Hi Nikidav,

You are getting some great responses to your post, lots to think about.

I just found this trip report you should read:

"These Are Some of my Favorite Things - iamq and M in Umbria
Posted by: iamq on Jul 7, 11 at 8:14pm"

It is posted here in Europe/Italy forums and captioned as above. Good stuff there to read also.

For what it's worth, on my honeymoon 13 years ago, we went to the Amalfi Coast, Rome and Venice (very original of us!). We had both lived in Italy in college and I think we wanted to revisit these classic places as legitimate grown-ups in legitimate hotels. Since then, we've traveled even more through Italy and I have to say that the places I love most and find most romantic, the places where I find myself simply sighing with delight and the places that come to mind when I daydream of Italy, are in southern Tuscany and Umbria.

So I agree with ginovanelli. Fly to Venice, stay 2 or 3 days. Travel by train to Umbria or Tuscany, rent a car. Stay in a charming agriturismo and spend your vacation sipping wine, eating beautiful foods, touring absurdly lovely hill towns, and relaxing. Fly home from Pisa or Rome.

Enjoy the decision-making process. It's one of the few in life where there are no wrong choices, except to pack in too much and miss out on the true joys of Italy.

Oh Positano... you must do Positano. Start in Rome, then maybe Tuscany or Florence, finish a few days in Positano! We went for our Honeymoon and it brings a smile to my face every time I remember it. You will not regret being there.

How about Venice-Siena-Positano/AC? Siena's a beautiful city, friendly scale, near so many great smaller towns if you have the time to explore, and an excellent bridge from north to south (especially with modern trains). Venice-Siena-Amalfi Coast strikes me as VERY romantic, with a different feel to each destination.

PS: I would never give up Rome! It's awesome and I find it pretty sexy as well I like the suggestion that someone else made, Rome 5 days, Positano 5 days. Perfection IMO.

bobthenavigator: Have you been to Hotel Graal (Ravello)? Extremely welcoming staff, small but functional rooms with gorgeous terraces, and restaurant with consistently good (not great) food.

Don

No, have not, Don.
Thanks for the tip. Our last stay in Ravello was years ago.

I am sure anywhere you go without four boys, where you can sleep late, eat in peace and relax will be wonderful. As the others said, just don't rush around too much. have fun and happy anniversary!

Cool John

I'd choose Rome and Positano, but that's because I'm obsessed with the Amalfi Coast. We visited most recently last summer ( fourth visit).

While I completely understand why people are moaning over the crowds, it's possibly to easily escape them. We found a beautiful seaside walk for instance that took us form the center of town along a flowery path to Fornillo Beach.

Unbelievably, we had never been there in our previous visits. But it was a gorgeous strip of sand, more like a cove, that seems to appeal mostly to European tourists ( many Italian families). We spent quite a few very happy days there reading, sipping wine at tiny family-style restaurants, away from the crowds.

Sometimes we'd stop for lunch along the path at restaurant ( Lo Guaracino) built on the top of a small cliff. This restaurant had some of the best food we have ever had on the AC, and spectacular 360 views of the Amalfi Coast. We had lunch there a few times and found it quiet and romantic.

At night, we'd return to one of our all-time favorite hotels, The Poseidon, which is uphill from town. We stayed in "The FUnny room" which has five steps out of tiny living room to a terrace that encompasses half the roof of the hotel. Again, no crowds, just us drinking wine, eating cheese and bread, enjoying the twinkling lights of town and the local church at night.

Was it romantic? You bet. One of our best trips ever.