Italian Honeymoon
Dec 28th, 2013, 02:35 PM
#1
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Italian Honeymoon
Ciao,
My fiancee and I are getting married in September and I am just starting to plan our dream italian honeymoon, but I don't know where to start!
We have around 4 weeks in Italy and would like to ideally make our way from south to north as we would like to pop into Munich to see my fiancee's extended family at the end (not included in the four weeks). My thinking was to fly into Rome and out of Munich.
I have had lots of suggestions from friends about where to go but I am interested in your suggestions of hidden gems that many tourists do not know about - we would like the holiday to focus on great food, stunning scenery and the beautiful culture.
We would like to visit
- Rome
- Florence
- Tuscany (would love to stay in a farm house or apartment and take some cooking classes and really experience the culture)
- Venice
- Amalfi Coast
- Napoli
- cinque terre.
Could anyone suggest how best to see Italy in 4 weeks? Or any other areas that shouldn't be missed?
Also, is hiring a car the best option or would you recommend trains and other transport?
Any help is very much appreciated!
My fiancee and I are getting married in September and I am just starting to plan our dream italian honeymoon, but I don't know where to start!
We have around 4 weeks in Italy and would like to ideally make our way from south to north as we would like to pop into Munich to see my fiancee's extended family at the end (not included in the four weeks). My thinking was to fly into Rome and out of Munich.
I have had lots of suggestions from friends about where to go but I am interested in your suggestions of hidden gems that many tourists do not know about - we would like the holiday to focus on great food, stunning scenery and the beautiful culture.
We would like to visit
- Rome
- Florence
- Tuscany (would love to stay in a farm house or apartment and take some cooking classes and really experience the culture)
- Venice
- Amalfi Coast
- Napoli
- cinque terre.
Could anyone suggest how best to see Italy in 4 weeks? Or any other areas that shouldn't be missed?
Also, is hiring a car the best option or would you recommend trains and other transport?
Any help is very much appreciated!
Dec 28th, 2013, 02:54 PM
#2
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Not to confuse you further, but if great food is on your list, Emilia Romagna is not to be missed. If you connect Florence to Venice, Bologna is an easy stop.
For stunning scenery, if you are connecting Venice to Munich by land, you will be passing by the stunning peaks of the Dolomites. September is still a hiking season.
It is better to frame the transport angle in terms of what is relevant for which part of the trip. Many of your listed destinations are headache with a car, while a farm house in Tuscany is inevitably in the middle of nowhere and reachable only by your rental car.
For stunning scenery, if you are connecting Venice to Munich by land, you will be passing by the stunning peaks of the Dolomites. September is still a hiking season.
It is better to frame the transport angle in terms of what is relevant for which part of the trip. Many of your listed destinations are headache with a car, while a farm house in Tuscany is inevitably in the middle of nowhere and reachable only by your rental car.
Dec 28th, 2013, 03:38 PM
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If I understand, you are going to fly into Rome and, what, go south and then head north to fly out of Rome?
Why not fly into Naples, explore the south, and then head north and fly out of Venice into Munich?
But anyway, if you start in the south, you won't want or need a car. Use public transportation or drivers on the AC. Then take a train to Naples for your time there, or stop in Pompeii first, then go on to Naples. After doing Naples, you can train to Florence,spend time there and take day trips to Tuscany. I recommend Luca at hillsandroads.com as a driver/guide. Then train to Rome, and then Venice. I'd skip CT.
Rough time schedule:
4 days on AC.
1 day Pompeii.
2-3 days Naples.
3-4 days Florence, plus 2-3 days for Tuscany trips.
4-5 days Rome.
4-5 days Venice.
Throw in a few days for travel time, and that's 4 weeks.
Why not fly into Naples, explore the south, and then head north and fly out of Venice into Munich?
But anyway, if you start in the south, you won't want or need a car. Use public transportation or drivers on the AC. Then take a train to Naples for your time there, or stop in Pompeii first, then go on to Naples. After doing Naples, you can train to Florence,spend time there and take day trips to Tuscany. I recommend Luca at hillsandroads.com as a driver/guide. Then train to Rome, and then Venice. I'd skip CT.
Rough time schedule:
4 days on AC.
1 day Pompeii.
2-3 days Naples.
3-4 days Florence, plus 2-3 days for Tuscany trips.
4-5 days Rome.
4-5 days Venice.
Throw in a few days for travel time, and that's 4 weeks.
