Bob2004

I plan on spending 2 weeks in Italy for my honeymoon in April of 2004. After doing quite a bit of research, this is how we are going to spend our time (each number is a day):

1 - Land in Milan to Lake Como - Hotel Belvedere
2 - Lake Como
3 - Lake Como (leave early) to Venice - Gritti Palace
4 - Venice to Florence - Westin Excelsior
5 - Florence
6 - Florence to Siena - Locanda dell'Amorosa
7 - Siena
8 - Siena to Rome - Hotel Undecided
9 - Rome
10 - Rome
11 - Rome to Positano/Amalfi Region - Le Sirenuse
12 - Amalfi Region
13 - Amalfi Region
14 - Positano - Rome (return flight)

Any comments, thoughts, criticisms would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Bob

Natalia

It may be your traveling style, but to me you are doing alot of jumping around. I would spend more time in Venice and in Florence and day trip to Siena.

baldrick

As Natalia says, too much hopping around. By the way, what time do you expect in April in Como and/or in Amalfi region? Nothing guaranteed.

I would spend 3 to 4 nights in Venice, visit Tuscany with Siena (4 nights) as a base and then go to Rome (5 nights).
Or do Venice, Rome and Amalfi region and leave Tuscany for another time.

Natalia

Good point, Bald..um..rick, Bob it will be cool in Como and pretty empty too, but maybe that is what you want. Amalfi coast should be warmer being further south.

I now say fly into Milan, go straight to Venice for a few nights, then hit Florence for a few, Siena (day trip) or stay one night on the way down to Positano, stay there a few nights, then back up to Rome for the rest of the days (easier since you are flying out of Roma)

baldrick

Anything the matter, Nat...um...alia?

michellebell

I will agree with Natalia. It wil be rather cool in Como. I would stop through the Cinque Terre on your way to FLorence for a night or two, cutting out Venice or Como. It usually is warmer there because of the coast.

bobthenavigator

Hello Bob,
Overall, I like it for a honeymoon. Love your hotel choices. Como may be chilly, but it is still Como. You can use another day in Venice--actually you have very little time in Venice. Hmmm! Hate to say it but perhaps you should skip Venice and train to Florence. I do not understand the Siena reference--get the car in Florence and drive to Amorosa direct. Then, as you leave Tuscany drive all the way to Sorrento to drop your car, seeing Pompeii enroute. You can taxi to Positano. End in Rome--taking the ES train from Salerno--not Sorrento. That solves that last nite problem.
Bottom line, you should not do 6 destinations in that time. Drop either Como or Venice from the front end.
Best wishes and buon viaggio !

ira

Hi Bob,

Interesting trip.

I think you are doing too much traveling for a honeymoon. Who will be doing the packing and unpacking?

I suggest 4 nights in Florence and Siena as a daytrip.

You are leaving Positano and flying home from Rome. What time is your flight - 6:00 PM?

How are you planning to get from Rome to Positano?

You might find these threads helpful:

Ira?s Trip Report
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

Helpful Information: Italy http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340

LaBellaDona

Bob -

Of course, you'll get as many suggestions as people you ask - but here's my 2 cents.

I agree, something's gotta give - for me it would probably be Locanda Dell'Amorosa, although it's beautiful. [But you could go for lunch on your daytrip Tuscany]. Venice is my favorite place in Italy [but, then again, others have other opinions] - so I would either stay an extra day in Venice or in Florence, as you now have it...

I'm suggesting that you drive from Florence to Positano, perhaps stopping in Tivoli on the way just to break up the trip if you don't feel like driving 5 hours.

I would then end up in Rome, dropping off the car, and just hang out in Rome for the last few days before returning to real life.

Here's my suggestion....

1 - Land in Milan to Lake Como - Hotel Belvedere
2 - Lake Como
3 - Lake Como (leave early) to Venice - Gritti Palace [just stayed at the Gritti and was disappointed - you may want to try the Europa and Regina or the Palazzo at the Bauer]
4 - Venice
5 - Venice to Florence - Westin Excelsior
6 - Florence
7 - Florence
8 - Florence to Positano - Le Sireneuse
9 - Positano
10 - Positano
11 - Positano to Rome - maybe the Eden or Hassler
12 - Rome
13 - Rome
14 - Rome (return flight

Good luch k -
Dona

It;s about 320 miles from Florence to Positano - you may want to stop over outside of Rome, say Tivoli (either Torre Sant'Angelo or Sirene)

Patrick

You're really going to Venice for just one night, arriving (hopefully) in the early afternoon and leaving the next morning?
I'd drop Siena also.

