I'm so delighted to have found ths forum -- wonderful advice. After posting the other day about this, I've discovered by emailing lots of hotels that my hope of going to Amalfi in August is not dashed!<BR><BR>Our tentative itinerary would be: fly in to Venice. Three days, 2 nights in Venice. Fly to Naples.<BR><BR>Here's the dilemma: I really want to stay at the Villa Franca in Positano, and they only have availability at the tail end of our proposed stay. So we are thinking of four nights at the Luna on Capri (available!) until Villa Franca is available, and then four nights at Villa Franca.<BR><BR>How does that sound? Enough to do on Capri for that period? (Friends of ours did 4 nights there for their honeymoon and loved it, but I hope we're not making a mistake.) <BR><BR>We could also stay at Buca di Bacco, but I think I'd like to be higher up on the cliff. The Poseidon only has rooms on a low floor with a "partial" sea view. Smart choice to wait it out for Villa Franca, or is Positano, well, Positano??<BR><BR>And one last (I promise) question. We could also axe Venice and fly straight to Amalfi to begin our trip, with a couple days at the end in Rome. Or we could even add Rome at the end even if we go to Venice. Thoughts?<BR><BR>Thanks so much. This is the first Italian trip for both of us...

Forgot to mention: the Caesar Augustus is also available on Capri. Thoughts on that vs. the Luna?<BR>thanks.

Jennifer---It's been a while since my honeymoon, but I would have probably enjoyed 3 nights on Capri. Any of the hotels you named would be fine. And for a romantic vacation, don't miss Venice. If anything, I'd suggest at least another night in Venice. And if you don't want Capri, you could always consider going from Venice to Rome, then to the Amalfi coast. That's also a wonderfully romantic trip. Overall, though, thinking that you must be flying into Venice and then out of Rome, I'd probably opt for 3 or 4 nights in Venice, then fly to Rome for 3 or 4 nights, then to Amalfi coast and Villa Franca for 3 or 4 nights, going back to Rome for a day or two before you leave. I'd skip Capri if it were my trip---but you have to choose. It's a wonderful kind of dilemma---enjoy your honeymoon !!!

I agree with Wayne. I think 4 nites at the Amalfi coast is adequate. Try the Casa Albertina or the Palazzo Murat in Positano--as good as the ones you have mentioned.

Thanks.<BR><BR>Do the Palazzo Murat and the Casa Albertina have pools? Are they high or low on the cliff? (I think we'd prefer high.)<BR><BR>Any thoughts on the Eden Roc? They are also available.

if you really want to be high up, try for a hotel in Ravello. It's a lot quieter than Positano, and the views are incomparable. The best hotel there is Palazzo Sasso, but it IS pricey! Do a search on Ravello hotels. and see what you think.

Jennifer: <BR><BR>Your itinerary sounds wonderful. Three nights in Venice will be perfect. The city is very romantic in and of itself, and a nighttime gondola ride ranks as one of the most romantic experiences I've ever had. <BR><BR>The Amalfi Coast is lovely. Four nights on Capri will be perfect, and give you a chance to relax. From Positano you can do a few touristy things, if you like. We were on the Amalfi Coast for three nights, and want to return for 10 nights in order to see all that we missed.<BR><BR>Have a wonderful time!

Hi Jennifer. You will love Positano. Be sure to go up to Ravello and tour the grounds at Villa Cimbrone. I have been to Positano twice in the last few years and never made it to Capri. I just didn't want to leave Positano. However, many say that you really need to stay on Capri overnight to enjoy it. I am going back to Positano in May and this trip I plan to take a trip over to Capri. I am sure it is beautiful, but hard to believe it is any more beautiful than Positano. You can never get enough of Rome. There is so much to see. It is my favorite city in Europe. I am flying into Venice and then taking an Alitalia flight to Naples, where I will be picked up by a car service, Flavio Gioia, so that part of your plan sounds fine. You will be planning your next trip before you get home!

Hi Jennifer:<BR><BR>Do not miss Rome. It is now my new favorite city......the whole Amalfi trip could be topped off there. I was there for a week recently, and would have loved to stay longer.<BR><BR>Have a wonderful honeymoon!