Dec 29th, 2013, 01:21 AM
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ciao! this is a great itinerary and september or the first week of october is a perfect period to visit italy!
many suggestion for you: fly into rome and take a train to salerno or a bus to amalfi to visit the AC or fly directly to naples, after AC visit naples and take a train to rome. after visit rome take a train to orvieto or siena and rent a car to go to the farm house in tuscany. After tuscany you can go to florence, visit it and go to CT. I agree with greg, if you like italian food, emilia romagna is not to be missed. you can go from CT to florence and take a train to bologna or take a regional train from la spezia to parma. La spezia is near CT and parma is a nice town with a caracteristic historical centre and tipical italian restaurant, it' s the place of birth of parmigiano cheese and prosciutto. from parma or bologna you can easy go to venice by train and, after, take the train to munich.
if you reserve trains 2 or 3 months before you can find very good prices on high speed and intercity trains.
i 'm sure that you will' like italy, have a good honeymoon!!
many suggestion for you: fly into rome and take a train to salerno or a bus to amalfi to visit the AC or fly directly to naples, after AC visit naples and take a train to rome. after visit rome take a train to orvieto or siena and rent a car to go to the farm house in tuscany. After tuscany you can go to florence, visit it and go to CT. I agree with greg, if you like italian food, emilia romagna is not to be missed. you can go from CT to florence and take a train to bologna or take a regional train from la spezia to parma. La spezia is near CT and parma is a nice town with a caracteristic historical centre and tipical italian restaurant, it' s the place of birth of parmigiano cheese and prosciutto. from parma or bologna you can easy go to venice by train and, after, take the train to munich.
if you reserve trains 2 or 3 months before you can find very good prices on high speed and intercity trains.
i 'm sure that you will' like italy, have a good honeymoon!!
Dec 29th, 2013, 04:15 AM
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<< I am interested in your suggestions of hidden gems that many tourists do not know about >>
There's a difference between tourists knowing about places and visiting them. In your list of places you want to visit I doubt you will find anything that tourists do not know about.
In Florence, few tourists visit the Bargello Museum. In Venice, few tourists visit the Miracoli church. In Rome, there are many churches that are not visited by tourists and every church I've seen in Rome has been a gem. Avoid the half dozen popular churches and visit the rest.
<< Or any other areas that shouldn't be missed? >>
The Lakes and Umbria.
There's a difference between tourists knowing about places and visiting them. In your list of places you want to visit I doubt you will find anything that tourists do not know about.
In Florence, few tourists visit the Bargello Museum. In Venice, few tourists visit the Miracoli church. In Rome, there are many churches that are not visited by tourists and every church I've seen in Rome has been a gem. Avoid the half dozen popular churches and visit the rest.
<< Or any other areas that shouldn't be missed? >>
The Lakes and Umbria.
Dec 29th, 2013, 07:30 AM
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In only 4 weeks you will have just no time for hidden gems.
Your plan sounds good:
Fly into Rome FCO - train to Salerno - Amalfi Coast - Sorrento - ferry to Capri - ferry to Naples (stunning museums, Pompei or Ercolano) - train to Rome (at least 3 full days for a somewhat decent visit) - train to Chiusi or Orvieto - rent a car for the Southern Tuscany leg - Siena - Florence - Trip to 5Terre (if it must be) - Florence - train to Venice (at least 2 full days) - train to Calalzo - bus to Cortina d'Ampezzo or Misurina/3 Cime del Lavaredo - bus to Toblach - train to Lienz - bus to Kitzbuehel - train to Munich.
A (by far not exhaustive) list of "hidden gems" along of or not far from this itinerary could look like this:
Greek temples of Paestum
Medieval walled town of Castellabate
Palace of Caserta
Medieval city and fortress of Gaeta
Islands of Ponza and Ventotene (catamarans from Naples and Anzio/Rome)
Tarquinia (medieval center, Etruscan tombs)
Chiusi (Etruscan Museum and tombs)
Trevi
Terni
Caves of Frasassi
Gubbio
medieval city of Urbino
Assisi
medieval city of Perugia
monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
mountain city of Volterra
marble quarries of Carrara
Byzantine mosaics at Ravenna and Classe
Parma
Stradivari violin museum at Cremona
Gonzaga Palace at Mantova
tiny walled city of Montagnana
Roman amphitheatre and San Zeno church at Verona
Prehistoric rock carvings in the mountains around Capo di Ponte
Ferrara
Pomposa Abbey
Museum of Oetzi the Iceman at Bolzano/Bozen
Hotel Grawand in Val Senales, the highest situated hotel of the Alps (10500ft)
Innsbruck, the scenic capital of the Austrian Land Tyrol
the railway to Kitzsteinhorn Glacier (9900ft)
etc. etc. ......