Bob2004

Thank you all for the great responses. When we first decided on Italy, we promised ourselves that we would do it at a nice pace as it IS our honeymoon...however now looking at it from the outside in, it is indeed a lot of running around.

The original plan was to have the more "relaxing" locations at the front and back of the trip (we are coming from the west coast of the US) that is why Como up front and Positano at the end. We would also like to spend at least one day at a vineyard in Tuscany, hence the time based at the Amorosa.

We know it will be cold in Como (my fiancee was shivering when she saw the avg April temps!) so out of the entire trip, that might be the stop that we are going to remove. Seems like adding more time in Venice, then flipping the order of days spent in Positano/Rome makes the most sense. Here is what we are looking at now...

1 - Milan to Venice
2 - Venice
3 - Venice
4 - Venice to Florence
5 - Florence
6 - Florence
7 - Florence to Positano
8 - Positano
9 - Positano
10 - Positano
11 - Positano to Rome
12 - Rome
13 - Rome
14 - Rome

Some other questions...

Cut out Amorosa or stay there on the way down to Positano?

Remove one day from Venice and add to Florence?

If we stay 4 days in Florence, do we stay with the Westin in town or go with something like Villa San Michele?

Thanks again!
Bob

Sue_xx_yy

Hello Bob. I like your revised itinerary much better - especially the part about finishing up in Rome. No, I wouldn't cut a day out of Venice for Florence - Venice is your first destination, and you're still recovering from jet lag; I think you'll appreciate every one of those three nights. As it stands, you will have a full day to hit a gallery or two in Florence, and another day to see your vineyard. Don't worry, you'll be back! Then you can breeze down the autoroute to Positano (or even take the fast Eurostar train from Florence to Naples and then use a hired car to take you to Positano.) Have a lovely honeymoon.

ira

Hi Bob,

Much better plan.

The Villa San Michele is about 8 km out of town, almost in Fiesole. You will need to take the bus back and forth.

However, it is fantastic.

LondonMike

No contest regarding the Florence hotel. I would recommend Villa San Michele which is a wonderful hotel (although expensive). If you really want to push the boat out the Junior Suites have small private gardens. Some people also like the Old Chapel room.

There is courtesy shuttle bus to the hotel from the city centre.

Excellent choice of other hotels on your itinerary.

ira

Thanks for the info about the shuttle, Mike.

RufusTFirefly

I think the revised schedule will make a very nice trip. Don't remove a day from Venice. We spent 4-1/2 days in Venice on our first visit and didn't have time for such well know sights as as the Accademia and Guggenheim Museums, various palazzos, or any of the smaller islands (e.g., Murano, Torcello).

e_roz

Well I liked your first itinerary, very similar to our honeymoon last June.

Going with your new plan, I'd only stay 1 night in Florence itself, then rent a car and head into the Tuscan countryside. Stay at your orig. Locanda Amorosa or find another place near Siena as a base point. Tuscany is gorgeous, I'd shave a day elsewhre and add as many as possible to this region. Turn in your car N of Rome, then continue your trip.

Congrats!

ncgrrl

Hi Bob, congrats on the upcoming wedding.

Is any of your honeymoon over Easter? Some things will close for the holiday, but you could attend religious service there.

bobthenavigator

Bob, you just have dropped my 2 favorite locations in Italy for more time in big cities. I may understand dropping the Lakes that early, but keep Tuscany for at least 3 days.

Marija

We've stayed at both the Villa San Michele and the Excelsior and they are excellent hotels. However, our absolutely favorite hotel in Florence is the Lungarno, in a room with a patio overlooking the Arno. If this is your first visit to Florence you really don't want to be dependent on the shuttle to Fiesole. It's a nuisance. You want a hotel that's convenient to the sights and where you can just "drop in" whenever you want. Go up to the Villa San Michele for lunch or dinner, if you want, but my recommendation is to stay in town.