Montepulciano to Cinque Terre

[Jcinant]

Is Cinque Terre a realistic day trip from Montepulciano? I really want to go spend a day there? I rented a car, but I am not sure if there is a better way to do it. Should I drive all the way there? If I do drive where do you park to actually get to the first town? Should I take a train there? I am just wondering how the logistics would work and the best way to get there and get back?

Thank you so much in advance!

[Lourdes]

It takes about 3.5 hours to drive there from Montepulciano, so that is looking at 7 hours for the drive there and back.... so definitely would not recommend it as a day trip! If anything, drive there, spend the night (or 2 if you have them) and then drive back.
An alternative is to add it at the start or end of your stay and that way you don't need to necessarily need to drive all the way back to your base.

Cinque Terre is a lovely place and needs times to explore, I do not recommend it generally as a day trip if you aren't in the area (Lucca or the Viareggio area). It is possible to do it from Florence, but again, the time to get there and back requires an early morning departure and return around dinner time. It is tiring and maybe not as enjoyable overall that if you plan to overnight it there.