Itlay Honeymoon June 2013
 

Hi

I was wondering if anyone would be able to help with our honeymoon plans?

We are getting married in June 2013 and plan to leave for a 14-16 day trip to Italy (having never been to Italy before). We would love to visit Venice, lake Garda, Florence, Siena, Rome, possibly Pompei and the Amalfi coast but understand that we will probably not be able to visit all of these destinations within our timeframe.

We haven't set a budget yet however would like the final figure to range between £3000-£4000. We would ideally like to travel by Train/Plane and will be leaving from the UK (South West).

Does anyone have any recommendations in terms of a realistic travel plan including places to go/avoid, time spent in each destination, hotels/B+Bs to stay in, how to transfer between locations?

Thanks in advance

Dan and Holly

This is based on husband and mine travel method. It may not work for you:

First, go ahead and get your plane tickets asap. Fly into Venice and out of Rome (or Naples) if possible because international flights leave quite early our of Venice (I don't know about UK--only USA). Every time you change cities, prepare to lose approximately 1/2 day in travel. My hub and I usually made 3 towns as bases for that time frame.

That being said, group Venice and Lake Garda, and Florence and Siena by making Venice and Florence bases for day trips to Garda and Siena.

From Rome you could do a monster day trip to Pompeii/Amalfi area. Hire a driver if you can afford it, or look for tours.

Since you mention lakes and beach areas, perhaps omit Florence/Siena this trip and add days to Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast. area.

Other Fodorites can help more, I expect. But congrats and good luck!

If you are coming from the UK, I think you should fly into Naples so you can go to Pompei and the Amalfi before it gets too hot, if your ultimate itinerary includes the south. I see no huge rush to buy tickets. Figure out first what your itinerary is going to be. If you ultimately decide you don't want to see the Amalfi but do want to see Rome, I would fly to Rome first from the UK for reasons of weather. Fly back to the UK from wherever in the north you end your trip.

The most scenic area of Lago di Garda is its northernmost leg -- which makes it difficult to include in a trip that also takes in the Amalfi coast. I suggest you think about which set of rocky cliffs by the water you most want to see, and just see one of them. (It is also very time consuming to access the most scenic parts of the lake using public transportation, and it looks like you don't have the leisure of time).

Your budget is really quite generous for 16 days, although Venice and the Amalfi get very expensive is you want "honeymoon"-type lodgings there. It is a bit cheaper to splash out in Tuscany if you feel a need to splash out.

In thinking about what is your essential honeymoon in Italy, think about how much time (if any) you want to spend in Florence. If you only want to see it for a day, you might enjoy spending nights in Siena and seeing Florence as a day trip from there. Depends on how much museum-going you want to do in Florence. If it's a lot, then see Siena as a day trip from Florence.

All the places you have mentioned are several hundred to several thousand years old and they are not going anywhere, so pick the places where you want to go for your honeymoon with the idea you have a lifetime to enjoy coming back and -- (this is important) -- this is YOUR honeymoon. Some people cannot imagine a honeymoon without Venice. Others cannot imagine a honeymoon without Capri. Yet others can't imagine skipping Florence. Their lack of imagination is their problem. Don't make it yours. Decide what sounds like a honeymoon to the two of you -- whether that be active and art oriented, or scenery and lazing or whatever.

congratulations Dan & Holy :)
IMO going round Italy by train is the most convenient choice thanks to www.trenitalia.com
We were in Italy in 2011 summer for 34 days so what we write depends on real and fresh experience.
If you start with Venice and fly back from Naples you can cover most of your itinerary.
my suggestion might be like
Day 1 arrival (from the airport to your hotel alilaguna waterbus is recommended) www.alilaguna.it
Days 2,3 Venice
Day 4 Venice(day trip to Murano and Burano islands)
train to Florence(2 hrs)
Day 5 Florence
Day 6 Florence(day trip to Siena and San Gimignano)
train to Rome (1,5 hrs)
Days 7,8,9,10 Rome
train to Naples (1,5 hrs)
Day 11 Naples
Day 12 Naples-day trip to Pompeii(circumvesuviana train-40 mn)
train to Salerno (40 min)
Day 13 (day trip to Positano-ferry/70 min)
Day 14 (day trip to Amalfi-ferry/35 min)
Day 15 train to Naples (40 min)

As to (budget and central) hotels,we can recommend
Ca Centopietre in Venice
Hotel Accademia in Florence
Best Western Plaza in Naples
Hotel Plaza in Salerno

we will be glad to give more details :)

Firstly we have to say a massive thanks. This is the first time we have ever used a forum like this and this info is invaluable so thanks greatly!

We'll take time working through your kind suggestions and hopefully sort out an amazing (individual) honeymoon!!!

thanks once again

Dan and Holly

My all time favorite places in Italy are Venice, Positano (Amalfi coast), and Tuscany.

Please don't put off buying airline tickets--we always paid less buying in advance.

TDudette,

Were you flying to Italy from the UK?