CINQUE TERRE OR AMALFI COAST

Should you visit the Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast? As two of the most popular coastal destinations in Italy, it’s hard to chose between the two. Both the Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast are along the Western coast in Italy offering the most spectacular views. I honestly couldn’t chose between the two however, each place offers different advantages.

I’ve put together a guide comparing Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast to help you make the right choice for your trip to Italy!

And don’t forget to pin this for later!

AMALFI COAST – The Amalfi Coast Italy is in the Province of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The closest airport to the Amalfi Coast is Naples Airport which is just over an hour from the coast. From Naples, you can ferry, train, bus or take a car to the Amalfi Coast. You can also fly into Rome and either take a train, bus, or drive. Traveling from Rome to Amalfi Coast takes about 4 hours driving.

Amalfi Coast Hotels: We based ourselves in Sorrento and loved staying at Caruso Suites.

CINQUE TERRE – Most people travel to the Cinque Terre Italy from Florence or Milan as these are the closest major cities. It takes about 2.5 hours to travel from Florence to Cinque Terre whereas Milan to Cinque Terre is about 3 hours. The easiest way to get to the Cinque Terre is by train. There are a number of airports within a few hours of the Cinque Terre including Pisa, Florence, Genoa, and Milan.

Cinque Terre Hotels: We based ourselves in Corniglia and enojoyed the town! I’ve linked a hotel in Corniglia.

AMALFI COAST – The Amalfi Coast is a relatively large area. The most popular Amalfi Coast cities are Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Capri. It’s fairly easy to travel between these cities as they’re well connected by ferries, the hop on hop off bus, and the local bus. Buses and ferries basically run hourly so you’ll have plenty of options. The local bus is the most budget friendly option as it’s 2 euros per way. Depending on which villages you’re traveling between, the ferry will be roughly 15-20 euros per way. You can also rent a car or scooter to travel the coast on your own! If you chose this option, be careful as the roads are narrow and the cliffs are steep.

Read More: Traveling within the Amalfi Coast

CINQUE TERRE – The Cinque Terre is made of five small towns; Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. These towns are well connected by both train and ferry. It takes only a few minutes to travel between towns via train. As a result, the train is the most popular mode of transportation. The train runs roughly every 30 minutes consistently throughout the day. The local train also runs South to the main train station (La Spezia) and North to Levanto. You can also take a ferry between the villages excluding Corniglia. The ferry runs regularly but not as often as the train

Pricing: You can purchase the Cinque Terre card upon arrival which gives you unlimited train rides for the day. You can purchase a 1, 2, or 3 day pass for 16, 29, & 41 euros respectively during high season. A one day ferry pass is about 35 euros but you’ll find the most accurate prices here.

The Amalfi Coast weather and Cinque Terre weather are very similar. I recommend visiting both destinations in the shoulder season. The weather will still be warm enough to enjoy the beautiful towns and both regions will be less crowded. While I recommend visiting off season (April-June and September-November) I don’t recommend visiting in the winter as many restaurants and shops close in the beginning of November.

AMALFI COAST – I suggest setting aside at least 4-5 full days to visit the Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast is pretty big as the villages are roughly an hour apart from one another making it hard to visit more than one village per day. There are a ton of villages in the Amalfi Coast, as I mentioned, Capri, Amalfi town, and Positano are among the most popular. Aside from these Italian coastal towns, there are a number of lesser known towns worth a visit such as Ravello, Praiano and Atrani! You could honestly spend a week (or more!) exploring the Amalfi Coast and it’s spectacular so don’t rush it!

CINQUE TERRE – It’s common to travel to the Cinque Terre on a day trip from Florence. Personally, I don’t think a day is nearly enough time to see the Cinque Terre however, it depends on your travel pace. Since the cities are so close together, it’s definitely possible to visit all five towns in one day but it’s not ideal. I recommend spending two to three days in the Cinque Terre. If you plan on hiking the villages, 3 days is ideal. This will allow you enough time to hike and spend time in each village. If hiking isn’t your thing, two days will be plenty. This will give you a few hours in each town to shop around and grab something to eat!

