Well, Lanee, given that you only have 2 or 3 days and you want to relax, opt for the Cinque Terre. The Amalfi Coast really demands more time and more touristing. But consider staying not in the CT towns but in Santa Margherita Ligure or one of the other adjacent towns. SML is close to Portofino. You can take the train or boat to the CT and walk part of the way between the towns. There's also a more challenging hike over the Portofino promontory.

Traveller1959, you forgot the hunt for mozzarella!

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/l...la10-2009may10

An article on Paestum:

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/l...de10-2009may10

Photo gallery:

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-...hotogallery?11

thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate all the input....
still no decision, but appreciated

I'm two seconds away from just buying a ticket to Rome and an Eurorail pass and calling it good. wherever I go, I go!

If you are planning to include Paris in your two, then you really must fly open jaw - US into Rome and then Paris back home to US. Nothing else will make sense.

>>C'mon - there is history, architecture, markets, cute towns, archeology, museums...and not to forget those gorgeous lemons!<<

Well, there is all that in Cinque Terre or within two train stops, and while Luni is not the spectacular sight that Pompeii is, staying on the Amalfi Coast makes it quite difficult and expensive to tour Pompeii, especially in any meaningful fashion.

how about this...
which one is typically more expensive?

In general, the Amalfi Coast -- especially Positano -- is more expensive than the CT.

Here's my two cents: I've been to both and while they are both amazing, my husband and I agree that we prefer the CT. It just seemed a little slower, fewer people, and overall more relaxing of a stay when we were in Manarola. Maybe because we did a lot of day trips when we stayed in Positano we found it to be more rushed. You don't have to hike the CT, you could ferry or train between the towns that have a rougher path between them.

In the end you can't go wrong with either decision!