July 2010 Honeymoon

You should consider the Croatian coast as well.

I like to go north during the summer to escape the heat and crowds.

How about a Baltic cruise? The days are really long that time of year. The stops at ports will get you some history/culture while the ship is relaxing (and on the water).

If you only have 10 days, you would have to go with about a seven day cruise so you have a day on the ground before and after the cruise.

I usually book my cruises through vacationstogo.com but I always wait until at least 90 days out to book when the berths go on sale. They usually get a lot cheaper as the cruise approaches but you can't wait too long because you need to book your air too.

Congratulations!

All your destinations are great and will be beautiful in July, a little hot maybe, but that's OK if you are by the sea.

Oia- Gorgeous, but no beach at the city, you would have to rent a car or take a bus. The city itself is just beautiful, but honestly 10 days would be probably too much, in my opinion. You could however, add in Athens and another island, maybe Paros or Naxos. Day1, leave USa, Day 2 Arrive Athens, Day 3 Ferry to Santorini, Day 4-8 Santorini and Naxos, Day 9 head back to Athens, Day 10 Athens, Day 11 Flight to USA

Naples- very nice, but in my opinion, your other options are better, so I am going to skip this one.

Provence- I LOVE France. Provence is beautiful and there are so many fun towns. You could easily spend 10 days exploring the area. Major drawback though is that the price here is probably the highest you will find in Europe for a beach local.

Spanish coast- COuld be lots of fun but hold out for...

Croatian coast- My top pick. Day 1- Leave USA Day 2- Arrive Dubrovnik, Croatia. Day 3- Dubrovnik Day 4- Dubrovnik, Day 5- day trip to Mostar, Bosnia. Day 6- Dubrovnik, relaxing ferry trip to nearby islands. Day 7- Ferry to Hvar, Day 8- Hvar, Day 9 Ferry to Split, see Split. Day 10, fly to London Day 11- Fly USA

The problem with getting to Croatia is usually you have to go through another stop, like London, to get there, adding another day on your return trip. It is totally worth it though! Inexpensive, beautiful, filled with life!

A Baltic cruise would be great as well, and cost effective, but if you only have 10 days, that probably is not enough time as most of them are 12 night cruises, so with travel you are looking at 14 days.

Kristen,

First of all, congratulations!

All of the locations you mentioned are great. Which one to choose will probably depend on your budget, your preferences and transportation considerations (given the very short time frame).
A few thoughts....

• As Mike mentioned, staying in Oia or Thira means you won't be too close to the beach, but if that's not a concern that's one possibility.

• Amalfi Coast: Naples would not be a good choice for a honeymoon IMHO, but the Amalfi coast is definitely a spot to consider. You could base in either Positano or Sorrento and take day trips to Capri, tour Pompeii or Herculaneum or travel to other locations along the coast. Sorrento has better transportation connections than Positano (ie: Circumvesuviana train) and is a bit larger. Capri is beautiful, but tends to be a bit "pricey".

Another choice you might consider is the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. It's somewhat touristy (and probably even more so in July), but it's a wonderful location and is by the water.

As I mentioned, transportation considerations will probably have a bearing on your choice. Have a look at flights from your area to determine which will be easiest and most cost effective for you. For the Cinque Terre, flights to Milan would be best. For the Amalfi Coast, Rome is best (unless you can get flights to Naples - again, I don't know what's available in your area).

Happy travels!

Well, when I was young,, hot beaches were fun,, and Mykonos and Santorini would absolutely be on the top of my list. Romantic,, ( it is a honeymoon after all) but some nice sights,, low key though,, and although both islands will be in full tourist swing you WILL find quiet beaches.. perfect spots.

I am going to send you a p.m.