Thanks for the replies to my question. Here's some more questions about the subject:

I will be on a tight budget and will be staying in hostels. I'm pretty sure there are no hostels in Cinque Terre, but is there a town nearby that would have one? If so what town would that be?

What is the best way to get to and around Sicily? Ferry (to Sicily)? Train? Bus? Where do the ferrys depart from?

For those of you wondering, I was planning on being visiting Rome and Naples so I could easily go to either. Of coarse I am planning this trip not to see everything because I know I'll be back, so whichever one i don't make it to this time, I will visit next time.

Tiffany