About 20% of our clients kick off our first call by telling us that they’d like to see two of the “Big Three” (Rome, Florence, and Venice—and they usually know which two) but they’d like advice on the final piece of their trip. For this part of their trip, they usually either want to go somewhere with fewer tourists or do something specific like hiking or biking or visit wineries or cheesemakers.

The Amalfi Coast is often discussed, but frequently the conversation becomes “tell us about whether we should go to the Cinque Terre or The Lakes.” This conversation has been repeated so many times that we thought it might be time to share a basic this-vs-that overview to help other travelers choose between these two blockbuster destinations.