I am planning our honeymoon in Italy the first two weeks in May. We will be there 12 full days (not including travel days), flying in and out of Rome. I am really at a loss for where we go, it all sounds amazing.

We LOVE wine, love good food, love exploring new cities on foot, love to take in the sites and maybe see a museum or two but not looking to spend all our time indoors, we want to be relaxed, spend some time in the sun, maybe visit some wineries, and eat our weight in food and gelato
We are easy travelers that go with the flow. We like to have a few major things planned out but to do love finding places as we explore.

My initial thoughts are:
Rome - 3 days
Tuscany/Florence - 4 days
Amalfi/CT - 4 days

Any suggestions/guidance would be greatly appreciated!

THANK YOU

It looks like you have it all figured out actually! I don't really know what you are asking for, but here is something to consider. While I feel like time really slows when I travel, all too often I feel like three days just flies by--before I have had a chance to "go with the flow" and "find places as I explore." You *might* want to limit it to two places. I don't find getting up early and sitting on trains relaxing, so I now build in longer times within smaller geographic areas. Up to you whether more Tuscany or more Amalfi coast would be your dream trip, but you can't go wrong either way!
Remember you can always go back (anniversary trip!)

If you keep this plan, here is how I'd do it. Upon arrival, train to Florence for x days, pick up car and do the rural Tuscan thing, drop car and train to Salerno and ferry to Amalfi coast, return to Rome via train for remainder.

Not much advice except if arriving and departing from Rome, put all time in Rome at the end. You want to be in the city of departure the night before.

On arrival, you will already be tired, so push on to either Tuscany or the AC.

Travel from Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast will take most of a day. Rome to/from the AC will also eat up a lot of time.

You have Amalfi/CT. I assume you mean one or the other. Are you leaning toward one or the other?

Sassafras, good eye. I did not catch that AC/CT thing. Do read up more on both to help you decide!

I'd love some assistance on knowing where to go in Tuscany area. Any places that are can't miss? Should have made that more clear in my initial post!

I am also torn between AC/CT - everyone says they are both amazing and it is hard to choose.

Good idea on pushing through to Florence upon arrival.

Personally, I would push on to the AC, then up to Tuscany, then back to Rome.

Promise me, do not miss Gelateria del Teatro in Rome.

Rome - 3 days
Tuscany/Florence - 4 days
Amalfi/CT - 4 days

I'd say 4 days in 5 Terre could be cut to say 2 - but that Amalfi is great for several days - neat day trips to Pompeii, Capri, Paestum, etc. If CT add a couple of days to Tuscany - renting a car is best but there is a dense system of buses and trains.

Assume you are going mainly by train as Italian cities just don't like cars, banning them from most city centres.

Anyway about trains - book long-distance trains way way in advance, usually possible from about 90 days out to get limited in number discounted tickets - much cheaper than full-fare or walk-up ducats but train-specific and can't be changed nor refunded I believe. Most are fine with that.

Tickets automatically come with mandated seat reservations. Book your own tickets online at: www.trenitalia.com or https://www.italotreno.it/en/the-train - two separate rail companies operating trains over same tracks and using same stations and similar trains - latter seems to be cheaper at full price. For lots about Italian trains: www.seat61.com - erudite advice about booking your own online tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

For 12 days I would see Rome and Florence. You really want to spend some time in each of these cities. They both have so much to offer. You will find great food, fabulous ruins, Massive quantities of renaissance art, everything that Italy is famous for. The one thing I hate when leaving to go home is feeling that I have only scratched the surface of a place and that I am just starting to fall in love with it. If you split your time between Florence and Rome, you will feel satisfied.
Buy your attraction tickets online to avoid the lines as you want to avoid wasting valuable vacation time.
Have fun!
XO Chris
www.chasinglabellavita.com