Hi everyone, I'm planning a 10-day honeymoon in Italy this July. We want to see Venice, Florence and the countryside between Florence and Sienna. We'd also like to see Rome but have heard conflicting opinions on whether this is all doable in 10 days. I'd appreciate your expert opinions!

Sandy

If your "10 days" includes day of arrival and day of departure (IOW, you really have 8 full days of vacation), 4 days in Florence and 4 in Venice is about all you will be able to do comfortably. Don't forget: you will "waste" a day traveling from Florence to Venice!

Don't get me wrong: you will have a wonderful time with 4 days in each of these fabulous cities, but trying to cram in Rome and Tuscany is probably too much. Save them for a return trip to celebrate an anniversary!

Hi Sandy,

At first I thought you meant " is 10 days too long in Italy"!

You could certainly manage Rome, Florence and Venice in 10 days if those are "Italy" days, as already mentioned.

Fly into Rome and spend 3 nights, spend 4 nights in Florence with a day out in the countryside to Siena (perhaps renting a car) and then 2-3 nights in Venice, flying home from there.

It will be busy, but if this is your honeymoon and you want to see as much as possible, I would try and manage it.

We did this trip and had 12 days including our arrival and departure days, but stayed near Siena instead of Florence (only had one day in Florence) to have more of a Tuscan experience. It was simply wonderful! But as with every itinerary there were drawbacks for us as well. There is never enough time, but that's why you know you'll be back!

Sandyc, from my own experience ,you are traveling in peak season it will be hot and crowded very very crowded, ten days is to short of a vacation .I would go with the attitude that you will be back again,if you try to cram it in you will have a nerve racking vacation.I would go to Venice a honeymoon paradise in my opinion, and then go to Positano, If you go to Rome or Florence the crowds will be horrendous .David or the Uffizzi Gallery is beautiful ,but you will be spending your honeymoon in line.I think Venice will give you a taste of history,and Positano along with nearby Naples,Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri will give you a nice blend.I personally like the food the best in that region.Also that area is romantic,and you will be on your honeymoon.I would fly out of Naples.Rome will be chaotic and would be wonderful but you will never be able to fit it in. I guess my point is go to one or two place you will be losing 2 days coming and going and at least 6 to 8 hours every time you travel to a new location.Congratulations and have a wonderful honeymoon!

The south will be hotter and even more crowded. Northern lakes may be a better place to relax.

I agree with miaspapa regarding Florence & Rome.

You are unexperienced European travelers, and you won't know how to avoid the crowds and the heat yet - and on a honeymoon, I'm not sure I would want to do what it takes to accomplish that (rise very early, visit museums when they first open, reserve ahead for museums that take reservations and do that mid-day to avoid the heat, don't get near St Marks between 9am & 6pm, etc)

I would not recommend Positano, however. It's beautiful, but it takes time & some "doing" to get there, and might be pretty booked up by now. Instead, I would take a train to Chiusi, rent a car, and stay in the beautiful Val d'Orcia area of Tuscany - near Pienza. I think this region is much prettier than Chianti. It's 45 mins to 1 hr from this area to Siena for a day-trip.

Stu Dudley

I think 10 days is not enough time.
Venice, Florence and Rome is alot
to absorb in one trip. You can do it,
but you would really be pushing it.
You don't say where you are flying into or if you are driving. That will
make a difference in which area you
should concentrate on.
We have been to Italy 3 times and
still have so much to see. It is
a wonderful country with so much
history.

i tend to agree with the replies that suggest 10 days(8 real days) is not enough to accomplish all you want and feel like you are on your honeymoon. although venice is lovely and romantic in many ways.....it is also not at its best in the july and august......if you dont want to do too much driving.....but you are also young and dont mind the heat so much......i would consider flying in and out of rome, staying at something incredible like the hotel eden, hire a private guide through the concierge and get in and out of tournisty places as fast as you can while spening evenings stolling and eating at places like piazza navona. then take the fast train that you can book on line....first class so you can get seat assignments......to florence. it might be that you would love to stay along the arno at either hotel lungarno or the berchielli.......at this point you probably have spent 6 days......not much time to "see" tuscany......but you could rent a car for your last 2 to 3 days and drive to sienna as your base......take in a wine estate lunch and other sites....and drive to rome the morning of your flight...

sandy--who has a joyfull heart of yoga (not making fun--it sounds lovely!)

If you "want to see Venice, Florence, and the countryside between Florence and Siena"--you can do that. As other posters have mentioned, it makes a difference whether you have 10 days in Italy or 10 days including international airfare--but still doable, especially with an "open jaw" ticket, into Venice and out of Florence. Your "countryside" makes more sense (for a honeymoon) to be a private escorted day trip from Florence. [I am confident that others will post the name of favorite tour guides for that.]

