CarlosSandoval

First of all....Thanks to everyone for helping me out with recommendations, feedback and etc etc. I was able to pull my itinerary together for my honeymoon on 9/10-25.

I'm using my Delta points so we got free tickets (in / out of Milan), however I wish I could fly into Milan and fly out of Rome, but there are restrictions with using miles points.

In any case, here it goes:

Venice 2 nights at Hotel Ai Do Mori
Florence 2 nights at Relais Cavalcanti
Siena 2 nights at Palazzo Bruchi ...explore siena and some surrounding villages/towns
Then off to Siena for 1/2 day, then to
Cinqueterre (Riomaggiore), I have rented an apartment with www.arbaspaa.com for 4 nights.
Rome 3 nights at Marriott Grand Hotel Flora (using my Marriott points here - staying for free)
Milan 1 night at Milan Marriott Hotel (using my Marriott points here - staying for free).

Any thoughts, recommendations, feedback! They are all welcome

travelslone

you can fly into milan and out of rome with delta miles. just booked for june 2005.. its called an open jaw..into one city and out of another but you have to leave and return to the same city in the usa if you want to open jaw in italy, if not you can open jaw in the usa.... only one openjaw allowed or one stopover allowed. but seats have to be available in the right class of service.

travelslone

by the way..stayed at the marriott grand flora..and loved it.. you will also. just booked again using points in june 2005. these rooms are hard to get using points. i am surprised you got rooms using marriott points for sept 2004. wow. unless you are using more points to get the rooms?
anyways you will love the marriott grand flora.. nice quite and swank area.

rine1967

Perhaps you have mentioned this in an earlier post, Carlos, but how are you getting to all of these places? Are you using public trasportation or are you driving?
My only "reservation" about this itinerary is going from Siena to the Cinqueterre--that's a day long trip anyway you look at it. I think there is a typo is your itinerary when you say "then off to Siena for 1/2 a day" Do you mean Pisa or Lucca? Or some other town west of Florence?
Anyway, this sounds like a lovely and generous trip, I can't imagine a more wonderful way to spend a honeymoon. Have a marvelous time.

CarlosSandoval

Yes, I'm using all Marriot Points, but they had only a set of dates that I could only use my marriott points so I was able to get it. I'm using public transportation (train-Eurailpass). I actually meant to say ...off to Pisa for 1/2 day, then to La Spezia and then to Cinqueterre.

Thanks again everyone!

ira

Hi Carlos,

You haven't bought a railpass yet, have you?

Go to www.railsaver.com and enter your itinerary for 2 people. Click "only if it saves me money".

See if it recommends a railpass.

If it doesn't, see if you can get a refund if you have already purchased.

CarlosSandoval

actually, I bought the eurailpass already, but I did a benchmark and I would've save approx. $16.00 if I would've gone with railsaver.com

JeanneB

Carlos: This looks like a terrific trip.

Please write a report when you return, including Palazzo Bruchi in Siena. I'm considering it for a February trip and would like to hear your thoughts. (Those exterior stairs in the pictures look a little intimidating.)Grazzi.

RufusTFirefly

5 Terre for four nights seems a bit too long to me. It's pretty and all, but you'll see the same pretty lots and lots over 4 days. And it's not as if it's an undiscovered paradise. I'd add one day to Venice, and, if you are really into Renaissance art and architecture, one day to Florence--one day to Rome otherwise.

mgfit

Since you will be in CT for a few days...if you need a day trip optio, take the train to the Portofino area (about an hour). We stayed in a charming town next to portofino....Camogli. There were not a lot of sites, but it was simply charming...no tourists. We got some of our most beautiful photos from there. The buildings are brightly colored along the water. A great little place to stop in for a few hours...very close to Portofino so you could do both.

ira

Hi carlos,

Looks like you have planned well.

Look forward to your trip report.

Remember, if you want to take an ES* train with your railpass you will have to make a reservation in advance.

CarlosSandoval

Ira,

Thanks. Yes, I'm aware of the reservations in the fast trains. I believe I can make the reservation when we arrive in Malpensa Airport, If i'm correct there is a booth or office that I can go to instead of waisting time making a line at Milano Centrale Station.

Ciao!

Carlso

shellio

Carlos, I see you're staying at the Relais Cavalcanti in Florence, where I stayed for a couple of nights last October. Great location, comfortable rooms and bathrooms, but looks a bit off-putting when you arrive, with no sign and a daunting staircase. Don't worry, it's charming and the sisters who own and run it are great. Enjoy the trip and congratulations on your marriage!

amy_zena

Carlos are you on fodors now?
Is the schedule in your first post in the order of which you will visit the cities in Italy?? Is it set in stone?

CarlosSandoval

Hi Amy,

Yes I'm here. Yes, It's pretty much set in stone. I don't want to play around with it too much, at least that's one less thing to worry about before I get married...haha!

amy_zena

I understand...
It was only the order in which you are visiting the cities I was concerned about. Your trip sounds nice though.