Cities for Honeymoon
 

This is my first trip to Europe, and it will be for my honeymoon. I've chosen Italy, and have between 10 and 12 days to spend. I'm interested in spending a sufficient amount of time in representative cities to actually see them. I'm thinking of a maximum of 4 cites, and would like to include Rome, Venice and Florence. I know that I can use some of these cities as a lodging point and take day-trips to the surrounding areas (i.e. Rome to Pompeii). I would appreciate recommendations on cities, length of stay in those cities given my time constraints, and surrounding areas to visit.

You don't say what time of year you're going. We just got back last month from Venice (for the first time) and it was as magical and romantic as everyone says, but I'm not sure I'd want to be there in summer with huge crowds. We found it took 3 days to just get a feel for the place. We were there for a total of 5 days & didn't get to see half of what we wanted to see. Other posters will tell you 3 days is plenty so it depends on your likes. A trip to the islands of Murano, Burtano, Torcello takes a day.(Many debates on which of these are worthwhile). Other posters have mentioned a cruise on the Brenta Canal to see Palladio villas which sounds wonderful.

Hi, <BR><BR>Well, in 10 days I'd do 3 days Venice, 4 days Rome, 3 days Florence. You can go to places like San Gimanagno (sp?) or other Tuscan sites from Florence, although you could easily spend 3 days just in the city. Pompeii takes about 1/2 a day to see plus allow for some train travel time (not sure exactly how long to get there). However, since you say you really want to &quot;actually see them&quot;, the 10 days would allow you to do this IF you don't do day trips. There is so much to see in Rome you could easily spend your whole trip there (but I loved Venice and Florence, so I wouldn't suggest that!).<BR><BR>If you have 12 days you can tack on an extra day to Rome and Florence and add in other day trips. The train is very easy to use and you can reach a lot of different areas for day trips. Have fun, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!<BR><BR>When are you going? I haven't been to Italy in the summer, but I know places like Venice get mobbed in August, so that may influence your choice of cities as well.

Thank you mclaurie and kaudrey for your responses. We are going in late April to early May. <BR>

Do you really need/want to do all cities? We are going for our honeymoon for 14 days and just hitting Northern Italy. Rome is a trip for another day in and of itself. YOu can fly into Milan and easily hit Lake Como for romance, head to Venice for a few days, then hit Tuscany region-rent a romantic room in a farmhouse for a few nights(day trip into Florence). I live in a large US city so am more excited about the outerlying areas and activities than too much time in cities in Italy so if you don't experience cities much you probably have a different view. Also check out Cinque Terre, just amazing!

The Venice Rome Florence honeymoon is corny but is a good start for a first visit to Italy.Some love Rome, others Venice or Florence.We went to those cities on our honeymoon and are currently our planning 10th anniversary trip.But we had three weeks so visited some smaller places etc.<BR>I would avoid daytrips for two reasons,you don't really get a feel for the place you visit also the logistics of getting there etc don't make it an attractive alternative to spending more time in the three major cities.

I agree with E_Roz--do not do 3 cities on such a short trip. Stay north and include the Lakes and Tuscany.

Two cities is a good alternative it helps with ime if you fly into say venice then out of rome.This would give you three full days in each location for 3 cities, or 5 days(less packing,unpacking)with two.Is not much more to fly with two city option.Avoids a long trip back to an airport on the last day or wasting a day on a long train ride.My choice into Venice out of Rome,No car use trains.RR

If you are on a honeymoon, you want time to be together, not racing like in the Chevy Chase movies where they are only interested in checking off a list. Unless you like to plan to the nth degree, why not fly into Rome or Venice and leave the rest open. You can skip a city if you spend too much time in another city.

Hi Wan,<BR><BR>My advice is to do a mix of cities &amp; more relaxing countryside. Fly in Rome &amp; out Venice or the reverse. How about staying somewhere in Tuscany outside of Florence &amp; just do a day trip into Florence to see your top priority sites?<BR><BR>Rome will blow you away with its milleniums of history, art, &amp; architechture. Venice is beautiful &amp; unique with much to see beyond Piazza San Marco. Florence is the art lover's mecca, but very busy &amp; noisy. Unless you are both die hard art fans, you really might enjoy a little countryside serenity after Rome. It's nice to see very small towns &amp; villages as a contrast to the busy cities.<BR><BR>Congrats &amp; buon viaggio!

