should probably be done before AC. Maybe that's an unfair assumption but that's what I'm gathering from my research.

To see the CT or not...So many choices. This is what we call first world problems

massimop

If you have minimal interest in museums & historic sightseeing it is not plain to me why you should give up or skimp on scenic destination, especially under pressure from other people about what is satisfying. Probably your husband needs the ultimate vote on whether he'll feel "shortchanged" if he spends the majority of his time in Italy in beautiful places to enjoy the outdoors in village settings or would rather be in historic cities appreciating art or exploring ruins.

Again, le Cinque Terre in cruise ship season is no more unpleasantly crowded during the day than the Amalfi coastline. Read trip reports from the Amalfi about people battling their way onto buses & stuck in hot traffic jams & packed towns. Good that people are upfront with their opinion about what they would do on their own trip, but misrepresenting the destinations isn't really helpful. Loads of people prefer the Italian Riviera to the Amalfi.

Dnf

massimop we are the type of travelers who want to lay eyes on Michelangelo's David but not much else. We have traveled to Paris a few times and visited the Louvre, been excited to see a couple things but are bored of that after a couple of hours. Do you know what I mean? The thought of spending a full day or several hours in a museum or art gallery doesn't inspire us, but there are a couple notable things we WANT to see. The actual sights in Rome are not to be missed so I have given that more time. We like that sort of thing, but maybe because we can take a break, get a change of scenery, eat, people watch and just be in the moment while there. It's hard to explain. When we traveled to Greece we loved Athens and all it's history but we had a nice balance between that and the islands.

I am asking the opinion of others because you all bring perspectives I might not have thought of in my trip planning. Certainly at the end of the day I am going to do what speaks to me and my travel style the most but the community input is invaluable to me; like when you mentioned the flowers in the lake district at that time of year and when you mentioned easy going start and end to trip- that seems to be a better plan than what I had in mind. I am new to posting on Fodor's but not new to travel and research. It's nice to hear from people who are obviously lovers of travel as well, as I try to put the "perfect" itin together for me and DH. I've got a few itin combos in mind. Just trying to figure out which would work best.

bilboburgler

Really interesting bunch of questions and answers from all around. Florence has a bit of Museum about it, but I'm not sure where you sit with the concept of Art Gallery? Certainly the Uffizi calls itself an "art museum" in English and has some very fine pieces, if you put that with the architecture of the Duomo you have a full day there, plus the gardens, I'd go for at least 2 nights. Food good too.

A fair bit of central Florence is pedestrian or semi-pedestrian, take care, however, as I see that the odd coach driver does not seem to know this and my Florentine friends are always complaining of them getting lost in illegal spaces and blocking important roads, I think this is still low key but be aware.


Massi explains the differences between AC and CT well. Early June is a good time to come.

This is your holiday, but I would struggle to give AC 2 nights and nothing to Florence.

PalenQ

AC is a diverse area or at least base from which to hop to so many nearby sights - Greek temples at Paestum; Pomeii; Capri & Ischia; and Amalfi cities of course.

CT is 5 villages cramped between mountains and sea with very little turf and humungous crowds in season. I like CT but I like Amalfi much more.

Amalfi to me is much more pleasurable - CT for non-hiker a day or so- Amalfi days.

AJPeabody

Dnf, congratulations in figuring out Fodors and the inhabitants thereof. You will do fine. Hopefully, you can report back on your experiences and help future travelers.

massimop

It's a total myth that the the Amalfi coast is a "base from which to hop to so many nearby sights - Greek temples at Paestum; Pomeii; Capri & Ischia;" One can "hop" to Capri -- that's it. Period. I'm not going to keep repeating what I've already written & I'm guessing the OP already knows better or isn't planning to leave the Amalfi Coast anyway once there.

dnf,

I honestly don't understand your last post & had assumed you asked your questions on social media to get a range of answers.

Dnf

massimop, trying to find the perfect balance of history and sightseeing, culture and relaxation for a two week trip to Italy. That's it.
Taking everyone's advice and weighing it against the goals I have for the trip. It's early days yet so nothing in stone at this point. Just grateful that my "struggle" is this: Where to spend 16 nights in Italy

AJPeabody, I intend to report back. I feel I got some valuable pointers and opinions here!

PalenQ

It's a total myth that the the Amalfi coast is a "base from which to hop to so many nearby sights - Greek temples at Paestum; Pomeii; Capri & Ischia;" One can "hop" to Capri -- that's it>

"hop" was not meant to imply a direct boat or bus or train-but is easily done = boat to Salerno for buses or trains to nearby Paestum; boat or bus to Sorrento for trains to Pompeii and boats to Ischia.

I STAND BY EXACTLY WHAT I WROTE

Gee -take off your tunnel vision blinders and lose the attitude that so many here are put off by. You come across as a pit bull attacking an innocent person who was only trying to give general advice.

Or are you saying those 'hops' are not possible -if so I have done exactly that from an Amalfi base. Very possble and for you to say not is misinformation.

Cheers!

Dnf