jfelker

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I are getting married July 9th and are planning to honeymoon in Italy soon after that. We realize it's not the *best* time to go, but we're teachers so it's our main vacation time.

Right now we're looking at leaving on July 12th (arrive July 13th) and returning on July 26th. We're planning on flying into/out of Naples and making Sorrento our home base for the first part of our trip. For the first few days or so, we'd like to relax (beaches, sightseeing, etc.) and do some easy day trips - Amalfi Coast, Capri, Pompeii, etc. Closer to the end of the trip we'd like to spend 2-3 days in Rome and then head back to Naples to fly home. We have also considered an open jaw flight - flying into Naples and out of Rome... We're leaving for Toronto, Canada.

We have a budget of approx. $5000 which needs to include our flights, but of course we'd like to spend less if possible. We're not looking for fancy places to stay, but we'd like to be comfortable and beautiful views would be a bonus.

If anyone has the time to help us with our itinerary, the best way to get from one place to another, hotels, etc., that would be wonderful.

Feel free to suggest other places that might fit into our plans as well.

Thanks so much!

Jill

MoonGirl

Definitely fly open jaw; there is rarely a large difference in price these days, and you really don't want to have to backtrack to Naples on the date that your flight departs. Alternatively, fly round-trip into Rome, and take the train into Naples -- the high-speed train will get you there in about 1.5 hours from downtown Rome (or take a slightly slower train at reduced cost). The potential advantage of this option is that there is a greater variety of airlines that fly into Rome than into Naples, and you also stand a greater chance of catching a sale fare (to the extent they exist).

Good luck!

kybourbon

It will probably be cheaper to fly in and out of Rome (you can train or bus to Amalfi Coast). Naples flights are usually higher from the US than Rome, but try both and open jaw switching cities.

Apartments may be a good option since you will be staying several days in each location. I would look for places with AC at that time of year as it will be very hot. Do you want a pool on the coast? It's hard to suggest places when we don't know how big of chunk airfare might take out of your budget.

For the Amalfi area, you might want to get the Campania Artecard - 3 day Tutta La Regione (27€)- which gives you admission to two sites (Pompeii, Herculaneum, etc.)and three days of transport (Naples to Paestum). This card is the only one that includes transport (buses/local train/Naples metro/trams).
http://www.artecard.it/

For Rome, something similar, the Roma Pass for 25€(does not include Vatican City).
http://www.romapass.it/p.aspx?l=en&tid=2

jfelker

Thanks for the replies so far.

kybourbon - it's looking like it's going to cost us approx. $2600-2800 CAD for the flights...

We're going to look into the Artecard and Roma Pass.

Thanks for the suggestions!

nytraveler

I hate to say it but I think a budget of only 115 euros a day for room, food for 2 and sights (after you deduct airfare from your C $5000) is going to be very difficult to live within - esp considering it has to include intercity travel.

You should definitely go for whichever option will give you a better price on air fare (either RT Rome or Naples/Rome open jaws) since that is such a huge part of your budget.

Since it;s you honeymoon you won;t want to do hostels or convents - but I think you really need to search out and lock in pensions or B&Bs now. Also suggest you have a look at the student type guides - Let's Go and Rough Guides - to find things that are free to do as well as places to eat that are super low cost.

Mimar

So that leaves $2200 - $2400CAD for all the rest of your trip: hotels, food, transportation, admissions, gelato, etc. At most $185CAD or 134 euros per day (at the current rate). That's not a lot. Look for hotels at 60 - 80 euros/night. I looked at Sorrento on www.venere.com, and there were some options at 60 euros, including an apartment. The latter would allow you to save by doing some meals in. But check where these cheap hotels are. You may spend any savings on bus fare or shoe leather.

That should get you started.

jamikins

That is definitely going to be a tight budget. Also try www.eurocheapo.com

I would really recommend if you are on a tight budget to book an apartment and move around less. Enjoy the place you are, so maybe an apartment in Rome for a week and one in Sorrento for a week. The more you move around the more expensive your trip will be. Apartments will allow you somewhere to bring food and drink home and eat which is cheaper than eating out.

