3-week Honeymoon- HELP-Como to Rome!
May 11th, 2007, 11:10 PM
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3-week Honeymoon- HELP-Como to Rome!
Hello fellow travelers!
My fiance and I are getting married September 8, 2007 and then taking a 3-week honeymoon in Italy. We thought we'd start in Lake Como for romance and relaxation. For the last week we will rent an apartment in Rome to truly imbibe the culture. We don't know anything about Lake Como and definitely don't know what to do with our time in between!
1. Lake Como. We're looking for a relaxing, romantic and authentic experience. As close to (if not on) the water as possible! Any suggestions on where to stay? It would be a plus to have a restaurant on the premises (or even room service). Any suggestions are welcome!
2. Should we rail down to Rome or fly? We'd love to use this time to visit some beaches or off-the-path towns. We also found a bike tour (7days) just north of Rome. Any suggestions on what to do? We're so green!
Looking forward to any help at all. -J&B
My fiance and I are getting married September 8, 2007 and then taking a 3-week honeymoon in Italy. We thought we'd start in Lake Como for romance and relaxation. For the last week we will rent an apartment in Rome to truly imbibe the culture. We don't know anything about Lake Como and definitely don't know what to do with our time in between!
1. Lake Como. We're looking for a relaxing, romantic and authentic experience. As close to (if not on) the water as possible! Any suggestions on where to stay? It would be a plus to have a restaurant on the premises (or even room service). Any suggestions are welcome!
2. Should we rail down to Rome or fly? We'd love to use this time to visit some beaches or off-the-path towns. We also found a bike tour (7days) just north of Rome. Any suggestions on what to do? We're so green!
Looking forward to any help at all. -J&B
May 12th, 2007, 06:21 AM
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Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.
For Lake Como, your hotel choices go the full range and include a few of the best hotels in the world (Villa d'Este comes to mind). As honeymoons are rather special, what do you think your price range is? (Don't panic, perfectly fine lakefront rooms with dinner can be had for 200euro. You can search this forum for Lake Como hotel recommendations.)
I would plan on taking the train from Milan to Rome.
With two weeks plus Rome, you will have time to go to the beaches and off-the-beaten-path towns. (Most European beaches are more gravelly then you may be used to. I believe the better sand tends to be on Italy's eastern shore.)
Where does the bike tour go?
For general ideas about destinations, get books from either the library or buy them.
For Lake Como, your hotel choices go the full range and include a few of the best hotels in the world (Villa d'Este comes to mind). As honeymoons are rather special, what do you think your price range is? (Don't panic, perfectly fine lakefront rooms with dinner can be had for 200euro. You can search this forum for Lake Como hotel recommendations.)
I would plan on taking the train from Milan to Rome.
With two weeks plus Rome, you will have time to go to the beaches and off-the-beaten-path towns. (Most European beaches are more gravelly then you may be used to. I believe the better sand tends to be on Italy's eastern shore.)
Where does the bike tour go?
For general ideas about destinations, get books from either the library or buy them.
May 13th, 2007, 05:45 AM
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Big Red- THANK YOU! We will definitely take the train to Rome from Milan. As for hotels, Villa d'Este is quite a dream but in Lake Como we are looking to spend around $400/night (US). I've seen a lot of threads mention Hotel du Lac. We also looked up Hotel Belvedere and Villa Fiori Hotel. Naturally, the websites look inviting but we haven't read any reviews. (Our goal is to get a room with view and balcony/terrace.)
May 13th, 2007, 05:50 AM
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Do you plan to move around at all, locating maybe somewhere in Tuscany or Umbria, besides your two places (Como and Rome)? I would suggest that you might want to stay a few days in one or two locations such as Siena, Orvieto, Spoleto, etc. so that you could tour those lovely hilltop towns.
Congratulations on your wedding, and you are soooo lucky to be taking a nice long honeymoon in Italy!! My DH and I went to St. Louis for a long weekend... that was nearly 42 years ago... and now we travel the world!
Congratulations on your wedding, and you are soooo lucky to be taking a nice long honeymoon in Italy!! My DH and I went to St. Louis for a long weekend... that was nearly 42 years ago... and now we travel the world!
