ekoostik9

Honeymooning it Italy for 13 days. But really only have 11 nights considering arrival and departure flights. We have been researching and researching and researching. We have never been to Italy. Rome is One destination that is a must for me. Then we were thinking amalfi coast for 4 nights. Positano as base. Then santorini, Greece. But I'm kind of ruling that out as it's basically a wasted day of travel to get there. So I started looking at places like lake como, Venice, Italian riviera. We want to be able to relax and enjoy the experience and not travel the whole time but at the same time see the most we can. I highly doubt we get back to Italy for a very long time. We are not into to art and is not a must see, so Florence is out. Natural beauty, water, food and history are important. So being that Rome is a must and 3 nights, and it's looking like the amalfi coast is the other destination, where should our third destination be? Venice? Sicily? Lakes region? Tuscany? Cinque terre?How many nights in amalfi is sufficient? Please please help it's driving us nuts lol.

tuscanlifeedit

Oh, I hardly know how to answer. Logistics for these far flung destinations will be your problem.

Three nights in Rome isn't a lot, but if you're not going to see in any art, I guess it can be OK.

I would give more time to the AC so that you can also visit Capri and Paestum. Capri has a few remarkable historic sites and Paestum is just amazing.

Do you have air already? If not it gets easier because you could fly into Venice and depart from Rome or vice versa.

But if you are tied in to flying in and out of Rome, I think begin by going straight to some lovely spot in Tuscany, then on to the AC and then end in Rome.

It makes sense logistically.

ekoostik9

We do not have air yet, still waiting to figure out the most logical in and out airports. I was thinking a lot about flying to Venice then train to Rome for 3 nights, and end in positano and fly out of Naples or Rome. We would like to end with relaxation and not running around Rome trying to fit all the sights in. So I think we are set on Rome and the AC. So maybe a night or two in Tuscany? Would Venice be too much out of the way? And I'm assuming since we are set on Rome and the AC that any other destinations just wouldn't make sense.?. Also thank you for the paestum suggestion, it looks amazing!!

sandralist

Venice is not too much out of the way. The train between Venice and Rome is about 4 hours, and just about anything else you try to do north of Rome or south of the Amalfi/Paestum will eat up at least that much travel time, or more. However, if you really would prefer the wine country or the lakes, that would be doable. More complicated would be Sicily, or le Cinque Terre (unless you can fly into Pisa).

Without knowing when you are traveling, though, it is hard to give advice. Also, if you are traveling on a tight budget, some itineraries are cheaper than others.

Mimar

Where are you coming from? Are you flying right after the wedding? (Will you have wedding fatigue as well as jet lag?) What time of year?

I'd fly into Venice, spend a few days there getting over the various fatigues. (Overnight flight also?) Venice is very relaxing -- and very romantic. Then take a train to Rome, and, after Rome, continue on to the Amalfi coast, flying home from Naples. You don't have a lot of time at these stops, not enough for my taste. But you have to set your own priorities.

All this might change if you're traveling in the winter. The AC is pretty dead then. OTOH Venice isn't nearly as crowded.

neckervd

"We are not into to art and is not a must see, so Florence is out. Natural beauty, water, food and history are important".

All depends on the season. In summer, the Islands (Sardinia, Ponza, Ventotene, Giglio, Elba, Tremiti, Stromboli, Lipari, Vulcano) might be a good solution too.

May be Rome and Venice are not the best choices, if you are not interested in art and History.

bilboburgler

So, you have decided on Rome.

Now when will you be coming?

Rome Venice is a good pair linked by train, but since Rome is also a flight hub you could use Al Italia and their super cheepie flights to get to Sicily, Puglia etc etc.

My suggestion would be to have half your time in Rome on your own just wandering about and then book yourself into say cooking course (or riding, cycling, art, walking, car mechanic, sailing, wine tasting etc etc) in a nice base with some nice people. You'll be amazed what a great trip that makes.

