Honeymoon in Italy
 

My fiance' and I get married April 21st and arrive in Rome on April 25th. I have been doing tons of research and still cannot decide where to stay in Rome. Please anyone help.....this is our first time in Europe and we want it to be wonderful.

We also plan to stay in Rome for 2 nights 3 days then head to Positano, we are planning on just renting a car or taking the train whatever we decide when we get there and just stop and stay along the way, no rush at all. We also plan on going to Venice and going to Tuscany through some of the vineyards. Anyone with any suggestions would be appreciated. Hotel rooms we would prefer spending $200 or less a night if possible but since we are staying in Rome the first few nights we could spend a little more for a nicer place. I also have researched some apartments and they seem to have more room then the hotels and are less expensive, I mean how much time really besides sleeping will we be in the room.

I assume we are talking April 21 of next year, correct?

If you can afford it, the Albergo del Senato in Roma is a beautiful, luxurious feeling hotel in an excellent location.

As shocking as it may sound, I am going to suggest you consider not going to Positano in the first week of May, and especially not renting a car to do it. You say you don't want to rush, but there is little to see between Rome and Napoli, and once you are in the area of Napoli, and then Sorrento and the Amalfi drive, the traffic and driving is difficult. Most people take a train to Napoli and then have a driver pick them up to take them to Positano.

Instead, I'm going to suggest you take a train from Rome to Orvieto, visit the cathedral, and then rent a car in Orvieto and drive to a beautiful villa apartment or winery or agriturismo in Tuscany. Relax there, and the drive your car to Venice. Finish your honeymoon there.

Save Positano for another trip.

PS: I should make plain that with a car in Tuscany, you can visit many beautiful and romantic locations as day trips.

Funny you say next April but NO next week. Thanks for your suggestions and information. Why do you not suggest Positano the end of April. I heard that it would be a great time to go since it is not a real touristy time. Did I mention we will be in Italy for two weeks.

Given the geographical stretch you want to cover and the fact that you said you don't want to rush, I think getting in and out of Positano, plus wanting to see both the Tuscan country side and Venice means you'll be on the go more than you think.

Even if you decide to go to Positano -- and you are right that, possibility of rains aside, it's better in May than in August, I still recommend that you not rent a car in Rome and drive there. It is not easy driving, and once you get to Positano, you will have very little use for your car and find it a nuisance to park.

Positano is always touristy. Sometimes there are more tourists than at other times, but it is purely a tourist destination because it is a very memorable location. But the towns themselves are mainly tourist shops. And it's expensive.

It's a very popular honeymoon destination but sometimes people have more fun going to less famous places. There are so many wondrful and enjoyable places in Italy, it's hard to choose. But if you want to relax, don't choose too many, and try not to pick places very far apart.

I hope you are kidding--you really need to book hotels in those locations at least 90 days in advance. I am afaid you are being very naive.

Check out Hotel Villa St. Pio at
http://www.romeby.com/hotelvillaspio/index.html
It's on the Aventine hill, quiet, and very beautiful. Some of the sites to visit are a little further, but I'm sure we're a LOT older than you and we walked it. We took a taxi a couple times. When you walk down the hill you come out at the Circus Maximus. I think you would enjoy it immensely. There are a LOT of pictures on the site.
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Yes, I agree with Bob. I'm sorry I misunderstood. I don't know what you can do if you are going next week. I suggest you try a travel agent, and even then, your budget for hotels is not enough to include Rome, Positano and Venice.

Best of luck to you. I can't imagine leaving honeymoon reservations until less than a week before the wedding. For Rome, your budget is not particularly generous.

And, reserve your car here before you leave. See Autoeurope.com You do not want the car for Positano.

Diane -

Have fun & congrats on the wedding!! We are doing the same the first two weeks of June - & don't even have the flight booked yet (long story).. IMHO I think you will be fine going by the fly - except maybe for Rome- it's nice after a long flight to know what hotel you're going to. I"ve been to Italy several times in the summer - totally unplanned trips - & foudn awesome hotels in venice & the Riviera. I would suggest renting a car to drive through Tuscany. Check out some of the threads on here to find great places.

Just returned from a Rome-Amalfi trip. We had a great time driving, but be ready for brutal traffic and allow lots of time for the coast sections. Even in April, there are lots of tour busses that can be slow and will always demand the right of way around narrow turns (lots of them!)
Hotels looked like they were filling up from day to day - better get those reservations made. We stayed in Sorrento at Il Nido and at Hotel Alimandi (the 3 star one) in Rome.

I have not been to Positano, but would also suggest you save that area for another trip. If you want a beach, why not try Cinque Terre or Viareggio. Close to Tuscany and very nice.

We just stayed at a very romantic B&B in a very small hillside village in southern Umbria. It is best to have a car so you can reach the Palazzo Consoli in Monteleone d'Orvieto. I'm sure you will be pleased with the place. It is very peaceful!! They have a web site, but I could not use it to reserve a room. I had to email instead, but a reply came very quickly.

Carol

check out this article too:
http://www.ultimatewedding.com/artic...articleid=1100

I would also suggest Cinque Terre.

Hi Diane,
I REALLY REALLY hope you are joking about not having anything planned or reserved for a honeymoon that is in less than 7 days! I suggest you contact a travel agent ASAP. Unless you have 10 hours a day to research and plan, which I seriously doubt since your wedding is in 4 days, you need to call in a professional to bail you out. Best of Luck!!!

http://www.daphne-rome.com/

We stayed at the Daphne for part of our honeymoon and loved it.

Thank you everyone whom responded.

I guess a lot of the responders are not spur of the moment type of people, which is okay. My fiance' and I like to see lots of things on our honeymoon and we have traveled all over the states and caribbean and have never had any problems finding a room. Granted this is EUROPE but there will always be a room and if not you go to the next town. I really think it makes the trip that much more exciting not having everything planned out so when we ride through Tuscany if we want to stop in Chianti and stay for a day we can or stop in Siena we can we hate being on a time constraint. And its not that we want to relax but we want to be able to not wake up one morning or do anything if we do not want to.

We also can spend more on a room if need be. So any other great suggestions would be appreciated. Also for any villas or hotels in Tuscany, Venice or Positano (if we decide to still go there)

Who knows maybe we will end up at George Clooney's house in Lake Como.

I will be sure to write back to everyone once we return on how wonderful and exciting our trip was.

Lots of Love,
Getting Married in 2 Days!

Angela,

Thank you soooo much for all your input. I printed that article you sent and it was exactly what I was thinking. Thanks again!

No problem! We're the same way - I love being spontaneous - sometimes that's how you find the best "out of the way" places! Congrats on the wedding!!

Angela-

Since you have been to Italy several times what hotels have you stayed at in Rome?