Hi Jennifer,<BR><BR>I don't know your budget, but I just got back from Venice, and the Amalfi region and stayed Positano and Venice. Venice is THE MOST ROMANTIC city that I have ever seen (and I travel alot). We stayed there 4 nites and had 3 full days of site-seeing and it was not enough. I truly advise adding on another day to Venice. Not sure if you have your hotel reservations firmed up in Venice, but we stayed at Locanda Barbarigo and it is a palazzo that is just renovated. Each room is gorgeous, and one room in particular has this "room with a view" window that is quintessential honeymoon material.<BR><BR>In the Amalfi area, you definitely want a room that is higher up and not on the beach. The view daytime and at night is stunning of the Positano cove. We checked out a bunch of hotels (for the next trip!) and Villa Rosa was very reasonable and perfectly situated, on the same street as Le Sirenuse. If you want a little more luxe, a hotel next to Le Sirenuse is L'Ancora; we meet a honeymoon couple that loved it - they had 2 balconies, one with a private jacuzzi.<BR><BR>Also, you must go and see the ruins of Herculeanum. They are on the way from Naples to Positano. It is best to see them en route from Naples and budget about 2 1/2 hours. They are in amazing shape (much better than Pompeii), and the quality is outstanding b/c Herculeanum was the wealthy resort town before it got destroyed by the volcano Mt. Vesuvius around 90 A.D. We took a car service from Naples to Positano with a 2 hour layover and it cost 140 Euro ($128 US). They pick you right up at the train track so you don't have to go outside of the train station alone (it can be a little dicey at times so I've heard), and wisk you away in a new Mercedes, speaking perfect English. Believe me, you want to do this - I heard that taking the train and then the bus thru Sorrento to Positano is a real drag. <BR><BR>About Capri, we stayed 2 nights and thought that was fine, with 3 full days to tour around. You may want 3 nights, just to relax a little more, but 4 nights is pushing it. You can see all of Anacapri (the other town on the island) in 2 hours, and then the Blue Grotto, taking a hike, cruising around on a boat, is one day, and then shopping.

JENNIFER...HOW LONG IS YOUR HONEYMOON GONNA B???????i LOVED pOSIATANO WAS THERE LAST YEAR......POSEIDON WHATEVER VIEW IS GREAT.....BUCA DI BACCO EAT AT THEIR RESTAURANT DON'T STAY IN THE HOTEL....I ALSO LOVE COCO DEI SARACENI IT'S RIGHT ON THE BEACH IN POSITANO...THEY HAVE A SISTER HOTEL THAT'S NEXT TO THE POSEIDON..IT'S CALLED THE ALBERGO ANCORA...NICE BIG ROOMS MUCH CHEAPER THEN THE POSEIDON.....CAPRI WAS A LOVELY ONE DAY VISIT BUT POSITANO HAS IT ALL OVER CAPRI..FROM POSITANO YOU CAN SEE THE RUINS OF POMPEI AND ALSO SORRENTO.....THEN YOU COULD TAKE A LIMO TO THE NAPLES TRAIN STATION AND TAKE THE TRAIN INTO ROME AND SPEND THE LAST FEW DAYS IN ROME....VENICE SHOULD BE SCRATCHED FROM THIS TRIP.....YOU DO VENICE FLORENCE AND ROME TOGETHER ANOTHER TIME....HAVE GREAT RESTAURANTS AND GREAT DRIVER ALSO ....VILLA FRANCA IS WONDERFUL BUT POSITANO IS WONDERFUL PERIOD....LET ME HEAR FROM YOU ALSO HAVE GREAT LITTLE HOTELS IN ROME

thank you all! an embarrassment of riches -- Rome? Venice? How can we go wrong?<BR><BR>We are leaning towards doing Venice another time, making our trip Capri/Positano/Rome instead.<BR><BR>Several of you have recommended L'ancora in Positano. Do they have a website? I'm trying to get rate info. Thanks

Hi Jennifer,<BR><BR>Please do not forgo Venice on your honeymoon. Rome may have lots to sightsee, but Venice is so incredibly Romantic that you will be sorry not to see it as a new newleywed. You will want to take that moonlit gondola ride, and awaken to the singing of the morning gondoliers outside of your window.<BR><BR>In fact, it is very easy to get from Venice to Rome. You can hop a flight on Volare (the Italian internal airline) from Venice to Naples, and their prices are really cheap, so you don't waste any time going on the train. <BR><BR>Take it from me, you will not be sorry !

oh, and we'd also need a hotel in the $200 range for Rome, if anyone has ideas. Would love something centrally located for sightseeing and charming....but we're saving our splurges for amalfi.<BR>I'll be quiet now, I promise. ;-)

jennifer,<BR>we honeymooned in amalfi last year. whatever you do, stay in ravello, at the palazzo sasso (pricey but worth the splurge) and eat every meal you can at cumpa cosimo (cheap, amazing, run by an adorable woman named netta who you will not forget). bucca di bacco is a good deal but in no way luxurious. worth saving some money there for the palazzo sasso splurge. then go take a walk at villa cimbrone and catch a classical music concert there at night. you won't be sorry.<BR>as far as venice goes, be warned that some people hate it as it is FULL of tourists. i think it is definitely worth seeing but would not spend more than a few days there.<BR>have a great honeymoon (you will)

I would also consider staying at the Hotel Villa Cimbrone in Ravello as an alternative to Positano. It is EVEN more exclusive and better positioned for a honeymoon than the (gorgeous)hotels in Positano. It is also a singularly unique experience (even more unique than the gorgeous Palazzo Sasso in Ravello). Just ask Greta Garbo or Gore Vidal or Gabriele d'Annunzio, to name a few........

For a hotel in Rome, try the Hotel dei Mellini. Kay