Any interest?

bobthenavigator

Let me see here---honeymoon, Rome, AC.
Your time is perfect for those wonderful destinations

I would have 2 locations on the AC---Sorrento and Positano---for better logistics.

Arrive Rome---to Sorrento--2
To Positano---4
Train to Rome via Naples--5

That is a perfect trip---best wishes.

ekoostik9

I guess dates would of helped everyone, sorry. We are going in mid October. 13-26 I believe. Overnight flight because that's all that is offered from Pittsburgh.

I guess my biggest concern is time at each place. And we are very much into history, just not art. Now the Sistine chapel is a different story. 3-Rome, 4 AC, and 4 somewhere else was going to be the iteneary. But I'm starting to think that maybe just splitting between Rome and AC is the way to go. I'm afraid that we are going to leave wondering if we should have seen Venice or somewhere else though.

vincenzo32951

Time of year is important, and you can use a process of elimination.

Mid-October pretty much rules out Cinque Terre, Lake Como or Positano, IMHO. But that's a good time for Rome, Venice, Tuscany. So, for me, I'd fly into Venice for 3-4 days, then Rome 3-4 days, then Tuscany 3-4 days, and then fly out of Florence, if possible. That's a compact itinerary that gives you max time in each destination and min time traveling.

bilboburgler

Oct good for Rome, not sure about the AC, what is the climate like? 20C and 6inches of rain. mmm, might look at Venice.

bilboburgler

Sorry Vicenzo, we must have posted virtually at the same time

Kathie

If you don't want to spend too much time getting from place to place, choose two locations, not three. And the weather info for the AC looks like you may want to cut that as a destination in October.

sandralist

I would go straight to the AC first for reasons of weather. Land in Rome, take the train to Naples, and then have a driver take you the rest of the way. The driver will be pricey, but since you have eliminated a third destination, you've saved some money and can treat yourselves.

You can look at the last five years of weather in the Amalfi for October to see if you feel the risk of rain is high enough to make you want to give it up. As you can see, there was only 1 day of rain for the entire month of October last year. Other years had scattered days of rain, but often earlier in the month, but sometimes right in the window you are contemplating

http://www.ilmeteo.it/portale/archiv...i/2014/Ottobre

http://www.ilmeteo.it/portale/archiv...i/2013/Ottobre

http://www.ilmeteo.it/portale/archiv...i/2012/Ottobre

http://www.ilmeteo.it/portale/archiv...i/2011/Ottobre

http://www.ilmeteo.it/portale/archiv...i/2010/Ottobre

sandralist

Actually, I would much prefer to take my chances on rain in the Amalfi in October than acqua alta in Venice in October. (Partly, I just like food better in the Amalfi!)

NYCFoodSnob

So many couples test their new marriage on a first-time trip to Italy. Been there, done that. The only caution I would advise: don't over-plan and try to do too much in too little time. IMO, 10-days is perfect for ONE location, but I don't suffer from A.D.D., and I like to sit still, meet people, and stay put. I go back and forth quite often to different regions. I realize many can't afford to do this, for one reason or another.

Adhering to a tightly packed itinerary, with lots of travel days, in a culture that likes to take things slow and easy can be a recipe for disaster. Travel has a unique way of testing a relationship. IMO, less pressure = less test.

Unless you're one of those tourists who thinks Acqua Alta in Venice is like a visit to Disneyland, I would stay south. Rome is fabulous, glorious in October. The Amalfi Coast even more so. The floods have begun to appear sooner in Venice, like mid-October. If you want to endure the floods, you'll need to prepare for that in your packing and your planning.

I find rain storms extremely exciting and beautiful in Italy. Oftentimes, those wet street scenes are the only way to capture photographic art. Rain can appear at any time of the year, depending on the weather, but an abundance of rain is not considered normal in October throughout the southern half of Italy.

