I would take the CT option.

Last year we rented an apartment in Nice and a villa in Tuscany. We went to the Piemonte , Alba, after Nice and enjoyed it a lot. We also visited the Dolomites, Lake Garda and Bologna( we had more time to play with and enjoyed every one of these destinations)For just a one night stop on the way to Nice after you visit the CT,Cinque Terre( we did CT a few years ago) I recommend an over night in water front Noli, west of Genoa, east of Nice. Palazzo Vescovile with it's Michelin starred restaurant, Il Vescovane, was a real treat, easy to access off of the autostrada.

Florence-2 nights, Pisa-1 night

I would do either Florence or Venice - not the CT. But, I want to see every museum, caste and church that there is - and have no interest in hiking.

But after a whole week in the Tuscan countryside I would need a city.

If you are not big hikers, I wouldn't plop yourselves in the middle of tourist-overwhelmed le Cinque Terre. There are far more pleasant places to enjoy the Riviera.

I suggest since you are driving that you try Lerici, a nice sized Riviera town with lovely vistas, a chance to see le Cinque Terre by boat if you care (and the seas are not choppy), and if it is raining, with your car, you can dip into some very unusual places like Pietrasanta or Sarzana di -- or even Pisa if you haven't seen it.

For me, it would make a nice contrast to Tuscany, to be on the colorful Riviera in June. It is very different from the French Riviera, yet at the same time, it's interesting to see how the Italians do their Riviera and the French do theirs. I think Nice is a plenty busy city, and you won't be bored by the colorful Ligurian coast.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/travel/20next.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Thank you for your suggestions.

Just what I was hoping I would get- places that I did not know about and will need to check out.

NY travler I had not even considered Venice. I will check out how to get from there to Nice.

Happy Trvlr- thank you I will check out Noli-completly new to me.

goldenautumn-thank you for your link to the article on Leirci.
sounds perfect except not sure about the car. I was hoping to get rid of the car in Tuscany and take the train to the coast.
You sum up my fear of going to CT-"If you are not big hikers, I wouldn't plop yourselves in the middle of tourist-overwhelmed le Cinque Terre."

If you would prefer not to have a car but go to the Italian Riviera and escape the tourists, then stay in Sestri Levante or Santa Margherita Ligure. The last is closest to Portofino, and once again you will find you've got a lot of tourist company and restaurants are negatively affected, but it is a pleasant town, with an upscale vibe like Lerici (both are kind of "home port" for beach lovers from Milan).

Sestri Levante is much more the summer delight of Italian families, because it has two sandy beaches, so parents with smaller children flock there (although in June, you'll only see lots of kids on Sundays.) That makes the whole town cheaper, livelier, much more untouristy, native Riviera fun, and the food there is excellent, as it is in neighboring Chiavari, an exceptionally pretty town that curiously isn't centered on the beachfront. If you get a touch of June rain, Chiavari is covered with porticoes, and full of cafes and shops, so it's an atmospheric and quirky place to be if you can't be out strolling along the palm-tree promenades or taking boat rides.

I found Genoa to be a very fascinating city - spending a day there would be sweet IMO and break up the long train ride from 5 Terre to Nice (always now requiring a cumbersome change of trains at the French border at Ventimiglia because the Italian Railways has halted most cross-border trains like the direct Milan-Genoa-Nice trains that ran for years.

I would stay in the charming fishing village of Camogli and spend one day in Genoa, which is quite close.

Thank you for your suggestions.
After more discussions we have decided to go from Tuscany to Venice for 3 nights. We will save CT for another trip.

We will take the train from Tuscany to Venice and fly Easy Jet from Venice to Nice.

any thoughts on this from all you Italy experts?

Have fun---hard to beat Venice.

Well I recently took the train between all 5 Terre Lands and loved my day exploring in those villages - you do not have to hike to enjoy a place like Vernazza! And in June it is still not the hectic high season - you can day trip in too by train or car - hiking is nice but it is not nearly the highlight of the Cinque Terre - it's the five ancient towns themselves.

Agree PalenQ..No need to hike in CT..Villages have such different charm..Walk from Manerola to Riomaggio..Have some vino in Vernaza..Hop on hop off train/boat if weather is good.Stay in Levanto..Eat well Enjoy!!! Santa Margherita Ligure is lovely. Portofina, another very lovely place..The drive along the coast is good, curvy, picturesque but slow..the autostrada if fast but you can't see much (tunnels and speed) I would keep the car because I like to wander and stop when the spirit moves me..To each his/her own..what ever you decide you are in for a treat!!!

thanks for all the good advice - just a question if you we're leaving Nice traveling to Rome and had ten days where would you stop off on the way? and still debating car or train ?

sorry forgot to mention travelling early to mid September