One warning though - be sure you stay in the centre of things. you dont want to book a cheap place on the outskirts and then spend all your time commuting and there is the extra cost of that as well. Plus on the outskirts you dont get the vibe of the ancient cities and its more difficult to wander out at night and enjoy the city.

Happy Planning!

jfelker

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies and the links to various websites. Originally we were going to focus on Sorrento and surrounding areas and then head to Rome for a few days, but we're considering trying to see a little bit more... AND our budget could be stretched to $6000...

Can anyone recommend an itinerary that includes a bit more of Italy? We're looking for a good mix of sightseeing and relaxation. Below is our modified version of Rick Steves 22 day Italy itinerary. We really have no idea what we're doing, so it might not make sense. Please feel free to make suggestions as to things to add and/or things to leave out, etc.

Day 1: Arrive in Milan, explore Milan, train to Lake Como, sleep in Varenna
Day 2: Varenna, train to Venice
Day 3: Venice, sleep in Venice
Day 4: Venice, sleep in Venice
Day 5: To Cinque Terre, sleep in Vernazza
Day 6: Cinque Terre, sleep in Vernazza
Day 7: To Siena via Pisa, sleep in Siena
Day 8: To Civita, sleep in Civita
Day 9: To Sorrento via Pompeii, sleep in Sorrento
Day 10: Sorrento, sleep in Sorrento
Day 11: To Positano or Paestum via Amalfi Coast, sleep in Sorrento
Day 12: To Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 13: Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 14: Rome, fly home

Could we fly into and out of Rome with this itinerary? Would it be beneficial to buy a rail pass or buy tickets as we go? A friend recommended we should see Florence as well... So much to consider! We'd love any input!

Thanks!

Jill

Dayle

jill,

I do not like the idea of trying to follow a tour group's route - unless you are able to add days to each location! A tour group can move around more easily and cheaply than a private party (they have everything planned out and provided for you). When you do it on your own, you are not paying group rates, you have to figure everything out for yourself and everything takes LONGER than you expected!

I would not recommend this itinerary for a first visit, honeymoon during the summer. Several of the destinations are not that easy to get to, therefore not worth it for a very short visit.

Everywhere in Italy is wonderful. You will probably return many times like most visitors. Don't try to do it all in one shot. Plus, the more you move around the more expensive it becomes. LESS IS MORE when it comes to bella Italia.

My personal travel style is to move around more than a lot of Fodorites and I've always been an ambitious, non-stop sightseer. After 3 trips to Italy, I've finally learned to slow down.

I've been to the Amalfi Coast twice and I would not try to travel around much on a summer visit there, unless it can be done mostly by boat.

I'd pick your 3 top destinations and plan your time. Personally, I love the major cities and the scenic beauty of Italy and like to mix up my trips with both. If you visit Rome and Florence, some more relaxing time in the countryside in between would work well. Venice is more relaxing (no cars) than the other two.

Buon viaggio!

StCirq

You were far better off with your original plan. Zipping around to a new place every two or three nights, especially on a honeymoon, eats up a lot of time, energy, and cash. Pick two places, preferably where you can find a reasonable apartment, and relax and savor the atmosphere. You have the rest of your life to rush around from place to place. Seeing everything often means seeing nothing.

kybourbon

You can not do the same route as a bus tour. They are not having to get to and from train/bus stations or worry about their luggage when they stop somewhere such as Pisa or Pompeii enroute to somewhere else.

FYI - Just getting from Siena to Civita could eat up most of a day. Same for Venice to CT. Do you really want to spend all your time on transport and in stations?

ellenem

Keep in mind that you may be jet lagged for your first day or two of arrival, so planning so much moving around in the first few days may be sheer torture.

