Boss77

I am going to Venice/Florence/Rome/Amalfi for my honeymoon and would like advice for what to do in each city. I will be in Venice for 2 days, Florence for 2 days, Rome for 3 days and Amalfi for 5 days.

Question, are any of the private tours on InItaly worth it, or should I talk to my hotel and see what they recommend.

Which sites are the must-see?

Thanks!

sandi_travelnut

Have you read through guidebooks for those cities and looked at many websites and posts? Is there anything in particualr that caused you to choose those specific cities? I would do some reading and begin to make a list of things that seems to appeal to you and your significant other.

nytraveler

Without knowing more aobut you - your interests and likes/dislikes it's very difficult o make specific recos.

Do you love or hate museums. Do you prefer to veiw antiquities or churches? Or do you just want to enjoy la dolce vita?

Do you want to be busy - or relaxed?

More info would help.

Boss77

Hi,

I read through the books and came up with the attached tentative itinerary. The days in each city/area are pretty firm, but which sites to see are still up in the air. I like museums, but don't want to see every one. I like antique shopping. Not too many churches would be nice. La Dolca Vita for the last week is scheduled.

Any insight appreciated, especially timing and worth seeing!

Venice – Gritti Palace
Arrive 9:45 a.m.
Take Alilaguna to Venice
Purchase Orange Venice Card

Day 1 (May 12, Monday)
Ca’ d’Oro
Ponte de Rialto
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
Campo San Bartolomeo

Day 2 (May 13, Tuesday)
Basilica di San Marco
Palazzo Ducale
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Ca’ Rezzonico

Day 3 (May 14, Wednesday)
Il Mercato di Rialto
Scula Grande di San Rocco
Murano (enough time given things to see in Florence?)
Travel by train to Florence (3 hours)

Florence – Westin Excelsior

Day 3 (May 14, Wednesday)
Santa Croce

Day 4 (May 15, Thursday)
Battistero
Duomo
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
Galleria degli Uffizi (buy ticket in advance)
Piazza della Signoria

Day 5 (May 16, Friday)
Galleria dell’Accademia (buy ticket in advance)
Museo di San Marco
Cappelle Medicee
Mercato Centrale
Piazzale Michaelangelo

Day 6 (May 17, Saturday)
Travel by train to Rome (2 hours)

Rome – St. Regis Grand

Day 6 (May 17, Saturday)
Pantheon
Scala di Spagna
Piazza Navona
Fontana de Trevi

Day 7 (May 18, Sunday)
Mercato delle Pulci
Campidolgio
Colosseum (buy ticket in advance)

Day 8 (May 19, Monday)
Basilica di San Pietro
Musei Vaticani (book guided tour Eternity Tours?)
Galleria Borghese

Day 9 (May 20, Tuesday)
Campo de’ Fiori
Travel by train to Naples (2.5 hours)

Amalfi Coast – Il San Pietro de Positano

Day 9 (May 21, Tuesday)
Positano

Day 10 (May 22, Wednesday)
Ravello

Day 11 (May 23, Thursday)
Capri

Day 12 (May 24, Friday)
Amalfi

Day 13 (May 25, Saturday)


Thanks!

Dayle

Hi Boss,

I think your plans are extremely ambitious, especially for a honeymoon. You are underestimating the time needed for travel between the cities and overestimating what you will be able to see in time remaining.

Think about this: how about skipping Florence this trip. Add a day each to Venice and Rome instead. Save Florence to combine with Tuscany and Umbria on an anniversary trip!

Buon viaggio!

ira

Hi B,

I would either eliminate Forence or Rome and add 1 night to Venice and the rest to the other city.

Which cities are you flying into/out of.

Each time you change venues you lose at least 1/2 day.

Have you asked your bride how she feels abut packing/unpacking 4 times?

annhig

Hi Boss,

ditto what Dayle has said.

so far as Venice is concerned, you are not grouping things as well as you could. for example, on day 1 you are going to the Frari chourch,and on Day 3 you are going to the Scuola di san rocco. which as they are right next to each other, doesn't make much sense.

and as we are going to be staying in an apartment near-by in a couple of weeks, I'm intruiged that you are fixed on the campo san bartolomeo as a "must see" - what have you heard about it that the rest of us haven't?

generally, in venice at least you are leaving yourselves no time for one of the greastest pleasures of a visit there - just strolling around and seeing where your feet take you.

Dayle's idea is a very good one - Chill in Venice, spend in Rome, and relax in amalfi. drop Florence ofr another trip. it'll still be there.

regards, ann

ira

PS,

Don't overplan each day.

Schedule 1 morning must see and one afternoon must see.

Let serendipity take care of the rest.

With such a short visit to Venice, I wouldn't go to Murano.

Boss77

Thanks for all the advice, it really helps. Wife wants to go to all the cities (she even wanted to add tuscany), so I think the best solution is to reduce the sites each day.

Thanks again.

caroltis

As always - Ira has golden advice. Take it and you won't regret it.

StCirq

Wife might get tired and cranky once she realizes all the packing up and moving around you're doing.

I'd listen to ira.

Dayle

Hi again Boss,

Let me summarize my first trip to Italy for you. I now refer to it as a "drive by". We had gone on a ski club trip for a week of skiing in Cortina. Trip ended in Venice and our independent trip of 9 days started there - GO!!!

2 nts Venice - 1.5 days. We saw the basillica, the Campanille, Rialto Bridge and of course the piazza. Did a little wandering.

2 nts Florence - 1.5 days. Stood in line for the Uffizi 2.5 hours, visited for 1.5 hrs, saw David, hiked up to Piazza Michangelo, visited Santa Croce by (happy) accident. Came down with a hideous cold.

3 nts Praiano (Amalfi Coast) 2 full days. Visited family, Pompeii, strolled, tried to sleep with cold, bronchitis, sore throat.

2 nts Rome - 1.5 days. Walked around Rome for 12 hours with a fever of 103. We saw San Pietro, Castello Sant'Angelo, Trevi Fountain, and the Colleseum. Everything else was closed on Palm Sunday. Did catch Pope John Paul in the piazza.

Flew home with strep throat, bronchitis, a sinus infection, and an ear infection, but still fell in love with Italy.

BUT - I learned! Please learn from others' experiences. You don't have to rush too much. You will return and will enjoy each visit SO much more if you slow down. In Italy, less is more. La dolce far niente!