May 13th, 2007, 06:06 AM
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Simpson- I love your response! We are truly lucky to be taking this honeymoon and can't wait....We will definitely stop off somewhere on our train ride down. Would it be foolish to fly by the seat of our pants and just hope to find a hotel in one of those areas? I'm quite a planner but my fiance is spontaneous. I'd like to try it out (once). 
May 13th, 2007, 06:16 AM
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Congrats on your upcoming wedding! Great time of year for a wedding and I would guess a perfect time of year to be in Italy.
My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio about five years ago. We had a good sized room and bathroom with a balcony overlooking the lake. I wouldn't call it luxurious in the honeymoon sort of way....but it was quite nice. We took day trips to Lucerne, Mennagio, Como and Varenna (both by boat and rental car). The restaurant in the hotel is quite good but we ate in town a few nights too. Not in the middle of town but we found the walk home relaxing and the quieter atmosphere a plus.
Personally, if I were spending a three week honeymoon in Italy, I would figure out a way to spend some time in Venice and Positano. Have been to the former with a girlfriend and said then "I'd love to come back here with a husband." and have never been to the latter. Would think you could spend 3 nights in Bellagio, 3 nights in Venice, 3 nights in Positano and then go to Rome.
My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio about five years ago. We had a good sized room and bathroom with a balcony overlooking the lake. I wouldn't call it luxurious in the honeymoon sort of way....but it was quite nice. We took day trips to Lucerne, Mennagio, Como and Varenna (both by boat and rental car). The restaurant in the hotel is quite good but we ate in town a few nights too. Not in the middle of town but we found the walk home relaxing and the quieter atmosphere a plus.
Personally, if I were spending a three week honeymoon in Italy, I would figure out a way to spend some time in Venice and Positano. Have been to the former with a girlfriend and said then "I'd love to come back here with a husband." and have never been to the latter. Would think you could spend 3 nights in Bellagio, 3 nights in Venice, 3 nights in Positano and then go to Rome.
May 13th, 2007, 06:21 AM
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Your budget per roomnight is adequate. We sleep much more cheaply when we travel, so other people will have to help you with that price range.
When you say the Hotel du Lac what town are you thinking of. Most every town on most every lake is going to have a hotel du lac.
When you say the Hotel du Lac what town are you thinking of. Most every town on most every lake is going to have a hotel du lac.
May 13th, 2007, 06:23 AM
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CCROSNER...We originally planned to do 3 nights in Capri (I've been-not crazy about it) and 5 nights in Positano. We opted for Lake Como to focus on relaxing after the wedding. We could definitely stop in Venice (I've never been!). Great suggestion. THANK YOU!!!!
May 15th, 2007, 09:19 PM
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Since nobody mentioned it yet, you shouldn't miss Villa Balbinielo where they filmed the last Starwars movie. It has an incredible Italian garden & setting.
To a lesser degree, you should also not miss Villa Carlotta on the same western side of the lake. Just google these places.
To a lesser degree, you should also not miss Villa Carlotta on the same western side of the lake. Just google these places.
May 18th, 2007, 11:11 AM
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Hi DAX! Hotel Florence is sold out. I'm heartbroken! Hotel Bellagio sounds like too much of a trek to and from. What would you do? We're able to spend around 200-350E but the latter is pushing it. 
May 18th, 2007, 02:11 PM
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I'm really sorry to hear that. Hotel Bellagio is not going to be as nice as Florence so it may not be good a honeymoon. I notice Grand Serbeloni is available for $570 a night, even then the rooms are generic albeit quite nice. The hotel ground is also very nice. If you really must stay in Bellagio, perhaps you may consider just staying one or two nights which is enough to absorb Bellagio & Lake Como(visiting Villa Balbinielo, Carlotta). You can go expensive (Grand Serbeloni for one night?) or cheap (Du Lac/Bellagio). Anyway you look at it, you just get a lot less quality for more euros in Bellagio. It looks like Belvedere is not available either, otherwise it would be a decent hotel though it involves climbing with your suitcases. The best value is Residence Limone where you get a very nicely furnished apartment (new) for just over 100 euro, but the location is very very very far up the hill.
