rahulabrol

Hi, I am getting married in Feb 2013 and wish to spend my honeymoon in Italy. I have read a lot of articles on this forum and found them to be very helpful. This has also motivated me to ask for customised help as I havent visited Europe ever before.

I am planning a 8-9 days honeymoon out of which I want to spend 3-4 days in a countryside villa and the rest in more busy cities like Venice, Rome etc. I would be flying out of India and have following questions -

1. Between Florence / Tuscany belt and Sicily which one would you recommend for the 3-4 day relaxing stay? Also, any particular B&B/farmhouse etc that you would recommend in this place?

2. Will it be too cold in Italyfor comfort? What all should I carry with me to help me with the weather?

3. Can you please comment and share your views on the tentative iternary I have in my head -

a. )Fly to Florence / Sicily and stay for 3-4 days in countryside villa / B&B. If possible, do day trips to nearby cities, do a tour of winery, horse riding, river side tour etc.

b. ) Take train from above location to Venice and spend another 3 days there.

c. ) Travel to Rome or some other city and spend 2 more days before flying back to India.

I request your views and comments on the above as it will really help me plan better. You can also email me at [email protected]

Cheers
RA

Jinky

Is it 8 or 9 days?

Are you factoring in travel days?

What is your budget?

You say <i> "Fly to Florence / Sicily" </i> WHICH ONE? They are far apart and very different.

That being asked, your itinerary is all over the place. In that short of time, stick to Tuscan villa/Florence, Florence/Venice or Sicily/Rome

StCirq

Lots to deal with here:

1. I would do either Italy or Sicily; you haven't time for both. A villa in Tuscany, assuming you have a car, would be ideal for visiting a lot of sites in your short 3-4 days.
2. Without knowing what temperatures you're comfortable with, it's hard to say if it will be "too cold" for you. It will undoubtedly be chilly and possibly rainy. You'll need layers, an umbrella, boots, scarf, gloves, hat, rain gear.
3. Wineries are dead in February, though of course you can sample wine anytime all over Italy. I doubt horseback riding establishments are open that time of year as well. Not sure what you mean by river side tour. Even if you were situated near a river, the Italians aren't as keen on river boat rides as other European nations are.
4. I would spend more time in Rome than in Venice at that time of year. I'd probably skip Venice altogether.
5. You don't actually have a full 8-9 days, as every time you move from one location to another you lose a half to a full day. So, if you do three locations, you actually have 6-7 days.

Doppio

Wait, you are just now planning a trip that will take place 2 months from now??

Doppio

It's your honeymoon. Don't rush and try too see too much. You don't have a lot of time.

How about just rent a gorgeous Tuscan villa for the whole time and enjoy your spouse? Maybe rent a little Fiat and see the countryside together. Also, if you have that villa as a base, you can always take a train up to Florence for the day.

Slow down and relax.. enjoy this.

annhig

Hi, I am getting married in Feb 2013 and wish to spend my honeymoon in Italy.>>

rahul - Italy is a big place, and in February, i suggest sticking to cities where you will find it easier to keep warm - coming from India i suspect that wandering around the Tuscan countryside is not going to be very pleasant for you, whereas being able to scuttle between cafes, museums and galleries will be more fun.

in fact with only 6-7 days i think that i would stick to one city - Rome - and do day trips to places like Orvieto or even Florence.

if you must have variety, and can manage a few more days, fly into Venice [sorry St. Cirq but I disagree with you here, IMO it's lovely any time of year] stay there 3 nights, then get the train to Rome, and fly home from there. [that's called and "open jaw" ticket and shouldn't cost more than a round trip ticket].

hope you [and your bride] have a wonderful trip.

nytraveler

Not sure what the weather is like where you live. But I would guess Italy will be colder - a lot colder. While snow is unusual it's certainly possible in every place you mentioned except Sicily.

You are also trying to do way too many places in very limited time.

In 8 days I would stick with one major city - where bad weather won;t mater so much.

If you prefer the countryside - but it will be brown and crunchy in winter - you need to rent a car - and find a lace fairly close to a number of different towns.

Agree that riding stables are unlikely to be open - nor is riding a lot of fun if it's 45, windy and rainy. (The horses just want to get back to their stables as quickly as possible. And if you get ice or sleet you have to keep getting off to clean their hooves if you want to prevent them sliding around ten remounting - this happened to us once and we eventually walked them the last mile back. Though in NY, not Italy.)

And not sure what you mean by riverside. Which river? Do what? There are a lot of lakes - but lake resorts will be mostly closed for the season and boat rides very limited.

mamcalice

As suggested above, you should consider limiting your 7 or 8 day trip to one or two destinations. I would concentrate on cities - the countryside is not lovely in the winter. Consider either Venice and Rome of Florence and Rome. Fly into one and out of the other.

