Honeymoon
Jan 28th, 2012, 07:28 PM
#1
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Honeymoon
We are a couple in our 40's, planning a second wedding, and 12 days in Italy for our honeymoon.
Flying to Italy Monday, October 8,
Leaving Sunday October 21
Ideas: We are thinking of spending a couple days in Positano, then going to Rome for 4 days and spending 7 days in Tuscany with day trips to Florence and Siena
Questions:
Is this a good way to divide our time? We have never been to Italy and know we cannot see everything.
Where should we fly to in order to start this trip- should we fly into Naples or Rome?
Is 4 days in Rome enough? Is 2 days in Positano enough?
Can you recommend hotels/apts/villas in each area? Help!
Flying to Italy Monday, October 8,
Leaving Sunday October 21
Ideas: We are thinking of spending a couple days in Positano, then going to Rome for 4 days and spending 7 days in Tuscany with day trips to Florence and Siena
Questions:
Is this a good way to divide our time? We have never been to Italy and know we cannot see everything.
Where should we fly to in order to start this trip- should we fly into Naples or Rome?
Is 4 days in Rome enough? Is 2 days in Positano enough?
Can you recommend hotels/apts/villas in each area? Help!
Jan 28th, 2012, 08:38 PM
#2
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Hi and congratulations!
You will probably get more replies if you "top" this post on Monday morning, just FYI
.
If you wish to start in Positano, Naples is more convenient to fly into and you can search these boards for recommended drivers to get you from the airport to Positano. You could do it by public transportation but it would require 2 transfers and both trains and a bus. Not something I would recommend while jet lagged! We have used Francesco Marrapense and he was very reliable and professional. He speaks English extremely well and is happy to share his knowledge of the area. I haven't been to Positano in the autumn but hopefully other Fodorites can weigh in. We visited in late May. Personally a day was more than enough for me but we are not into luxury shopping and dining. It is quite beautiful though. I suppose it depends on what you want to do. You'll be pretty wiped out due to the time difference so it would be a lovely place to relax and get adjusted. There just isn't much <i>to do</i> there since getting to most of the major attractions in the area is quite time-consuming. Sorrento is a much better base for Herculaneum and Pompei, and even Naples, Caserta, and Paestum are quite doable from there. But R&R on a honeymoon is also perfectly reasonable to seek out.
You will probably get more replies if you "top" this post on Monday morning, just FYI
.If you wish to start in Positano, Naples is more convenient to fly into and you can search these boards for recommended drivers to get you from the airport to Positano. You could do it by public transportation but it would require 2 transfers and both trains and a bus. Not something I would recommend while jet lagged! We have used Francesco Marrapense and he was very reliable and professional. He speaks English extremely well and is happy to share his knowledge of the area. I haven't been to Positano in the autumn but hopefully other Fodorites can weigh in. We visited in late May. Personally a day was more than enough for me but we are not into luxury shopping and dining. It is quite beautiful though. I suppose it depends on what you want to do. You'll be pretty wiped out due to the time difference so it would be a lovely place to relax and get adjusted. There just isn't much <i>to do</i> there since getting to most of the major attractions in the area is quite time-consuming. Sorrento is a much better base for Herculaneum and Pompei, and even Naples, Caserta, and Paestum are quite doable from there. But R&R on a honeymoon is also perfectly reasonable to seek out
.
Jan 28th, 2012, 10:01 PM
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There are some frameworks that might help you make a plan.
Approaching the decision in terms of whether it is enough or not would probably lead to frustration. What criteria are you going to use? There is never enough time.
You time is limited. Try allocating different amount of time to different destinations and see what you can do with them. Compare options and decide which one you like for this trip.
For example:
- 4 days in Rome and 2 days in Positano: what can you do with these and what are the liabilities?
- 3 days in Rome and 3 days in Positano: ask the same question
- 2 days in Rome and 4 days in Position: ask the same question
Then compare different options and select one. You changed "what is enough" framework to a "what can you do in a given period of time" framework.
Same thing for where to fly in.
- Fly into Rome; what can you do with it? What is the cost? How well does the flight schedule match with your plan?
- Fly into Naples; ask the same questions.
Approaching the decision in terms of whether it is enough or not would probably lead to frustration. What criteria are you going to use? There is never enough time.
You time is limited. Try allocating different amount of time to different destinations and see what you can do with them. Compare options and decide which one you like for this trip.
For example:
- 4 days in Rome and 2 days in Positano: what can you do with these and what are the liabilities?
- 3 days in Rome and 3 days in Positano: ask the same question
- 2 days in Rome and 4 days in Position: ask the same question
Then compare different options and select one. You changed "what is enough" framework to a "what can you do in a given period of time" framework.
Same thing for where to fly in.
- Fly into Rome; what can you do with it? What is the cost? How well does the flight schedule match with your plan?
- Fly into Naples; ask the same questions.
Jan 29th, 2012, 05:08 AM
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Hi,
If you've never been to Italy, you may not realize how time consuming and expensive it is to get to Positano, even if you fly to the airport in Napoli.
Also, if you only spend 2 days there, you will barely be over your jet leg before you are on the move again. Although early October often sees lovely weather on the Amalfi, there is always the possibility that you could arrive to rainy weather. If you book 2 nights there and it rains, it is essentially 2 days lost, plus another day just leaving it.
