I am planning a trip to Italy for my honeymoon in late September through early October. We have 14-15 days and would like to see Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, and Venice, and fly in and out of Rome because it is much less expensive than flying into Venice and out of Rome or vice versa. We would also like to drive because we really enjoy driving as part of exploring a new place, and the idea of carrying luggage around and figuring out public transportation seems stressful. Any suggestions on how we should approach the trip? Looking for suggestions on amount of days in each place and how to get from place to place, by car if at all possible. I really would appreciate any help you can give on this one. Many thanks.

Hi Tavel3773, everything you are looking for can be found with just a few searches on this site. There are hundreds of postings for Italy, and I suggest you look into each city individually and go from there. If at the end you still have more questions, post more detailed ones. That's what I would suggest. Good luck!!! And have a great honeymoon!!

Good for you ! You will love Italy and 15 days will give you a good insight.
I suggest you start by going to slowtrav.com and looking at the very good planning section under Italy. You will find a number of articles that will help--including ones on budgeting, travel tips, and sample itineraires.
You are going at a perfect time. We will be going back to Tuscany for our 12th trip to Italy about a week later.

It is time to start your planning now. The best hotel options often fill 4 monnths in advance. And, the planning is actually half of the fun. Good luck--you will find tons of help here--especially for honeymooners.

Hi Trav,

I have been planning a similar trip.

We will fly into Rome and train immediately to Florence.

You could rent a car and see Tuscany for a few days before going on to Venice, although we are taking the trains and buse to Lucca, Siena and Pisa.

From Venice you can train to Salerno and take the bus to wherever you will be staying on the Amalfi Coast, or train to Naples and on to Sorrento and then the bus.

Then go on to Rome for the end of your trip.

We have reservations for the Hotel LeSirene in Praiano at the end of Sept, but I don't know if that would be right for you.

Have a great time planning and enjoying your trip.
http://www.lesirene.com/

My parents, who are in their early 70s, have been in Italy since March. They've been driving nearly the whole time and haven't had a problem. So I wouldn't worry about that aspect of the trip! When my parents come home next week, I'll ask my mother (name's Leone; I think she's posted on the Italy forum before) to write up a trip report. On this current trip, they've done Rome, Sorrento, and Umbria. They're have a great time, as I am sure you will. My father got the car from AutoEurope, which they found to have the best rates. Two helpful websites you may want to check out are www.initaly.com and www.slowtrav.com. And this forum, too, of course. Congrats on your upcoming marriage!!

Thanks to all of you for your responses. I have spent a lot of time on this site but am still a bit confused about how to approach the four areas. I have considering leaving Venice off the trip because two friends of mine whose opinions I trust were not as thrilled with Venice as most people seem to be. May fly into Rome, spend the night, drive to Amalfi Coast, spend several days, drive to Tuscany and take day trips to Siena, Florence, then finish up trip in Rome for several days. What do you think?

By all means skip Venice. Leaves more room for those intelligent visitors who actually do enough research to figure out that Venice is more than just the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco.

I have a similar time frame in October. I am flying into Rome, taking the train immmediately to Florence for two nights, then renting a car and driving into Tuscany/Umbria for 5 nights. Then we drop the car and train to the Amalfi Coast for 4 nights, then train back to Rome for 3 nights before we fly out. This hits most of the areas that you want to see and gives a bit of time to each. I plan to return to see Venice and the Lakes, and later to spend more time in the other regions.

For a honeymoon, you might like a less active itinerary. Perhaps just Rome, Tuscany and Florence. Whatever, take it easy. It is the journey, not the destinations that will be special.

Hi travel,

I have generally found that driving, especially in foreign countries, is more stressful than taking trains.

Skip Venice?!!!!!!????????

If you like driving, driving on highways in Italy is among the best in the world, second probably only to Germany. We just drove for a week and had abslutely no problem. Do spend some time beforehand to get maps so that you have good ideas where you're going, which will save you some driving and looking time on the trip.

As for Venice, we loved it. If you have 14-15 days and have not been to Venice, I'd suggest 3 nights in Venice. Make it your last stop so that you drop off the car when you get there (no point in keeping the car in the garage for 3 days) and take the train to Rome for your flight home.

Venice is crowded during the day, but romantic in the evening and at night.

And even during the day not all of Venice is crowded. It's remarkable how you can walk just a few blocks away from the most popular sights and find yourself practically alone. We went to the popular sights in the morning before the poor daytrippers began the daily stampede down Strada Nova. Then we'd go exploring the less visited sights once the daytrippers began to arrive. Worked very well.