StanB

The further north you go the colder it will be. Florence averages about 50 F in February. There are numerous sites that can give you this info (and forecasts as you get closer) for various cities. Use the google. I think...considering it's your honeymoon... I'd limit the trip to two locales so you can see stuff AND savor the experience. Rome...find something in Campo Fiori or near the Pantheon/Piazza Navona...get a tour bus pass... and then Florence with perhaps a side trip to Siena (UNESCO world Heritage). Book any tours ahead of time so you don't waste time standing in line. Have fun! Save Sicily for another trip.

rahulabrol

Many thanks to all of you, much appreciate your help and advice. Lack of knowledge about the country resulted in the iternary looking like all over the place. From what I hear -

You all are suggesting me to stick to two places and preferably cities and not countryside. The two cities can be Rome and Venice.

I also liked what Doppio suggested - rented a beautiful Tuscan villa and renting a Fiat to see the place around. Is it possible to spend 5 days there and then three days in Venice?

Can you all please also answer the following queries that I now have -

1. Considering it will be cold and wet, what all things/activities can I do when I am there in either the countryside, Rome or Venice. You guys said that wineries, horse riding etc would all be closed.

2. Do I need any special driving licence to be able to drive in Italy? I currently have Indian driving licence.

3. Last option, not conseidering it yet still, do you think I should cancel Italy and pick some other country considering it would be very cold there?

Many thanks in advance.

StCirq

It's February, and it's going to be cold all over Europe. Only you can decide what a drawback that is for you.

To drive in Italy, you need an International Driver's Permit. Not sure how one gets one in India - in the USA, we get them at the American Automobile Association. It's basically a translation of your regular license.

Sure, spend 5 days in a Tuscan villa and drive round (recognizing it will be cold and the landscape could be a bit leak and things will be closed), then go to Venice. Sounds like a good trip (if you arrange open-jaw air tickets). There are plenty of Tuscan towns like Siena and San Gimignano that won't be totally closed up where you can visit museums, check out a few shops, etc. BTW, you won't necessarily get a Fiat. Depending on what class of car you choose and what the rental agency has in stock, you might get any number of kinds of cars. And you'll pay a lot extra if you need an automatic transmission.

Rome and Venice is also a good option, again with open-jaw tickets.

rahulabrol

Hello everyone -

I would like to thank all of you for the great help and assistance in preparing my itinerary. After all your suggestions and reading myself we are going to follow the program below -

Feb 7th and 8th - Rome

Feb 9th - Feb 12th - Positano

Feb 13th - Feb 14th - Milan/Lake Come

Feb 14th - Feb 16th - Venice

While all other options have been chose and closed, I need assistance in deciding between Milan and Lake Como (or any other alternative if you may suggest). Can you please tell me the things to to in both the locations and which one would you suggest? Also is it possible to stay in Lake Como and may be make a day trip to Milan (so as to make the best of both worlds)

Thanks and Best Regards
RA

Jean

It would take you 7 hours on Feb. 13th to travel from Positano to anywhere on Lake Como. Sunset will be at about 5:45 p.m. Uness you leave your Positano hotel before sunrise, you won't have an opportunity to see any of the lake that day. Then, you're leaving on Feb. 14th for Venice, a journey that will take more than 4 hours. This doesn't make sense at all.

If you went to Milan instead, you'd have the afternoon and evening to see a few sights and have a much shorter train ride to Venice the next day. I would skip Milan and head straight to Venice from Positano, but this is your trip so you get to decide.

jamikins

I don't think positano or the lakes are a good choice in Feb...there is a chance you may get snow as well. Winter in Europe is generally cold and wet. It wouldn't be my choice to spend my honeymoon in a potentially wet and cold sea or lake side resort town where many things will be closed for the season.

I think you have two too many destinations...I would stick to Rome and Venice, taking the train in between, as they have lots of things to see inside.

rahulabrol

Jean ad Jamikins - I would be leaving from Positano on 12th morning and plan to stay in Lake Como on 12th and 13th...leaving for Venice on 14th morning.

I understand what you are saying wrt to travel time and weather, do you think it makes more sense to go to say Tuscany belt/Florence for two days instead of Milan/Lake Como?

Thanks again for the help

RA

jamikins

It will take you all day to get from Positano to Lake Como, leaving you the 13th to see it before spending another 1/2 day driving to Venice if I understand you. I think what Jean is saying is that you are spending a lot of time getting to these places on unscenic motorways in winter, and not enough time actually seeing the places you are visiting.

I guess the question is do you want to spend your honeymoon driving on an unscenic motorway 1/2 the time, or sipping wine in a lovely Italian town.

Like I said above, I think you need to cut your destinations in 1/2 so you can actually enjoy the places you are going.

I dont think the Lakes are a good plan in Feb - I believe most things will be shut up, the scenary will be wintery - not what I would picture for a day at the lakeside. I think you woudl be better off choosing city locations as there are lots of things to do, they are generally warmer due to the heat of the city and there are lots of indoor activities to keep you busy if it rains the whole time.