Your plan sounds good:
Fly into Rome FCO - train to Salerno - Amalfi Coast - Sorrento - ferry to Capri - ferry to Naples (stunning museums, Pompei or Ercolano) - train to Rome (at least 3 full days for a somewhat decent visit) - train to Chiusi or Orvieto - rent a car for the Southern Tuscany leg - Siena - Florence - Trip to 5Terre (if it must be) - Florence - train to Venice (at least 2 full days) - train to Calalzo - bus to Cortina d'Ampezzo or Misurina/3 Cime del Lavaredo - bus to Toblach - train to Lienz - bus to Kitzbuehel - train to Munich.
A (by far not exhaustive) list of "hidden gems" along of or not far from this itinerary could look like this:
Greek temples of Paestum
Medieval walled town of Castellabate
Palace of Caserta
Medieval city and fortress of Gaeta
Islands of Ponza and Ventotene (catamarans from Naples and Anzio/Rome)
Tarquinia (medieval center, Etruscan tombs)
Chiusi (Etruscan Museum and tombs)
Trevi
Terni
Caves of Frasassi
Gubbio
medieval city of Urbino
Assisi
medieval city of Perugia
monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
mountain city of Volterra
marble quarries of Carrara
Byzantine mosaics at Ravenna and Classe
Parma
Stradivari violin museum at Cremona
Gonzaga Palace at Mantova
tiny walled city of Montagnana
Roman amphitheatre and San Zeno church at Verona
Prehistoric rock carvings in the mountains around Capo di Ponte
Ferrara
Pomposa Abbey
Museum of Oetzi the Iceman at Bolzano/Bozen
Hotel Grawand in Val Senales, the highest situated hotel of the Alps (10500ft)
Innsbruck, the scenic capital of the Austrian Land Tyrol
the railway to Kitzsteinhorn Glacier (9900ft)
etc. etc. ......
Dec 29th, 2013, 11:39 AM
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You want hidden gems and yet every single place you list (with the exception of Naples) is packed to the rafters with tourists - yes even at the time of year you are visiting.
I think you're doing too much. It's a honeymoon. Go to three places - I would say Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast - and just spend *quality* time there. Seven nights in each place will get you very familiar with an area - you could even rent an apartment for that length of time and really experience life like a local - shopping in markets and cooking in your own kitchen with fresh, local produce.
Tuscan farmhouses in October are not the picturesque places you see on postcards - it's often raining in that month and the grapes are well and truly harvested. It's also hideously expensive - because everyone wants to go there. If you really want this kind of experience - what about nearby Umbria which is off the tourist path yet has a similar landscape.
The whole of Naples is a 'hidden gem' - because people avoid it, thinking its dangerous and dirty. The little island of Procida is one of the most beautiful places in Italy - but no tourists go there because they haven't heard of it (Unlike Capri which is drowning in visitors).
Good luck with your plans but don't expect peace and serenity on the well trodden path of Rome-Florence-Venice.
I think you're doing too much. It's a honeymoon. Go to three places - I would say Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast - and just spend *quality* time there. Seven nights in each place will get you very familiar with an area - you could even rent an apartment for that length of time and really experience life like a local - shopping in markets and cooking in your own kitchen with fresh, local produce.
Tuscan farmhouses in October are not the picturesque places you see on postcards - it's often raining in that month and the grapes are well and truly harvested. It's also hideously expensive - because everyone wants to go there. If you really want this kind of experience - what about nearby Umbria which is off the tourist path yet has a similar landscape.
The whole of Naples is a 'hidden gem' - because people avoid it, thinking its dangerous and dirty. The little island of Procida is one of the most beautiful places in Italy - but no tourists go there because they haven't heard of it (Unlike Capri which is drowning in visitors).
Good luck with your plans but don't expect peace and serenity on the well trodden path of Rome-Florence-Venice.
Jan 25th, 2014, 10:10 PM
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Sorry for the late response, but thank you so much for all of your suggestions!
I have a map in front of me as I type this and my highlighters at the ready attempting to finalize a rough itinerary for our trip.
I wish we could spend months exploring all Italy has to offer, but we will squeeze in as much as possible, made easier by your advice!
Thank you again!
I have a map in front of me as I type this and my highlighters at the ready attempting to finalize a rough itinerary for our trip.
I wish we could spend months exploring all Italy has to offer, but we will squeeze in as much as possible, made easier by your advice!
Thank you again!
Jan 26th, 2014, 12:17 AM
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Try not to squeeze in as much as possible if that means running from place to place that you spend more time in transit than enjoying the places you have paid so much to see! Spend enough time to actually see the things there are to see in each place! Enjoy sitting in piazzas, having gelato and enjoying the dolce vita!