Also keep in mind that every time you change hotels it will eat up at least half a day packing, checking out of hotels, traveling to train stations, riding trains, traveling to new hotels, checking in, and so forth. Some of your proposed connections will take up most of a day. You propose 7 hotel changes in 14 days. Therefore, you will probably lose at least 4 of your days just to traveling and dealing with hotels--leaving 10 days to "see" Milan, Varenna, Venice, Vernazza, Siena, Civita (di Bagnoreggio?), Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, and Rome.

If you really want to add more to your excellent original plan of Sorrento (Amalfi Coast) and Rome, Then here's how I would adjust your plan:

Day 1: Arrive in Milan/or better yet, fly to Venice, sleep in Venice
Day 2: Venice, sleep in Venice
Day 3: Venice, sleep in Venice
Day 4: To Cinque Terre, sleep in Vernazza
Day 5: Cinque Terre, sleep in Vernazza
Day 6: Cinque Terre, sleep in Vernazza
Day 7: To Siena, sleep in Siena
Day 8: Siena, sleep in Siena
Day 9: To Sorrento via Pompeii, sleep in Sorrento
Day 10: Sorrento, sleep in Sorrento
Day 11: To Positano, Amalfi Coast, sleep in Sorrento
Day 12: To Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 13: Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 14: Rome, fly home

Here's the "night" count for this still-ambitious schedule:
Venice-3, Vernazza-3, Siena-2, Sorrento-3, Rome-3

A better schedule in my opinion that still balances city, country, and seaside with more time to relax an experience each place:
Venice-3, Siena-3, Sorrento-4, Rome-4

nytraveler

Agree that your first plan was much better - and with an expanded budget somewhat more doable. But - you are still deep in the budget area in terms of lodgings and meals. Changing to an itinerary in which you move every day or two will really drive up your costs (you will have to pay for a bunch of train tickets and at restaurant meals versus cooking in an apt) as well as taking a LOT of time just getting from place to place.

If it were my honeymoon I would stick to 2 places and use the extra funds to possibly spend 1 or 2 nights in a pleasant, romantic hotel - then head to budget apts for the rest of the nights.

Sorry I can;t be specific - this isn;t our price point - but I have read enough posts here to know there are a few pretty hotels on the Amalfi cost that are still within a tight budget.

Jinky

I am going to throw something totally different into the mix.

THIS IS YOUR HONEYMOON. Romance, relaxation, enjoying the beauty, tastes and sounds of Italy. Do not rush. Do not try and do so many things on a tight budget. Trust me, traveling is no fun when you are with your husband and trying to scrimp. We did that once and it was not fun. The 2nd time (our honeymoon) in Europe, we stayed in one place and took day trips. Much better.
More relaxed, an no arguing about money

Since it's a honeymnoon, I suggest flying into Rome for a few nights, then taking a train to Tuscany. Views, food, romance.. all you can ask for. And it is much more relaxing than Naples, Almalfi, etc. Rent a villa or apt for a week (5 nights or 7 nights) and just chill out with your man. Drink wine, eat amazing food, go to the market in the morning and cook meals together in the evening. You could even rent a little car through Sixt Rental. They have Smart Cars for a really cheap weekly rate. Use that week to explore small towns and get to know the culture and a relaxed pace.

Drop off the car, then maybe take the train up to Florence and explore the coast - Cinque Terre is gorgeous. Again, go for an apartment rental or cute B&B.

Italy will always be there when you decide to go back. Believe me, there is no sense in rushing and trying to see it all at once. You will be spending more time traveling, packing and unpacking, and worried about your budget the whole time. That's no way to spend your honeymoon. It should be romantic, relaxed, sexy and fun!

Jinky

How's it going Jill?

DinaMia

We are planning our first trip to Italy as well (end of May) and our budget is the same. (Though I found airfare for $2100). I utilized this site quite a bit and this is what I came up with

Day 1 Arrive in Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 2 Rent a car and drive into Tuscany, sleep here
Day 3,4, 5 same place (staying in Agritourismo near San Gimignano....plan to head out on day trips to Siena/Pisa/Lucca....wineries).
Day 6 Return car to Florence, staying in Apt (rented from vrbo.com) Day 7, Day 8, Day 9
Day 10 Taking train back to Rome, staying in Rome for 2 nites same place as Day 1.

