Elizabeth

My fiance and I have our hearts set on Italy for our honeymoon.We are planning on going for 10-14 days. We would like to stay in only 3 places, we don't want to live out of our bags. We would love to start our trip in Tuscany at a vineyard for a few days, stay in Venice and then head to Amalfi for the majority of the trip (we are both sun lovers). Any suggestions??? We are planning on going all-out for this special trip and would like to stay at the most romantic places as well as top of the line. <BR>Our trip is planned for the second week of September 2001. Thanks!!!!

elaine

Good for you, planning far in advance. <BR>I have sightseeing notes on Venice; if you'd like to see them, email me. <BR>In Venice, two top-of-the line hotels with excellent locations along the Grand Canal are the Europa-Regina and the Danieli.

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Elizabeth, The sequence and timing of your trip will depend on your arrival <BR>and departure locations. It is not easy to Fly into Tuscany--only on Euro <BR>carriers. Some US cariers hit Venice <BR>direct but most only go into Rome or <BR>Milan. Start your planning there and them set your sequence. Frankly, I would <BR>do Venice, Tuscany, Amalfi and fly out of Rome---or vice versa. But it all <BR>depends on the carrier. Getting to and from the Amalfi location will also be a <BR>logistic---I assume you are training. <BR> <BR>A honeymoon in Italy in Sep is a great idea---you will love it. Let me know if <BR>you need help with the details.

Miane

Check out www.rentvillas.com, they have the greatest and most romantic properties throughout Italy, and in the three areas you mentioned. They've been in the business for years and are extremely helpful when it comes to recommending the best places to stay.

Sandra

Elizabeth, <BR> <BR>Lucky you! September is the perfect time to go to Italy, and with no financial constraints you can really go for the gold. Here are my suggestions: <BR> <BR>You can fly to Florence. Lufthansa goes there from Frankfurt and from Munich. Alitalia connect in Milan or Rome. Meridiana from London. <BR>Rent a car a drive to the Relais La Suvera in Pievescola (near Colle di Val d'Elsa). 3 or 4 days <BR>Wonderful, gorgeous hotel. Very romantic. Great food and excellent, friendly service. A good base for seeing Siena, San Gimignano, etc. Reserve a suite in the Papal Villa. Fabulous! <BR> <BR>Drop the car in Siena and take the train to Venice. <BR>Hotel: Hotel Cipriani - 3 days <BR>Very romantic. Venice is gorgeous and wonderful when it's not crowded, but it will be crowded in September. Get away from Piazza San Marco to avoid the hordes. Take a vaporetto out to Isola San Giorgio and go to the top of the bell tower for the view. Go out to the Lido to see the beach (but don't go in the water). Take a ferry out to Burano to see the colored houses and buy some lace. And walk, walk walk. <BR> <BR>Fly to Naples for the Amalfi Coast. Reserve a Jr. Suite with sea view at the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello. They will come and pick you up in Naples. Once there, you can book all your activities with concierge, such as a drive along the famous coastal road, a trip to Pompeii and Herculaneum, a day on a private yacht, horseback riding, a trip to Capri, etc, etc. <BR>Enjoy! <BR> <BR>

Guido

Elizabeth: just returned from a 18-day trip to Europe that included 4 days in Tuscany. The area is just beatiful and the September time frame is very good. <BR> <BR>I also posted itinerary in this forum and received some great advice, particularly from Bob the Navigator. This man knows! His advice proved to be right on. <BR> <BR>This plannig far in advance will prove to be very wise (it's also a lot of fun). <BR> <BR>I plan to edit and post my trip report as soon as I get over the jet lag - may be some of some interest. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip!

Elaine

I have only heard great things about the Daniele! I would love to see your sighseeing notes in Venice. Pls email me! Thanks!

Robin

I suggest that you buy Karen Brown's "Hotels and Country Inns of Charm in Italy". We stayed at an awesome villa in Castellina de Chianti that I found in that book. Tuscany and Venice-my fav places in the world-very romantic!!

Donna T

Elizabeth, check out orient-express.com <BR>for hotel cipriant.it for venice. <BR>don't know if you plan on florence if so <BR>hotel cipriant.it. <BR>Increbile hotels, but better take daddy's credit card. <BR>You're smart to limit your trip to three cities, checking in and out is pain.

elaine

someone posted above, falsely using my name and email address. <BR>Please note that I did not respond above to this posting, and did not request to be emailed on this. <BR>I hope that this violation of courtesy and privacy doesn't soon force us all to use fake names and addresses, as so many have already felt they need to do.

elaine

I should clarify, I WAS indeed the first person to respond to this posting, but I was definitely not the person after Guido

Elizabeth

Elaine - Sorry about that. I have never been on this site before and when I was replying I thought it was going to you -not from you. I would love to still see your notes. Sorry for the confusion. <BR> <BR>

Elizabeth

Bob the Navigator - Thanks for the info, we have no idea which carrier we would take yet, but these are things to consider. How far is Venice from Rome? do we take a train,bus etc....thanks!! <BR> <BR>Miane - rentvillas.com is AWESOME! Thanks! <BR> <BR>Sandra - your itinerary sounds perfect. I will totally look into it! Thanks! <BR> <BR>Guido - Looking forward to seeing your trip report. I agree - Bob is very informative. Thanks! <BR> <BR>Robin - the book sounds right up our alley- one of the many I will be purchasing. Thanks again! <BR> <BR>Donna T. - Hotel Cipriant looks beautiful. Thanks !!! <BR> <BR>

