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Post by travelitaly on Mar 16, 2006 0:02:00 GMT -5
Hi Everyone,
I'm visiting Italy from Paris, and I plan to go to Rome, Florence, Venice, and then another 3 days or so for some natural scenery. Alot of people on this forum commented about Cinque Terre, so I did some googling, but found the Amalfi Coast to be much more interesting and beautiful. Has anyone ever been there? Also, how easy is it to get there from the other Italian cities?
Thanks!
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Post by Eagle on Mar 16, 2006 1:27:59 GMT -5
travelitaly, both areas have beautiful scenery! I suppose which area you visit will depend on your time & money situation, as well as which one you would most like to see. Since the majority of your stops are in northern Italy, it's quite easy to get to the Cinque Terre. It's a short trip from Florence to La Spezia, which is the "gateway" city where you transfer to the small local Train.
Getting to the Amalfi Coast from Rome isn't difficult either, via Bus or Train. Which of the communities were you thinking of staying in (Positano, Sorrento)? I believe the Amalfi Coast is a bit more "touristy" and therefore probably more expensive. Dustoffmom would be able to provide the most up-to-date information on the area, as she was there recently (hopefully she'll see this post).
Hopefully you'll receive a few more responses on this.
Good luck with your decision!
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Post by travelitaly on Mar 16, 2006 2:45:42 GMT -5
I've checked out alot of photos on the internet for both Cinque Terre and Amalfi. I don't know if it's just me, but from all the photoes that I saw, Cinque Terre just felt like a poor lonely little fisherman's village to me, and the pictures made me feel very sad. Amalfi on the other hand, felt completely different, it was prosperous, happy, lively and of course breath takingly beautiful. I'm beginning to have doubts about the pictures I saw, they must not be a correct portrayal of what Cinque Terre looks like because why else would people be raving on about it. Oh, I don't know. Would I be able to hike from Sorrento to Saleno like people do with Cinque Terre? How many days would be a good time to spend at Amalfi? Thannks  |
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Post by Eagle on Mar 16, 2006 13:55:20 GMT -5
travelitaly, a few further comments on your questions. Cinque Terre is actually five villages, and yes, some fishing does take place. These are very old villages and that probably contributes to the somewhat "ramshackle" appearance (I'm assuming this is what you described as making you "feel very sad"?). However, the residents take great care in keeping these presentable, and I believe there's a "Ministry of Good Taste" that determines what colours the buildings can be painted, etc.
The most northern of these, Monterosso al Mare is the most developed and most touristy and in my opinion it's appearance is a bit more modern than the other four (although it is still an "old" town). It has the best sandy beach of the lot and the usual tourist facilities. I suspect the antiquity and "quaintness" is one of the things that attracts so many people to the area. The tourist facilities vary somewhat between the towns, and I'm sure you'll see from reading other posts here that some people have good experiences (especially with lodgings) and some don't.
The Cinque Terre has become quite the tourist destination, especially in the summer months. Some of the lodgings are regularly booked by tour groups (especially Vernazza, as I believe this is where the Rick Steves groups normally stop). My impression of the differences between the two areas is that the Cinque Terre is more "down to earth" and informal, whereas the Amalfi Coast is more sophisticated and "upscale". You'll have to decide which type appeals to you most.
I don't have a lot of information on hiking options on the Amalfi Coast, but in the vague reaches of my memory I believe there are some hiking trails. I'd have to do some research, but hopefully you'll get some more replies.
One final thought....... If you're going to be stopping by here from time-to-time, you might find it beneficial to register on the board.
Hope this helps. Good luck!!!
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Post by Kim on Mar 16, 2006 22:51:47 GMT -5
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kena
Senior Travel Member
Posts: 64
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Post by kena on Mar 18, 2006 10:56:31 GMT -5
I've never seen the Amalfi Coast, but I have a picture of Manarola (on of the five CT villages) at my desk because that's the one moment of my fantastic trip to Italy that I chose to remember everyday. And everytime one of my coworkers "in the know" (there's three of us in the office who visited the CT at one point or another) comes to my desk, we both sight in sweet remembrance. And one of them is planning another trip there with her boyfriend this spring because she loved it so much. (It's this photo: www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Italy/photo87014.htm ) |
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