Spoleto to Cinque Terre
 

We will be in Umbria for 2+ weeks 4/15/10 -5/3/10. We will be staying in Spoleto for 2 weeks and would like to travel to Cinque Terre for 2 days by car at the end of our stay on 4/29/10 then back to Rome on 5/2/10. Is this doable?

Use a site like mappy.com or google maps to see the distances you'd be driving - that's a lot of driving for two days (one night or two nights?). It's doable, but IMHO, the drive time vs. enjoyment time ratio is pretty low.

Are you committed to Spoleto for the entire two weeks? If you really wanted to visit the Cinque Terre, you could take some of the time from Spoleto. Or, if you can't, then spend those two days somewhere that's in between Spoleto and Rome.

It's doable, but I would want to take a train or plane back to Rome. I'd also want to
get a very early start from Spoleto, pick a place for a very relaxing lunch en route, aiming to be in le Cinque Terre by sunset. (You really want to have arrived in le Cinque Terre before dark.)

To return, I would either drop the car in La Spezia and take a fast train to Rome (best time is just under 4 hours), or drive to Genova airport and fly to Rome. The latter option makes sense if you are only going to Rome to fly. Otherwise take the train.

But here's the kicker: Were it me, I would avoid committing to this excursion until you are certain you will have good weather in northern Italy -- but one of your problems is May 1 is a big national holiday in Italy, and in 2010 it falls on a Friday, guaranteeing maximum crowding on trains, planes and hotels. That argues for keeping the car, only going if the weather is nice, and if so, driving back to Rome -- but be prepared for gruesome traffic as you approach the city that can add as much as two hours to your drive time, and you'll need to stop for lunch and gas. I might split the difference and pre-arrange to drop off the car at the Firenze airport (Florence) on 5/2 and take the train to Rome. Whether you've remained near Spoleto or gone to le Cinque Terre, it's not that far to drive to Firenze and from there it's a short train ride to Rome.

PS: Even if you are unsure you will be going to le Cinque Terre, I would book accommodations in advance, but only those with a 24 hour cancellation policy.

Hey everyone
Thanks for the advice. I'll check into the suggestions. Just maybe I might be pushing it by trying to go for a couple of days. We are booked for 2 weeks in Spoleto but if the weather is good I might try to leave early. There is just so many places I want to see in Umbria I don't know if I can fit Cinque Terre in even though I'd like to.

I share your feelings! I always have more that I want to see or do than I have time for.

A place that I really enjoyed visiting in Umbria, that's not so well known, were the Temple of Clitunno and the nearby Fonti del Clitunno. The former is a tiny, very old church, and the latter, a small springs with lovely ponds, has been a trip destination since Roman times. They are located outside of the small town of Campello sul Clitunno, north of Spoleto.

Lexma90
Thanks for the referral to Campello sul Clitunno. It is now on my agenda, which continues to expand.
ItsSam