The Amalfi Coast vs. the Cinque Terre

[Pauline]

I have been mulling this over in my mind since our trip - which do I prefer, the Amalfi Coast or the Cinque Terre? We've done two trips recently to the Amalfi Coast, May 2016 and October 2017, staying in Positano. We just got back from 12 nights in Liguria staying in Santa Margherita Ligure and Levanto. Fifteen years ago we also spent 2 weeks in Levanto.

For the Cinque Terre area I am considering from the Portofino peninsula in the north (Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure) to Portovenere in the south. Much more than just the five towns.

Both locations are hiking destinations for us and I will compare them that way. Other travelers may have other requirements from a trip and I would love to hear from you.

Transportation between the towns
Both areas can be visited using public transportation only or you can access them by car.

In the Cinque Terre area the main trainline runs along the coast and takes you between all the towns. It runs frequently between the Cinque Terre towns and Levanto (3 - 4 times an hour), and once an hour to the towns north of Levanto. The train does not go as far as Portovenere, but that can be reached by bus from La Spezia. The trains are not crowded.

There is no coast highway in the Cinque Terre area, but there are roads that take you above the towns. Going down into some of the towns is difficult (the 4 southern Cinque Terre towns) and to be avoided. Some of these roads above the towns have recently been improved. There is also the motorway that quickly takes you down the coast.

The Amalfi Coast is not served by a train line, but has regular bus service to all the towns. I found these buses to be very crowded and they made me sea-sick because of all the twists in the road. Also, the main bus route is Sorrento to Amalfi. If going beyond Amalfi, you have to change buses.

You can drive the Amalfi Coast road but parking can be expensive.

My conclusion: The Cinque Terre area has better public transportation because the train is easier to use than the Amalfi Coast bus. If you are traveling by car, the Cinque Terre area is easier to drive.

Accommodations
My conclusion: There is a better selection of vacation rentals on the Amalfi Coast but they can be expensive. Liguria is less expensive but you don't have as many options.

Food
My conclusion: We had good meals in both places, but I like the food in Liguria better. I love pesto!

Tour Buses and Cruise Day Trippers
Both places get plenty of both.

Hiking
Both areas have well marked trails and lots of them. Both places have trails that require a lot of climbing, frequently on stone steps. Because the Cinque Terre is a hiking destination, the trails are more crowded. A few are overwhelmingly crowded. Once you get away from the five towns, the trails are not crowded. Both areas have hiking books dedicated to their trails, which makes a hiking trip much easier.

The mudslides in the Cinque Terre a few years ago ruined two sections of the main trail between towns - between Riomaggiore - Manarolla - Corneglia. When we were there the Corneglia - Vernazza section was closed for maintenance, leaving only one section of the main trail open.

My conclusion: I like the trails in the Amalfi Coast better. The only trails that get busy are the Path of the Gods and the valley behind Amalfi, and these are not that crowded. In Liguria I liked the Portofino peninsula trails a lot. I liked the high level trails above the Cinque Terre towns, but my favorite one, from Corneglia up to Vertosa, was crowded with people walking down (after being let off by tour bus I think).

My Conclusions
Against all logic, I choose the Amalfi Coast. The towns are more dramatic, the trails more varied. Tourists go there for other reason, not just hiking, so the trails are not crowded. Transportation is difficult but it can be managed. I don't know if we will ever return, but right now, the Amalfi Coast in my choice.

 

[Kportgrl]

The one thing you didn’t mention about transportation for the Amalfi Coast was the ferry service between towns. We basically parked the car and took the ferries everywhere. (The roads made me dizzy too). Anyway we loved being able to travel by ferry. Doing Amalfi and Cinque Terre back to back last year, we much preferred Amalfi. In Cinque Terre, the towns seemed overwhelmed by busloads of tourists and became almost claustrophobic. Liked both areas but Amalfi is the clear winner in my mind.

 

[Ian Sutton]

I think that's a very even-handed / fair comparison.

Likewise I prefer the Amalfi coast, and the one over-riding factor for that is the walking. For me AC is that much better for walking (in every way) that it swamps the other factors. I suspect it might have been a much closer run thing before Rick Steves came on the scene!

 

[Pauline]

The one thing you didn’t mention about transportation for the Amalfi Coast was the ferry service between towns. We basically parked the car and took the ferries everywhere.

Thanks, I did forget them! Both places have ferries, so maybe they are equal on that.

I agree that the small Cinque Terre towns feel very crowded, but outside those five towns the others are not too crowded.

 

[Pauline]

Likewise I prefer the Amalfi coast, and the one over-riding factor for that is the walking.

I think that is it for me too. I was more tired out on the Liguria hikes. Maybe it is just my conditioning this year or maybe the trails are steeper. I loved hiking from the bottom of Positano straight up through town and to the top of that mountain. Lots of uphill, but the trail was made in such a way that the climb was not difficult. Plus, no people other than us.

 

[Tbk]

I loved reading the comparison and would agree about the Amalfi Coast buses being crowded. Kportgrl: You lucked out with the ferries on Amalfi Coast, when I was there they weren't running several days due to wind, this was in September. Everyone should experience the bus ride once. On the bus from Salerno to Amalfi we had a driver who thought he was at the Indy 500, even the Italians on the bus were looking concerned. At the height of tourist season in the Cinque Terre at the end of the day we had a difficult time stuffing onto a train, this was a few years ago, not sure if that is still the case.

 

[Sharon J]

As Pauline knows, Amalfi Coast for me. Stunning. We do use the ferries as much as possible, but if we do take the bus, I always take a Dramamine. The sway of those buses on the curves, is too much. Positano is one of my favorite places in all the world.

 

[Linda Yoder]

I prefer Amalfi Coast for lots of reasons. I find the scenery far more dramatic and the towns more intetesting. I agree the busses are terribly crowded but we only had to endure that miserable experience once. We usually have a car there and find it fun to drive. ( well my Husbsnd does I pretty much close my eyes!). Most of the time we take the ferries from town to town or a water taxi and find both a lot of fun and beautiful! I also found the CT was overrun with American college kids. I liked Levanto where we stayed but would not have wanted to stay in any of the 5 villages unless perhaps for one night.