A wonderful honeymoon place in Florence IMO is torre di bellosguardo. Take a look:

http://www.torrebellosguardo.com/en/index.htm

You could also do the classic trip of Rome, Florence and Venice, with an open jaw ticket (or in reverse)--but picking 2 places would be more relaxing and leisurely--particularly if you have only 10 days "in-country."

It's doable depending on how long you want to stay in each city. We travelled twelve days by car from Rome to Florence to Venice to Padua to Verona to Sermione on Lake Garda to Pisa to Sienna and back to Rome. We didn't stay overnight in Verona, Venice or Pisa. We toured in Rome before and after our car trip to northern Italy. The autostrada from Rome to the north is very, very fast. The country roads can be very, very slow.

We went to so many museums and sights in Rome that when we travelled north, we really enjoyed the countryside and relaxing in cafes. We did go to museums in Florence. And, of course, we went to many, many churches all over Italy!

We really enjoy driving and getting lost

It's doable depending on how long you want to stay in each city and how many museums and sights you want to see in each city. We travelled twelve days by car from Rome to Florence to Venice to Padua to Verona to Sermione on Lake Garda to Pisa to Sienna and back to Rome. We didn't stay overnight in Verona, Venice or Pisa. We toured in Rome before and after our car trip to northern Italy. The autostrada from Rome to the north is very, very fast. The country roads can be very, very slow.

We went to so many museums and sights in Rome that when we travelled north, we really enjoyed the countryside and relaxing in cafes. We did go to museums in Florence and Padua. And, of course, we went to many, many churches all over Italy!

We really enjoy driving and exploring the countryside in foreign countries. If this is what you enjoy doing, you'll have ample time.

Hi S,

You might want to consider:

If yu have 10 days on the ground,
Fly into Venice - 4-3 nights
Rent car, drive through Tuscany - 3-4 nights
Drop car in Florence - 2 nights

If you have 8 days on the ground,
Fly into Venice - 4 nights
Train to Florence - 3 nights
Take a daytrip to Siena by SITA bus.

Enjoy your visit.


Fly home from FLR or PSA.

Thanks for all the advice. We ended up adding some travel days and bought an open-jaw ticket that we like. We'll fly into Rome and out of Venice. We're only staying 2 nights in Rome. We don't feel like we have to see every museum or do things that involve long lines. We'll have 4 nights for Florence/Tuscany, but we are more interested in the countryside so we'll need to research that some more, and then 3 nights in Venice. We even get a night in Madrid on the way home, which is a bonus since my boyfriend is from Madrid and still has family there. So now we have an outline and need to fill in the details. I'll keep reading!

Thanks again,
Sandy

good luck sandy, sounds like you have made some good choices. i was about to add my two cents.....but you have a good plan. my only thought would be that i really think you need a car if your interest is truly the countryside.....maybe rent in florence through your hotel and return it there...personally i love siena and volterra and lucca......i can take a pass on san gim....such a tourist trap....if you feel you must see it....swing by on your way to volterra and lucca ....stop to have a light snack and move on....although there is a fantastic local photograher shop right in the main square....he really does have a good eye

I'd second the notion of renting a car in Tuscany. I'd also consider basing in Siena and seeing Florence as a day trip. Siena is absolutely magical after dark.

Sandy, Rick Steves, has excellent info on the hilltowns ,you can get his book or d.v.d. especially good if you do B&Bs.We did Siena Orievto San Gimigignano .There is another term they use which you actually stay in a farmhouse and dine with the families in italian its agrituristica.Rome is added to your latest post,if I may make a suggestion with only 2 days I would definately decide what I would like to see,make reservations if necessary and to save time I would taxi from place to place,instead of busses or subway.I must say they do have a bus that takes you to the major sites its called the RED BUS,it loops around the city you pay for the day and hop on and off,if its nice you can sit on the upper deck and take in all the action.The bus can be taken at the bustops which I believe is a red sign with a bus on it.While in Venice you can get a Vaperetto pass for three days and travel all around Venice.Here is a time saver while in Venice ,if you decide to go to St. Marks the line is long people will be walking near the line asking if you would like to take a private tour .Its about 10 euros per person ,my advice go for it they take you for a complete tour they give you all sorts of information and they pull you out of that long line!Again congratulations I will be there in May I will tell them your coming l.o.l.

sandy:
sounds like a great plan--have a wonderful honeymoon.

Hi
Having been to all of the sites that you have in mind, I would suggest simply seeing one or two sites.

The Positano Bay is perhaps the most spectacular site in the world, and Ravello, above it, is even moreso.
If you are planning to go in the summer, Ravello has concerts that are unforgettable....