Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - July 2018 Honeymoon Itinerary Review: Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Rome

italyhoneymoonhelp,

It's hard to answer your questions because travel personalities differ, and also because this is your honeymoon, which for some people makes it a very different kind of trip -- although some not so much.

I certainly think there is a good case to be made for spending at least one night in Siena so you experience it without crowds. (Do you know if there is going to be Palio race during the days you are there?) I haven't forgotten that you began this thread by saying that you are quite attracted to Siena from doing research about it. To me that argues for spending 2 nights there -- but I need to point out that I never care about switching hotels, and if you or your spouse does, you shouldn't ignore that.

Also, I'm a HUGE fan of Florence with a bottomless interest in the Florentine Renaissance, so from my point of view, a first visit to Florence needs a week or more! In fact, I also took my honeymoon in Italy and I totally skipped Florence because I didn't have time to spend 8 days there, and I couldn't stand the thought of any thing less.

I tend to think if you are going to Florence out of curiousity, and will be happy just to be dazzled for a day or two, and are okay with being overwhelmed, and just pick a few gems to see, that's a realistic plan. It could be fun. But if you are thinking: "I hope we can get an early start to see the top 15 sights in two days and time our museum visits efficiently and fit in some shopping too " -- that doesn't sound realistic or fun.

Finally, I'm not a huge fan of the Amalfi coast as a place for activity. My idea of the Amalfi coast is get a terrace, sit there. Period. So that's 5 days max. But if you want to move around & town (Pompeii and Paestum are extreely demanding in July, time-consuming hot) and also truly relax, stick with 6 days so you are sure to get that relaxation.

Trastevere sounds like a good choice for you. It does mean some extra walking or learning to take the bus (very easy & fun), but tranquil Other neighborhood that fits your needs is the Jewish ghetto so long as you keep some distance from the Campo de'Fiori. Just a few blocks, not right on top of it.

If I haven't said it already I will emphasize not to overhink this too much. You are right that the 2 days Florence/2 days Siena is a dilemma. You & your husband are just going to have to take your best shot about what kind of balance you want for those 2 destinations. The rest can't be fine tuned too much more in advance. You'll find out when you're there if you guessed just right or in hindsight would have made adjustments.

Last thought: I think if I opted for 2 + 2 for Florence & Siena, I'd promise myself and my spouse that if after 1 night in Siena we'd really wished we'd stayed in Florence, we'll go back to Florence for a daytrip from Siena!

Have a great trip!