My husband and I have options to stay in either Cinque Terre for 3 nights or Barcelona in early May of 2014. Both are so different and we are really having trouble deciding which one location to choose!

We both love picturesque views, walking, food, drinks, and a little adventure etc... And not as fond of museums. (We will be already spending time in Rome, Paris, and Lauterbrunnen)

2 1/2 days isn't enough for any city, (we know that) but if you had to choose - which one why?

Here's an article on 36 hours in Cinque Terre from the NYTimes, which might help you decide one way or the other.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/tr...anted=all&_r=0

Or, since you haven't been to either location, why not just flip a coin?

From Lauterbrunnen? How will you be getting to either destination? It may not be 2.5 days but more like 2 days plus the arriving evening. And where will you go afterward? The logistics involved might help you decide.

Cinque Terre is my favorite place in all of Italy.

Yes, the CT is a favorite place of mine, too. But it sounds so different from Barcelona (where I've never been) that it seems hard to compare them. I'd probably decide based on the other destinations on the trip and how easy/hard it is to get to one or another.

With 1.5 to 2 days in the Cinque Terre, you would be able to see each of the villages and, if the weather is good, walk each of the trails that connects the 5 villages. I haven't been to Barcelona yet, but know that I want to give it closer to 4 days, so if you go there, you may have to be much more selective about what you see and do.

As others are noting, the time and effort it takes to get to either are worth considering.

Based on your criteria and amount of time, choose Cinque Terre. Barcelona is a city and requires more time than 2-2.5 days, even if you don't see the museums and Gaudi sights.