Hello! My fiance and I are in the planning process for our honeymoon. We plan to travel in July for two weeks. Yes, short we know, however, our funds are limited. I am a teacher and he is an office manager of sorts. We are footing the entire bill for our wedding and honeymoon, so we are somewhat limited, but would like to fit as much as we can in our trip since this may not happen again for a very long time if at all.
We have researched some of the blogs and postings on this site as well as others. We were looking for more ideas and "hot-spots" to hit as well as advice for travel/debit card usage in Europe. We are wanting to focus on Italy, France, and Spain with hopes of making it to Greece. We have a very small budget, but we are looking forward to this trip. We are hopeless romantics (ugh I know) and we enjoy scenery/architecture-much like that found in Charleston, SC. We are also beach bums at heart. Hopefully we will get a lot of site seeing in for little money while there. We love picture taking too. We would like to experience as much as possible in such short time. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Salt Lake City
28 posts
Before we get into details, could I suggest limiting your time to one, or at the most, two of those four countries? If you try doing anymore, travel will eat up most of your two weeks - or most of your money if you fly in and out of each country.
Maybe start by making a list of everything you know about each country that you'd like to see including your ideal temperature and cuisine, and compare those to pick your country?
To get you started:
Italy - Rome, Vatican, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, etc.
Rome Average Daily High = 87
Spain - Barcelona, Alhambra, Escoriale, Toldeo, etc. (I know the least about Spain)
Madrid Average Daily High = 87
France - Paris, Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, French Riviera
Paris Average Daly High = 76
Greece - Athens, Parthenon, Delphi, Meteora, Corinth, Olympia, Aegean islands
Athens Average Daily High = 92
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
Suggest you limit your travels to THE romantic country, Italy. You can save alot of time and $ by concentrating on one area instead of losing lots in travel time. Can't beat the scenery, architecture altho the beaches are not the draw you will find some beach time in parts of S. Italy and CT. Lake Como, Venice,Cinq. Terre, Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Sorrento and Amalfi coast. use atm withdrawals for your euro cash stay at small B&B, family owned places. July is peak season you will neeed to reserve way ahead.
Posted by
OP
Cullowhee, NC, US
2 posts
Thanks for all the advice guys! This is really helping. =)
Posted by
Charlotte, NC
49 posts
Lauren,
I also love Charleston and agree that Italy would be best for you. I remember walking through Lucca, Italy (near Florence) and thinking it reminded me of Charelston! There is alot to be said for limiting your trip to just one country - lower cost and stress. remember, you and your husband will be responsible for getting yourselves and your luggage from place to place - no easy feat with trains, cobblestones, the occasional hill and almost nonexistent elevators. As for the beach bum in you - Italy has great beaches - the Cinque terre that you have likely seen many people write about and of course the Amalfi coast. If you haven't already, perhaps you should see if your local library carries Rick Steves travel DVD's - watch the ones on the places you are thinking about going and that may help you make your decision. France is also a beautiful country and the beaches on the riviera are awesome. I just left France 2 days ago myself. As for Spain and Greece = I've not been so I can't really comment. Best wishes and good luck.
Posted by
Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
290 posts
Lauren, I agree with the other posters here that two countries in two weeks would be the best plan, and that Italy should be one of them. A few days in Rome, then head for the Amalfi coast or the Cinque Terre. Lots to do and see either way.
As far as the second country, I suggest Greece; it is easy to get to Athens, just a 2.5 hour flight from Rome. Yes, it will be hot in July, but typically not much more so than Rome. The way to beat the heat is to see outdoor stuff in the morning, then spend the afternoon in a nice air conditioned museum, at a beach or under an umbrella at a cafe (a siesta isn't a bad idea, either). Spend two or three days in Athens for the ancient sights then head for the islands or the Peloponese for scenery and beaches. With only two weeks, I would divide my time more or less equally between the two countries. Have a great trip and as most of us say, assume you will return.
Posted by
Paradise
6664 posts
Lauren: Hope your honeymoon is indeed a romantic one. Some thoughts:
1) Good advice above to limit the time you spend moving around from country to country.
2) One way to get a taste of different cultures is to pick the right destination - one where you can, in an hour or two, find yourself in another culture. If you visit Freiburg, Germany, for example, you are a stone's throw from the Black Forest, from France's Alsace region (Colmar, Strasbourg) but also from Switzerland (Basel). Stay in Luxembourg, and you can be in France, Belgium, or Germany in a heartbeat.
3) Having (unwisely) traveled to Italy in the summer on 3 separate occasions, and once in winter, I can tell you that Italy is incredibly unromantic in the heat of summer, lovely in winter. I would advise you to stay north of the Alps in July, especially if you are on a budget, as budget rooms generally have no A/C and rooms with A/C cost dearly. Leave Italy, Spain, and southern France for another time.
4) Lots of honeymooners stay in a castle for a night or two. But you don't have to pay $250 a night for this experience. Bacharach's Castle-hostel "Burg Stahleck" has rooms for couples and you'll likely pay less than 60 Euros double including breakfast:
The whole Rhine and Mosel River area is very romantic - many castles, lots of wineries, nice biking paths along the rivers, cruise boats, gorgeous scenery.
5) I'd suggest picking 2-3 destinations; do daytrips as outlined above. Vacation rentals can often be had cheaply if you stay 3-7 days. We rented here - 40 euros per night for a lovely place overlooking the river:
http://www.mittelrhein-ferienwohnung.de/st-goar/germany/rhine-river-view/index.html
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Hi Lauren. Of the countries that you mentioned, I recommend : go to France. Italy and Spain and Greece have a hot climate in July. The northern lakes in Italy are pleasant in the summer, but it is crowded with thousands of vacationing Italian people. I suggest : read about resort towns in the Alps region in France, and Burgandy and Alsace.
Posted by
Paradise
6664 posts
One more tip. Book well in advance and pay at home when possible. My wife and I are both teachers as well and really had to watch the $ this summer with the dollar as it is. We went to Ireland and Poland this time and found amazing deals available by booking in advance online at the orbitz/hotels.com/booking.com sites - we averaged $60/night double, Motel 6 prices, really, only these places mostly included breakfast! These prices were possible for bookings of 2-3+ days, as a rule. If you use the credit card at home, you avoid the currency exchange fees you will pay no matter how you pay abroad. And you avoid getting a worse exchange rate later on if the dollar dips. And deals like this are simply NOT available if you just show up on the doorstep of some European hotel.