AMALFI COAST – There are some incredible beaches in the Amalfi Coast! Laying out and enjoying the beach in Positano is just the best. The views are straight out of a painting… Crystal clear turquoise waters meet a picturesque cliffside covered in vibrant buildings. There are beach chairs along the water in Positano which are a little pricey but worth the splurge to relax in the middle of it all. There are great beaches in the major villages along the coast, but there are also some amazing lesser known beaches as well (like the beach in Atrani)!

CINQUE TERRE – In my opinion, you don’t head to the Cinque Terre for the beaches. Out of the five towns, Monterosso al Mare is really the only town with a nice beach to layout on. It’s worth noting many of the towns have small beaches but none of which compare to the Amalfi Coast. You can still enjoy the water in the Cinque Terre via boat however, there aren’t a ton of beaches.

AMALFI COAST – The Path of the Gods is the most well known hike in the Amalfi Coast. The views look absolutely incredible! My husband and I relied on public transportation while traveling in the Amalfi Coast and couldn’t figure out how to get to the Path of the Gods. If you want to hike the Path of the Gods, I highly recommend having a car and getting there on your own. Another popular hike is Riserva Statale Valle Delle Ferriere which ends in Amalfi. The Path of the Gods and Riserva Statale Valle Delle Ferriere are two of the many hikes on the Amalfi Coast.

CINQUE TERRE – Head to the Cinque Terre if you enjoy hiking! My favorite thing about the Cinque Terre is you can hike between the five towns. The hikes are well marked and easy to find from the city center. It takes approximately 6-8 hours to hike from Riomaggiore to Monterosso al Mare across the five villages depending on the route. The hiking throughout Cinque Terre is honestly incredible! The views are absolutely spectacular and offer amazing views of the coast as you hike along the cliffside. You can break the hike up by hiking from one village to another which takes approximately two hours. The coastline hike from Riomaggiore – Manarola – Corniglia is currently closed (October 2019) however, there’s a trail inland. The trails between Corniglia – Vernazza – Monterosso al Mare are currently open.

Read More: Hiking the Cinque Terre

It’s tough to choose between the picturesque villages of the Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast. Both areas have the most unique, charming, and colorful villages. I can’t choose between the two as you honestly can’t go wrong with the towns in either place!

AMALFI COAST – A typical Amalfi Coast itinerary includes soaking in the quaint towns along the coast! One of my favorite towns is in the Amalfi Coast is Positano Italy. I know it’s basic but I love Positano! The views are absolutely magical. The town of Amalfi is well versed and contains everything from charming streets to a panoramic view overlooking the town. The towns in the Amalfi Coast are slightly larger than the towns in the Cinque Terre but are just as quaint and charming. I found Sorrento to be surprisingly pleasing as the fortress overlooks the Bay of Naples and the streets are filled with lemon shops. Praiano, Capri, and Atrani are miraculous as well!

Read More: Amalfi Coast Towns

CINQUE TERRE – It’s hard to chose a favorite town in the Cinque Terre as I love them all however, I think Manarola is my personal favorite. The town is small and quaint with the most incredible viewpoint just steps from town. Vernazza and Riomaggiore are also spectacular! There are hiking trails on both sides of Vernazza with the most breathtaking views! Corniglia is the cutest little town! It’s the smallest of the five towns with only one street of shops and restaurants but it’s adorable. The villages in the Cinque Terre are the most colorful and picturesque! As I mentioned, they’re smaller than the towns in the Amalfi Coast making them easier to explore in a shorter amount of time.

Clearly it’s hard to choose between the Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast as both are incredible! As a wrap up, I recommend planning your trip to Italy and deciding which area works best for your travels. If your trip is centered around Florence, Tuscany, Milan and you enjoy quaint charming towns with incredible hiking, head to the Cinque Terre. If you’re going to Rome looking for beach vibes and spectacular views, head to the Amalfi Coast. I absolutely loved traveling to both the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre. I hope this guide helps you decide which town to visit as both places are so special and picturesque!

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)

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