If Positano is your dream honeymoon destination, then don't let me discourage you, but then give it a full shot. Plan to spend 4 nights there, given the difficulty of getting in and out of there. If it isn't so much Positano you want, but a beautiful seaside location for your honeymoon, there are other choices in Italy that might fit better with the rest of your itinerary for logistics. Consider parts of the Italian Riviera, especially if you rent a car for part of your Tuscan stay, which I would highly recommend.
I suggest you fly into Rome, spend 5 nights there, take a train to Florence for 2 nights, then rent a car. Head first to Lerici or Portovenere on the Italian Riviera for 2 or 3 nights, then use the car to make your way to area of Tuscany just south of Siena. Tour the Tuscan countryside, including a day in Siena, then fly out of either Rome, Florence, Pisa airport.
I would leave the last part of your trip open, because if while you are in Florence you see that it is raining a lot by the seaside, it is better just to spend those extra days in the Tuscan countryside.
If you really want Positano, fly to Naples, head directly to Positano, spend 4 nights, head to Rome, rent a car, tour some of Tuscany before dropping off the car in Siena and taking a train to Florence. Fly out of Florence.
But if on the outside chance you really don't need to be at the seaside, everything will be more relaxing if you skip it.
If you've never been to Italy, you may not realize how time consuming and expensive it is to get to Positano, even if you fly to the airport in Napoli.
Also, if you only spend 2 days there, you will barely be over your jet leg before you are on the move again. Although early October often sees lovely weather on the Amalfi, there is always the possibility that you could arrive to rainy weather. If you book 2 nights there and it rains, it is essentially 2 days lost, plus another day just leaving it.
If Positano is your dream honeymoon destination, then don't let me discourage you, but then give it a full shot. Plan to spend 4 nights there, given the difficulty of getting in and out of there. If it isn't so much Positano you want, but a beautiful seaside location for your honeymoon, there are other choices in Italy that might fit better with the rest of your itinerary for logistics. Consider parts of the Italian Riviera, especially if you rent a car for part of your Tuscan stay, which I would highly recommend.
I suggest you fly into Rome, spend 5 nights there, take a train to Florence for 2 nights, then rent a car. Head first to Lerici or Portovenere on the Italian Riviera for 2 or 3 nights, then use the car to make your way to area of Tuscany just south of Siena. Tour the Tuscan countryside, including a day in Siena, then fly out of either Rome, Florence, Pisa airport.
I would leave the last part of your trip open, because if while you are in Florence you see that it is raining a lot by the seaside, it is better just to spend those extra days in the Tuscan countryside.
If you really want Positano, fly to Naples, head directly to Positano, spend 4 nights, head to Rome, rent a car, tour some of Tuscany before dropping off the car in Siena and taking a train to Florence. Fly out of Florence.
But if on the outside chance you really don't need to be at the seaside, everything will be more relaxing if you skip it.
Jan 29th, 2012, 06:56 AM
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Good advice above. If you have to see the AC then commit to it---it is not easy to access---give it 4 nites.
With 12 nites to sleep in Italy I would give 4 nites each for your 3 destinations. The sequence will depend on your flight connections---that becomes key to your strategy. Given the choice, I would end in Rome.
With 12 nites to sleep in Italy I would give 4 nites each for your 3 destinations. The sequence will depend on your flight connections---that becomes key to your strategy. Given the choice, I would end in Rome.
Jan 29th, 2012, 08:06 AM
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Another framework to look at this is hinted by several responders above. Suppose you would come back to Italy again, what would you have wanted to have done over all the visits, not just this visit?
Amalfi Coast area is a tougher place to get to. Most people have to fly into Roma out of Roma and takes several hours to get there and back.
On the other hand, Tuscany is reachable from Milano, Venezia, and Roma. In fact, if you travel between any of the two, you can easily add Tuscany. What it shows is that Tuscany if much easier to do as an add-on later on. That is not the case of Amalfi Coast.
Amalfi Coast area is a tougher place to get to. Most people have to fly into Roma out of Roma and takes several hours to get there and back.
On the other hand, Tuscany is reachable from Milano, Venezia, and Roma. In fact, if you travel between any of the two, you can easily add Tuscany. What it shows is that Tuscany if much easier to do as an add-on later on. That is not the case of Amalfi Coast.
Jan 29th, 2012, 04:52 PM
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Thank you so much for the replies!!! I think we need to rethink the itinerary and am going to repost my inquiry being more open ended (although i would certainly welcome any responses from any of you too!)
The hard part is that there is so much we would like to see. As Greg mentioned, maybe we should not be trying to do it all in one trip. We did find a villa in Tuscany that looks idyllic and would be a wonderful place to spend a week. Perhaps we need to start there to relax and get over the jetlag (thanks zeppole for the reminder about jetlag!)
I need to learn more about the Italian Riveria. The seaside is very appealing to my fiancee and I.
Thanks again!
The hard part is that there is so much we would like to see. As Greg mentioned, maybe we should not be trying to do it all in one trip. We did find a villa in Tuscany that looks idyllic and would be a wonderful place to spend a week. Perhaps we need to start there to relax and get over the jetlag (thanks zeppole for the reminder about jetlag!)
I need to learn more about the Italian Riveria. The seaside is very appealing to my fiancee and I.
Thanks again!
