Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre
 

If you had to choose between one or the other, which would be your preference and why?

-<BR>Consider:<BR> (1) Is this to be a few days of R&R (go to CT)?<BR> (2) Do you enjoy small towns, with not alot of night life (go to CT)?<BR> (3) Hiking? Walking along beautiful trails perched on cliffside overlooking Mediteranean (go to CT);<BR>OR ...<BR> (4) Do you want seaside experience AND opportunity to do/see other things? Day trip to Pompeii or Herculaneum; day trip to island of Capri? Shopping for ceramics in Positano or Ravello? (go to Amalfi Coast) <BR><BR>Been to both and each have their charm & unique characteristics. All things on balance, I'd pick Amalfi Coast.<BR>

What time of year?<BR>Are you cost sensitive?<BR>How old are you?<BR>Are you a hiker?<BR>Where are you coming from--going to?<BR><BR>If you want a good answer ask a good question. It really depends.

Actually, what I'm wondering is why some people choose one over the other. What it is they particularly like about one that would make them choose it if they were forced to choose between the two. a--z's answer is the kind that I am looking for. <BR>

It is hard to tell you.<BR><BR>They are both incredibly beautiful.<BR><BR>Both areas have fabulous luxury hotels.<BR><BR>I choose the Amalfi coast because I am interested in the ruins, love Pompeii, the Museum in Naples, etc., and it is more dramatic looking out over Positano. The Cinque Terre seems to me a quieter beauty. I think the surrounding towns such as Ravello, Amalfi, Sorrento, etc. are a little larger and have more to offer. The CT area strikes me more as a place to just hang around and/or hike. We just sat around and drank beer and ate lots of olives! The CT area was a great place to rest and relax and nothing beats sitting in Portofino's harbor, just about 6 miles from the CT, people watching, so I guess the difference to me is that I believe there is more to explore on the Amalfi Coast. You can take a trip for the day to Capri, for example. I hope my rambling helped. You couldn't go wrong with either. I love them both, but keep going back to the Amalfi Coast.

I've been to both and can say without a doubt, the Amalfi Coast! <BR><BR>Rent the movie "Only You", with Robert Downey Jr. and Marissa Tomei. After I saw this movie I knew I had to go to Positano one day. A lot of the movie is set in Positano. Plus, it's just a really fun, great movie.<BR><BR>The Amalfi Coast is, to me, one of the most beautiful places in the world. To me it has a certain charm and romantic feel to it that Cinque Terre lacks. I was backpacking by myself and staying in hostels for a month in Italy when I went to Positano. I didn't see one other backpacker during my three days at the Amalfi Coast. I believe there's only one hostel in Positano but I never found it. Cinque Terre has a few. <BR><BR>The Amalfi Coast I believe is a more lavish, grandiose version of C.T. Some of the most breath taking views were looking out the bus window. The Amalfi Coast has sheer drop offs, you can almost literally look straight down at the ocean from your bus seat, out the window. Yeah, it's a little scary. The view reminded me a bit of Kuaii, with the tall steep green mountains. <BR><BR>Another reason, the pastries! The further south you go in Italy, the pastries become more tasty, decadent and just plain works of art. I lived on pastries, and sandwiches of loaf bread -fresh mozarella and tomatoes. I'd go into the grocery store anywhere and have them make me that sandwich. I want to go back to Poitano just for that food I just mentioned. <BR><BR>Here are some pics from my trip. Run the mouse over the pics and it tells you where they were taken. <BR><BR>http://www.gretanicole.homestead.com/Italy.html<BR><BR>email me if you have any more questions. Hope I helped =)

Great responses. Keep them coming.