Thank you everyone for your great advice. I'm close to persuaded to just do 2 cities and stay the rest of the time in the countryside. Although this is a honeymoon, my concerns are (1) that this is my first time in Europe and I want to see some of what everyone is talking about, (2) with the job I have, I won't have time for trips longer than this until I retire, (3) I want to stay flexible, but I have to plan lodging, air and transportation becasue all of that is paid for as a wedding present, so if I put it off, I end up paying for it, (4) what is the difference between a countryside bed and breakfast in Italy and one in the mountains of Georgia? If I'm going to spend limited time in Europe, shouldn't I do something that is unique to Europe? <BR><BR>I'm just throwing that stuff out there because all of your posts have been extremely helpful and I just want to give you more facts that you can consider when you make your recommendations.<BR><BR>Thanks again.

Hi wandl<BR> You ask, &quot;...what is the difference between a countryside bed and breakfast in Italy and one in the mountains of Georgia?&quot;. Well, for one thing you don't get grits in Italy.<BR> Rome, Florence, Venice is an excellent idea. Into Rome/out of Venice will save you a day's travel.<BR> In Venice you can take the vaporetto(water bus)#1, along the Grand Canal from the train station to the Lido and back. This is particularly lovely at night.

Reading your posts, its sounds as though you have the same exact dilemma now that I had a year ago: 12-day honeymoon in italy, late April to early May, first time in europe, excited to see it all but eager to relax. We decided in the end to get a taste of the coast, the city and the county. And so our itinery was as follows:<BR><BR>Flew into Naples<BR>- 2 days in Capri - Our time of rest and pampering at the Quisiana after a hectic wedding. Spectacular views and perfectly charming at night.<BR>- 3 days in Positano - Amazing, magical place!<BR>train to Rome<BR>- 2 days in Rome - We &quot;passed through&quot; accepting the fact that we would not see everything. I should mention that it helped that my husband, an architect, lived there for a year and was familiar enough with the city give me a 101 crash course.<BR>rented a car and drove to Tuscany<BR>- 4 days in Tuscany - we stayed at the Locando dell'Amorosa in Sinalunga, which I highly highly recommend (we fanatized about winning the lottery and filling Amorosa with our family and friends for a week...we loved it that much!) From there we were able leisurely day trips to Siena and Pienza.<BR>- 1 night and flew out of Florence (just a quick peek at the city)<BR> <BR>Others may find this too hectic, but we decided not to be overly ambitious at each city and found our time at Carpi/Positano and Tuscany, in particular, to be sufficiently restful. If you want to include Florence and Venice, perhaps you can do the same sort of thing in Northern Italy, replacing Lake Como for Capri/Positano. Our trip was, of course, only one solution of many possibilities, but it turned out to be a perfect honeymoon and wanted to share! Good luck!!

wandl02 - I have to laugh because you speak of your honeymoon planning only in the first person. I highly recommend you involve your future spouse in the planning! <BR><BR>That said, I find that balancing the city experience with countryside will be more satisfying than only visiting cities. Also, I think that renting a car to tour some of the lovely hilltowns of Tuscany and/or Umbria (staying at a lovely villa B &amp; B) as your base for about 3 or 4 days is terribly romantic.<BR><BR>I'd do something like fly into Rome and stay 3 or 4 nights. Then rent a car at the Rome Termini and go to your countryside villa for 3 or 4 nights. Try to see Orvieto and Siena. Other great towns include Assisi, Spoleto, Pienza, Todi, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, for example. Then return the car to Florence and stay 3 nights. Then take the 2 hour train to Venice for a couple of nights and fly home from there.

Bostonjenn and LeslieC,<BR> Thanks so much for your messages. I find them extremely helpful. In fact, bostonjenn, if you would email me at [email protected], I would love to discuss your itinerary further.<BR> Leslie, I'm a romantic, so bringing back a long lost tradition, I'm planning the honeymoon by myself and intend to keep the entire trip a surprise until she steps onto the airplane. So needless to say, I can't involve my fiance in the planning.

Make sure she has a passport! if you are not telling her in advance where you are going.