My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Italy in August and need some help with coordinating an itinerary for our trip. We have about 11 days to play with in Italy (the beginning of our trip will be spent in Barcelona) - this is a full 11 days, as I've already subtracted travel time between Spain and Italy. Basically we want to visit Cinque Terre, then drive through Tuscany down to Rome. I realize that 11 days isn't a long time for all of this, but we've been to Rome before so we don't need as much time there as a first time visitor might want. So far we've thought about doing:

Cinque Terre & Tuscan drive - 6 days
Rome - 6 days

But i'm not sure how feasible it is to visit Cinque Terre and do the drive in 6 days. From my understanding, the drive through Tuscany down to Rome is not really that time consuming, although we would like to stop in a few towns and stay overnight a couple of times. We're also open to the idea of maybe substituting the Amalfi Coast for Cinque Terre - any suggestions?! I know it'll be really touristy in August, but its the only time we have available to do the trip.

Lastly, what is the best way to travel around Cinque Terre? We're pretty okay with the idea of driving through Tuscany, but the idea of driving through larger cities and towns is a little intimidating.

In August, because there is a train line in le Cinque Terre, I think it makes for an easier trip than trying to move around the Amalfi coast. Be aware the le Cinque Terre is also very touristy. With the exception of La Spezia, all the towns near le Cinque Terre are scenic and charming, so if you would prefer to be with fewer foreign tourists, get a map of the Ligurian coast, look up the towns on the 'net for pictures, etc. (Levanto is also gets more foreign tourists than Italian beachgoers.)

There are many lovely art cities and towns in Tuscany that are best reached by train and bus (Florence, Siena, Lucca, Pisa, Arezzo, Cortona and smaller ones). However, most people go to Tuscany these days to enjoy scenery and towns more easily reached by car. These include the areas of Tuscany known as the val d'Orcia, Chianti, le Crete, the towns of San Gimignano and Volterra, the Maremma, the Garfagnana and the Tuscan coast. It's easy to google up all these places and decide what you want your Tuscan experience to be.

Best entry points into Italy for the trip you describe would be either the overnight ferry from Barcelona in Genova, and then train down the coast to whatever town you choose, and pick up a car in La Spezia for you trip into Tuscany. Or fly into Pisa, train to le Cinque Terre, etc. or fly into Milano, train to le Cinque Terre, etc.

You will get a whole raft of opinions about how long you should spend in le Cinque Terre and which towns in Tuscany you should visit, and whether you should stay in one Tuscan "base" for many days and day trip to famous towns, or whether it is enjoyable to do a road trip. All I can say is that it is very hot in both le Cinque Terre and Tuscany in August, and steep hill climbing is unavoidable in both. Your air conditioned car and scenic driving might be more enjoyable than climbing through famous castle hilltowns filled with tourists.

In August, you will need reservations on the coast and through most of scenic Tuscany except the Maremma and the Garfagnana. If you want to try to go without reservations in Tuscany, you should have this book with you.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8836528384

If you rent a car, consider dropping it off in a town with train access to Rome, rather than driving into Rome. Depending on where you end your stay in Tuscany, some easy choices are Chiusi, Orvieto, Grosseto or Orbetello.

Have a great trip!

Thanks for the info and suggestions, very helpful! Anyone know the website or name of the train that travels around the towns of Cinque Terre?

It's www.trenitalia.it, the general Italian train site. The train that travels between the Cinque Terre is just the little local train that runs frequently. You can also take boats between the towns (ditto on the Amalfi coast).

The same train runs south to La Spezia and north to Genoa (and beyond). You don't need to stay in one of the Cinque Terre towns; you can stay nearby on the trainline. People like Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Sestri Levante.

Thanks! I've actually been to Santa Margherita before and it was beautiful, so staying there sounds like a good alternative!