For the other two-three nights I would strongly recommend going to STRESSA in Lake Maggiore. Lago Maggiore has even more things to do and just as exciting as Lake Como. One of my favorite grand hotels is www.borromees.it/index2.html. The rooms are really first class 5 star with exquisite marble throughout the room. Even if you get the garden facing room ($370), it is a generous 5 star quality (in an grand old world style). The grounds & view from the hotel inspired Hemmingway to write the Sun Also Rises when he stayed there for a long time. Stressa has a good old town maze to explore(though not vertically staggered like Bellagio), a gorgeous lakeview with a ferry stop to visit the beautiful Borromean Island palace and its two sister islands. There are numerous coastal towns in Lago Maggiore that you can visit using the ferry day pass. Basically there is more to do in L. Maggiore if you like exploring.
We took our friends to both L.Maggiore & L. Como last year and they loved both equally. From Stressa you can also take a short drive to Lake Orta to visit its island and Sacro Monte for lunch.
Stressa is over an hour drive from Malpensa Milan airport, so you may consider going there first and then drive or train & ferry to Bellagio.
For the other two-three nights I would strongly recommend going to STRESSA in Lake Maggiore. Lago Maggiore has even more things to do and just as exciting as Lake Como. One of my favorite grand hotels is www.borromees.it/index2.html. The rooms are really first class 5 star with exquisite marble throughout the room. Even if you get the garden facing room ($370), it is a generous 5 star quality (in an grand old world style). The grounds & view from the hotel inspired Hemmingway to write the Sun Also Rises when he stayed there for a long time. Stressa has a good old town maze to explore(though not vertically staggered like Bellagio), a gorgeous lakeview with a ferry stop to visit the beautiful Borromean Island palace and its two sister islands. There are numerous coastal towns in Lago Maggiore that you can visit using the ferry day pass. Basically there is more to do in L. Maggiore if you like exploring.
We took our friends to both L.Maggiore & L. Como last year and they loved both equally. From Stressa you can also take a short drive to Lake Orta to visit its island and Sacro Monte for lunch.
Stressa is over an hour drive from Malpensa Milan airport, so you may consider going there first and then drive or train & ferry to Bellagio.
May 18th, 2007, 02:21 PM
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Hi Dax! The reason Belvedere is sold out is because I scooped up the last room...the Lake View Suite with terrace! It was $418E so no deal, but we've changed up our overall budget to accommodate. As for Stressa, the decor at the hotel you recommended is out of this world. Stunning. I'm looking into it... So how crappy is the Belvedere for honeymoon? We would love to hit Switzerland but heard on the threads it is more of a day trip.
I am so thankful to have your help.
I am so thankful to have your help.
May 18th, 2007, 02:24 PM
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P.S. We have a standard room at the Hotel Florence so that if a suite opens up, we can have rights of first refusal. 
I don't want to hold it too much longer though in case others are trying to book! I'll await your suggestion.
I don't want to hold it too much longer though in case others are trying to book! I'll await your suggestion.
May 18th, 2007, 08:24 PM
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That's how we got the junior suite at hotel Florence (waiting list to upgrade). The standard room maybe OK but definitely not great for a honeymoon. Though my wife & I spent our honeymoon at a lousier hotel in an Italian beach town and were perfectly happy since we were young newlyweds.
Hotel Florence is only special if you get a lakeview junior suite which is a steal at 185 eur. If you're holding a standard room at Hotel Florence without a lakeview, I would recommend the Belvedere lakeview suite as long as the price is OK with you. In my opinion, having the spectacular lakeview is the most magical ingredient of staying in Bellagio, everything else comes second.
I recommend combining Lago Maggiore into your trip if you both like to explore as there's even more unique places to see & visit in L. Maggiore.
Hotel Florence is only special if you get a lakeview junior suite which is a steal at 185 eur. If you're holding a standard room at Hotel Florence without a lakeview, I would recommend the Belvedere lakeview suite as long as the price is OK with you. In my opinion, having the spectacular lakeview is the most magical ingredient of staying in Bellagio, everything else comes second.
I recommend combining Lago Maggiore into your trip if you both like to explore as there's even more unique places to see & visit in L. Maggiore.
