Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast

Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast? In short: choose the Cinque Terre if you want to move around easily by train, hike between villages and travel on a mid-range budget; choose the Amalfi Coast if you want a slower holiday of beach clubs, boat trips and grand hotels, and you don’t mind buses and winding roads. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1997, but they are 600 km apart and feel very different.

• Where: Cinque Terre in Liguria, north-west Italy; Amalfi Coast in Campania, south of Naples
• Getting around: Cinque Terre by train, every village has a station; Amalfi Coast by bus, ferry or car on a single coastal road
• Beaches: few and small in the Cinque Terre; more beach clubs on the Amalfi Coast
• Hiking: both are great; the Cinque Terre have more trails between villages
• Nearest airports: Pisa and Genoa for the Cinque Terre; Naples for the Amalfi Coast
• Best for: Cinque Terre for active travellers and short trips; Amalfi for relaxing and romantic stays

Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast at a glance

	Cinque Terre	Amalfi Coast
Region	Liguria	Campania
Villages	5 small villages	13 towns, including Positano, Amalfi and Ravello
Getting around	Train between all villages	Bus, ferry (seasonal) or car
Cars	Villages closed to traffic	One narrow 40 km coastal road
Beaches	Few; sand only in Monterosso	More beaches and beach clubs
Famous hike	Trails between the villages	Path of the Gods
Feel	Fishing villages, vineyards, active days	Elegant resorts, lemons, slow days

Getting there and getting around

This is the biggest difference. In the Cinque Terre the train does everything: all five villages sit on the Genoa–La Spezia line and from 14 March to 1 November 2026 the Cinque Terre Express adds dozens of extra trains a day. Hopping from one village to the next takes a few minutes, and a one-day Train Card covers unlimited rides. From Florence, La Spezia is about 2 to 2.5 hours by train; from Pisa about an hour. All the details are on our Cinque Terre trains page.

The Amalfi Coast has no railway along the coast. You take a train from Naples to Sorrento or Salerno, then a bus or a ferry. Along the coast there is a single road, the 40 km Amalfi Drive from Vietri sul Mare to Positano: beautiful, but narrow and often busy in summer. Ferries are the most pleasant way to move between towns, but they mostly run in the warmer months.

Villages and atmosphere

The five villages of the Cinque Terre are small, colourful and still feel like working fishing and wine villages, with terraced vineyards climbing above the sea. You can see two or three in a day. Monterosso is the largest and has the main beach, Vernazza has the prettiest harbour, Manarola the most photographed view.

The Amalfi Coast is bigger and grander: thirteen towns, from the cascading houses of Positano to the cathedral of Amalfi and the gardens of Ravello high above the sea. It has more luxury hotels, restaurants with terraces and a more classic “Italian dolce vita” feel.

Beaches and the sea

If beach days are a priority, the Amalfi Coast wins. In the Cinque Terre the coast is rocky: sand and umbrellas are only in Monterosso, Vernazza and Riomaggiore have small pebble coves, and in Manarola and Corniglia you swim off the rocks. For a real beach, Levanto is a few minutes away by train. See our guide to Cinque Terre beaches.

Hiking

Both are superb for walking. The Amalfi Coast’s classic is the Path of the Gods, about 8 km from Bomerano to Nocelle above Positano, mostly downhill. The Cinque Terre have a whole network of trails between villages, sanctuaries and the ridge. Check the status before you go: in 2026 the coastal Monterosso–Vernazza–Corniglia section is closed, while the Via dell’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola is open with a ticket. Everything is in our Cinque Terre hiking guide.

Budget and where to stay

Both are expensive in high season, but the Amalfi Coast has more luxury hotels and is generally the pricier of the two. The Cinque Terre have mostly small hotels, guesthouses and rooms; many travellers sleep in La Spezia or Levanto, which are cheaper and a short train ride away. Compare the villages in where to stay in Cinque Terre.

Which one should you choose?

• Choose the Cinque Terre if you have 2–3 days, want to move without a car, love hiking and want to combine it with Florence, Pisa or Genoa.
• Choose the Amalfi Coast if you want beach clubs, boat days and a romantic hotel, have 4–7 days and are combining it with Rome, Naples, Pompeii or Capri.
• Want both? They are far apart: allow at least a full day of travel between them, by train via Rome or with a domestic flight.

If the Cinque Terre win, the rest of the Italian Riviera is right next door: Portofino, Camogli and Portovenere are easy day trips.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast better?

Neither is better in absolute terms. The Cinque Terre are easier without a car and better for hiking; the Amalfi Coast is better for beaches, boat trips and luxury hotels.

Which is cheaper, Cinque Terre or Amalfi Coast?

Usually the Cinque Terre, especially if you sleep in La Spezia or Levanto. The Amalfi Coast has more high-end hotels and is generally pricier in summer.

Can you do Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast in one trip?

Yes, but they are about 600 km apart. Plan a full travel day between them, by train via Rome or with a domestic flight.

Do you need a car for the Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast?

Not for the Cinque Terre, where the train connects every village and the centres are closed to traffic. On the Amalfi Coast buses and ferries are enough, and a car is often more trouble than help in summer.

Which has better beaches?

The Amalfi Coast. In the Cinque Terre the only sandy beach with umbrellas is in Monterosso; elsewhere there are small pebble coves and rocks.