Really recommend the Agritourismo site www.agriturismo.it/en/. I corresponded by email. Everyone was very nice. Even though our stay isn't during the main peak time, there were quite a few places that did not have availability.

I hope this is helpful. I'm certainly no expert. I hope we don't have any major snafus (sp?). We really wanted to see it all and were advised the same thing, so we really just had to prioritize (we made a list of our "next time" places). My husband is a farm boy who really was not excited about city stuff, so we had to compromise.

We are celebrating our 20th anniversary! Congrats to you....

jamikins

DimaMia - your trip sounds lovely. Only change I woudl make is to take the train to Tuscany your first day and rent your car. Hopefully the place you are staying is convenient for short driving lenght (dont want to drive on jetlag!)

Or train to Florence stay in Florence, rent your car and stay in Tuscany and then hit Rome all togehter. It will save you moving hotels for 1 night on arrival.

kybourbon

>>>Day 1 Arrive in Rome, sleep in Rome>>>

I would not stay in Rome twice. I would train to Florence upon arrival and start the vacation there (days 1,2,3), move on to agriturismo (days 4,5,6,7), drop car in Orvieto and train to Rome (8,9,10). I would see if you could switch the apartment and agriturismo dates.

jfelker

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your wonderful help! We're still working away on the plans... We still haven't booked a flight - aaahhhh! I keep seeing sales, but the travel dates go until just before we can leave! Is it possible that we might be able to get a deal on airfare over the next few weeks? Right now I can get two roundtrips on Sunwing (?) for approx. $2000. I've been told $1000 per person is pretty good?

As for our itinerary we're leaning more towards our original plan... Start with a home base in Sorrento (although I can't find any apartments to stay in that are within our budget...I tried VRBO and other recommended sites...) and visit Amalfi, Pompeii, etc. Can anyone recommend another area near Sorrento to stay?? Or other sites I can look on for apartments? We're thinking approx. 5 days in or around Sorrento? Then we'll head to Rome? We don't really know where to stay here... We're also wondering if we could squeeze in some time in Tuscany? Or would that be too much again? Finally, we're trying to avoid renting a car... I've read a lot of posts where people suggest to rent a car for the Tuscany area? Can it be done by train?

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. We're both elementary teachers so from this point on to the end of the school year, it gets pretty busy. With the wedding, planning this trip, report cards, etc. I'm driving myself a little crazy! I really appreciate all the help! Keep it coming!

Jinky

Not enough time for Tuscany, and yes, you really do need a car there, unless you want to spend all your time on buses and trains.(which would not be any fun)


I suggest for a better time, pick TWO places and stay a week at each place. You seem like these are the two places you would like to be the most.. so:

1) Sorrento:

http://www.initaly.com/info/apts/sor...seasideapt.htm
PHOTOS: http://www.initaly.com/info/apts/sor...eapt/album.htm
*Character: Simply furnished but with all modern amenities and lovely sea views.
*Advantages: A great location in the quiet part of downtown Sorrento, close to all the transportation so you don't need a car.
*Location: Overlooking Marina Grande, in a residential neighborhood on the edge of downtown Sorrento

- - -

http://www.relaisvillarena.com/

- - -

http://www.coemysorrento.com/
Check Giulia 1, sleeps 2 with amazing views!

- - -

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren...5#section-rate

There are more at that site as well

- - - -

2) Rome

My suggestion. The Roman Forum apartment that sleeps 2.
130.00 Per night and you get a WHOLE apartment in an amazing location. Totally worth it.
http://www.dolceroma.it/bb-colosseum.htm
Photos here: http://www.dolceroma.it/galleriai.html

or

http://www.romanreference.com/

- - -

PS: What about Amalfi instead of Sorrento. May be worth looking around. I think it's nicer than Sorrento.

http://www.grottadeifichi.com/location/

and

Great deals at this site for rentals.
http://www.amalficoastrental.com/


I hope these suggestions help, or at least get you pointed in a good direction