Allison12

Does anyone have anything to share on Cinque Terre? Would this be a nice honeymoon spot? Could I travel to Florence on a day trip?

kfusto

I am just back from a daytrip to CT, a place I have wanted to visit for years. I was crushed with disappointment! We got off the train and were immediately immersed in a sea of Americans with Rick Steeves guide book in hand. This was in Vernazza. Yes, it is pretty but we both decided it was just not for. We hopped the next train going north and spend a lovely day in Le Spezia before returning to our lovely hotel in Rapallo.

So my vote is a big NO on the CT but then I have been travelling to Italy since 1974 and have some pretty strong opinions.


That being said, you will likely get many more responses that disagree with me!

kmoncrief

there is a ton of info on Cinque Terre.Just input under search. Personally I wouldnt want to stay there for a honeymoon,but a day there for the hikes is great.Some people have stayed a day or two,that would work too.Its bascially a beachy touristy area.

dln

Several members of my family frequently travel to Italy and they are all of the same opinion about Cinque Terre as kfusto. My parents commented that seven or so years ago you could actually enjoy Cinque Terre, but now it's overrun with Rick Steves lemmings, er, tourists.

kismetchimera

I was in CT last year for 8 days with my daughter and grandson..We rented a nice apt. in Manarola, which if you want to have peace and quiet at night, is the place to be.
We just loved there..We walked, swam, sat in the rocks admiring the gorgeous scenery , and was so peaceful..
We took day trip to SML and Beautiful fancy, expensive Portofino..Home of the rich and famous..
I would not suggest a day trip to Florence, is a little too far.
However, you could go to Pisa, is much closer..
Mostly depends what you wants to do..just remember that is a very casual place, nothing fancy about it..But it is so charming..

MyriamC

The CT wouldn't be my favourite honeymoon spot either. It was nice and scenic (and crowded!) but one day was enough.
That being said, we loved the area! We daytripped to Portofino and Rapallo, and to Lerici and Portovenere.

Allison12

Ok, so not a good honeymoon spot then... in everyone's opinion, what would be the most romantic honeymoon spot? My fiancee is also interested in eating some good food... of course!

bobthenavigator

Allison, Tell us when, how long, and your budget. There are dozens of great places in Italy, but I agree that the CT is not really a honeymoon place. My first picks would be the lakes,Venice, and the Amalfi coast. But, time of year will be a factor.

Allison12

We will be going in September 2005.

kfusto

I think the Dolomiti area is a wonderful in September and not so mainstream. There are some intimate inns that are special spots for a romantic visit. Check out the Cavallino D'Oro. A nice room with balcony and half board runs about 100 per couple per day.

I am very biased towards my favorite city in Italy: Florence. Despite the tourists which keep it busy and crowded for much of the year, it has a unique beauty. I love the Ponte Vecchio late at night or at dawn when the tourist crowds have dispersed. And we usually stay in a hotel with a view over the rooftops - we never tire of sitting on a terrace with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and looking at the incomporable view.

You can home base in Florence and be in Rome in 90 minutes by train. You can be in Siena in 45. And there is BOlogna and Lucca and numerous other lovely places.

Italy is full of wonderful places for a honeymoon. Do you want a city? the beach? the mountains? It is a country of incredible diversity and you can fid whatever it is you are looking for.

TexasAggie

We very much enjoyed spending 2 days of our 12 day honeymoon in the Cinque Terre. We plan to spend another 3 days there this coming May.
I think the Cinque Terre is a beautiful spot for a honeymoon but only for a few days - certainly not a week. I'd say three days max.
We stayed at Hotel Villa Steno in Monterosso - paradise!! I can hardly wait to go back!

travelphile

We spent the last 3 days of our honeymoon in CT in 2002, and LOVED IT. We were there the end of June, so busy season, and stayed in Capellini's rooms in Manarola - highly recommend it if you want a simple hideout for the two of you. We had great meals, hiked 2 of the paths (one closed, one we were just too wiped to do), and found it a wonderful place to relax with each other.

I did notice that Monterosso (sp?) was much more of a crowded resort town, and we were glad we visited there, but even happier that we weren't based there.

If you want to wander a bit, lounge a bit, and just relax, I would suggest CT. If you want to be on the go 24/7, and do many 'cultured' things, skip it.

For us, CT after 4 other stops, was the perfect end to our honeymoon.

Happy planning!