Jack

Wow... you guys certainly are generous with your travel wisdom. <BR> <BR>My fiance and I are also planning our honeymoon (wedding = March 31, 2001). We're looking at two weeks in either Greece, Italy (Amalfi coast?), or somewhere lesser mentioned like Corsica or Mauritius. Neither of us are sun and sand people, though we love to be by the sea. <BR> <BR>After all the glowing things that have been said here about the Amalfi Coast, I'm sold. Though my fiance wants to look into lots of other options. <BR> <BR>Any (more) suggestions from the crowd? <BR> <BR>I'm still absorbing what you've said here, of course. But I'd love to find a way to get a nice balance between complete planning (room for impulse but no surprises)... beauty, romance, and luxury (but alas, with costs taken into consideration)... and an experience we'll never forget. <BR> <BR>That's not such a tall order... is it? <BR> <BR>Any suggestions welcome! <BR> <BR>(And congrats to all the newlyweds and soon-to-be-weds who've identified themselves in this list!) <BR>

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Jack, My advice is to always start with <BR>the BIGGIES and then pick your spot. <BR>I was in Positano that same time this <BR>year. If you want 2 weeks then I would <BR>combine it with Rome and Taormina. That <BR>would make a nice sojourn. Holler if <BR>you need help. This may also help. <BR> <BR>I get inquiries virtually every day requesting my help in developing a well conceived <BR>TRIP PLAN for independent travel in Europe. I am always willing to offer the benefit of my <BR>experience , but some requests can be a real challenge. Here is a recent example: <BR> <BR> “ Dear Bob, I have seen your frequent comments on the Fodors forum and would like your <BR>help in planning our family trip to Europe. We are four[ ages 9&13] and will be traveling in <BR>August to these places we have always dreamed about---the Cote d’ Azur, Lake Como, Venice, <BR>Florence, Rome and the Amalfi coast. Can you please tell us where to stay and what to see? <BR>Oh yes, we only will have ten days and we will be on a tight budget. Can you help us ? “ <BR> <BR> The challenge is to inject a dose of realism without completely dousing the dream. Not an <BR>easy task. But, after having planned more than fifty customized itineraries for others, I have <BR>learned that the most successful trips are invariably those that are conceived by considering <BR>the macro criteria first. You must start with the “BIGGIES” in your planning phase and then <BR>the rest will fall into place. Anything less will seriously compromise the eventual trip success. <BR> <BR> The above scenario is a textbook example of poor planning. It fails to consider these criteria: <BR> WHEN ? Pick your destinations based upon optimal seasonal considerations. Avoid <BR>most of southern Europe in the hot summer months. Visit Iberia or Italy in May or October <BR>and save the Alpine venues, northern Europe, and Ireland or Scotland for July and August. <BR> HOW MUCH ? Your budget will often dictate which destinations are feasible. Set a <BR>realistic budget and then plan accordingly. Forget the upscale resorts during high season. <BR> ENOUGH TIME ? Trying to do too much is the most common planning error. A ten day <BR>itinerary calls for a max of four destinations---a 14 day itinerary suggests six. And, try to plan <BR>your route for less than four hours of travel time to the next destination--- by car or train. <BR> RAILS OR RENTAL CAR ? Your mode of transport will determine trip timing and choice <BR>of destinations. Train travel can be efficient but is very limiting for off-the-mainline locations. <BR> EXPERIENCE LEVEL ? Trip stress is directly related to your travel experience in Europe. <BR>So, plan your initial trip to minimize the stress factors. DO NOT BITE OFF TOO MUCH ! <BR> <BR> You may not always be able to control these variables, but you do need to develop your <BR>trip strategy considering their eventual impact---it will make all the difference. The worst <BR>mistake is to start with the single criteria of “WHERE” and then try to force feed the rest. <BR>My best advise is to plan this trip with the assumption that you will be returning to Europe for <BR>subsequent trips. Start with a good map and perceive Europe as geographic regions. Then, <BR>plan perhaps as many as three desired itineraries in advance. You will very likely return ! <BR> <BR> BOB THE NAVIGATOR 904-277-4036 [email protected] <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Rena

My husband and I just returned from Italy 2 days ago. We stayed in Capri for a couple of days and went to the Amalfi coast as a day trip. Getting from Capri to Sorrento (and vise versa)was very convenient; there are a number of ferry companies that offer the crossing. There were a lot more ferries in the early mornings and late afternoons due to the locals'commute needs. We took the bus from Sorrento to Positano and back and it was VERY comfortable and convenient. From Sorrento to Positano, one way, was 2300 lira (US$1.00) and took 40 mins. You can't miss the bus, they're big and blue, with tinted windows and air conditioning in the summer. They're like the newer Greyhound buses. Each bus has its route posted in the front of the bus with the origin and destination. We had to buy our bus tickets from the Sorrento newsstand at the bus terminal before departure. Whenever you use Italian public transportation, be sure to have your ticket validated at these yellow "punch" boxes. The penalties are steep as we had to learn the hard way in Rome. As someone else had suggested, get the Eyewitness Guide books. I have at least 5 or 6 them. IMO, it's better to get the regional ones as I regretted hauling the big ITALY book around on our first trip. Enjoy!

Roberta

Elizabeth....you have already received lots of input so I will limit my reply to a basic recommendation....you want to fly into Florence, then go NORTH to Venice then back south past Florence, to Amalfi....you will be better served to start at one end (ie land in the south and work you way north) or land in the north (ie Venice), then head south to Florence then keep going south to Amalfi area. I was born in Florence so I am partial...however, Venice is great because it's so different; for Florence, DON'T miss the little towns close by..Montepulciano, Montalcino, Volterra, Siena, San Gimignano...and for the Amalfi coast, check out Ravello and Positano for sure. <BR>Have a wonderful honeymoon!