Good luck. You can't do enough research.

ekoostik9

Amazing info, thank you all!! I think all this I for has narrowed it down to staying south. Rome, and the AC, and take our chances with rain. Now still pondering the idea of 2 or 3 days somewhere in Tuscany other than Florence. Maybe a villa somewhere. Any suggestions on where? Siena? Coastal town? I'm thinkin 2 in Tuscany 4 in Rome and 5 in AC should give us a good amount of time. Thank you all again it's amazing how much an opinion from travelers can help l.

sandralist

You wrote originally:

>>>>We want to be able to relax and enjoy the experience and not travel the whole time<<<

If that is still the case, I would not venture too far north of Rome. Although Orvieto is actually in Umbria, not Tuscany, it would give you the experience of an Italian hill town in wine country without meaning hours of transit logistics. Orvieto is an hour by train from Rome.

http://www.italythisway.com/places/orvieto.php

I think I would fly to Rome, immediately go to Orvieto by train, and on your 3rd day, stay until after lunch or shop in the morning for a picnic and then take the train to Napoli around noon, and get a car transfer from Napoli Centrale station to the Amalfi. Finish up in Rome.

But even though you are only budgeting 2 nights for Orvieto, I would make that 3rd day a sleep in day rather than a crack-of-dawn travel day. Just get to the Amalfi by sunset.

tuscanlifeedit

ekoostik, we are also in Pittsburgh. You do have the choice of Rome or Venice, both with decent flight times if you are using the PHL or Charlotte connections. I prefer Charlotte; it's just a more efficient airport. I avoid the JFK connections.

As there are no direct Naples flights from the East Coast, I don't think I would want to fly in or out of there or Pisa and have to add another connection, making it two from Pittsburgh.

I just can't begin to suggest where else you should go other than Rome and the AC, but I do think two AC destinations would be nice. I would make one of them Capri or Amalfi or Ravello so that you have some reason to go to Paestum without logistical insanity. Salerno has good ferry connections to Capri and busses to Amalfi. I'm not sure about boats to the rest of the coast, but I'm sure someone here does.

I don't think Tuscany is the only easy and beautiful place you can access from Rome, but if you choose it, I don't think I'd go all the way to Siena, and since you are going to the AC, a coastal town in Tuscany in October isn't that great an idea and won't hold up to the AC. I might suggest Assisi, which has a history quite different from anywhere else you're going. If you are at all interested in St Francis, that might be good. There are some pretty places to stay around the outer edges of town. Nearby Spello is so charming; I recommend it.

A villa for two nights doesn't appeal to me. Most don't want to rent for two nights, and two nights in October could mean iffy weather in the countryside. Also a lot of driving and really no wine drinking at dinner, if that interests you. I think a pretty little town like Spello would be great for two nights. Lots of people here love Orvieto; I've been there twice and don't see the romance and can think of a dozen little towns that I think are prettier.

Since you are history people, you might add a day in Rome for a day trip to Ostia Antica.

sandralist

Another idea, although it would take some character to do, is to arrive in Rome and take the train directly from the airport to Florence (90 minutes), but get in a taxi at the train station and go to Fiesole, 15 minutes away. This is an Etruscan town of significant history, with Roman ruins. There are several high end villa-hotels up there, as well as some more mid-range. You can talk walks in the hills among the olive groves (as Michaelangelo did), with views of Florence in the distance.

However, a great many people would have a terrible time not going to Florence as part of staying in Fiesole.

Spello would require a car unless you pay for drivers to take you there from Foligno station. Assisi is often quite croweded with tourists and pilgrims. Maybe it's just me, but being surrounded by convents doesn't automatically strike me as honeymoon surroundings, and the biggest draw of Assisi is its art for the non-religious.

Opinion is divided about Orvieto. I would try to get someplace with a view. This would appeal to me

http://www.ripamedici.it/casabianca_eng.html

But if you are serious about not wanting to spend too much time traveling between places, there are only a handful of "third" destinations that are relatively easy to combine with the Amalfi and that also tick your boxes for natural beauty, food, history....