Please sign in to post.

11 night honeymoon (first timers) Aug 23-Sep 4

We're heading to Italy for the first time for our honeymoon and need help planning / maximizing these nights. Flying into / out of Rome. Looking to go to Rome, Florence/Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast. Need recommendations for how long we need in each place and the best way to go between. We're looking to explore Rome and Florence, cooking classes/wineries in Tuscany, and relax poolside/explore Amalfi.

Thanks!

Posted by
143 posts

It is not a lot of time and I am sure other people will post options. But including all your locations:

Depart August 23rd : from which country. If it is the USA, then you leave probably on a red eye. Can you fly Aug 22nd and gain a day? Are your tickets bought? Can you fly open jaw?
August 24th: Arrival in Rome; train to Florence. Night in Florence.
August25th: Florence
August 26th: Tuscany Val d'Orcia in an agriturismo or a small town like Montepulciano
August 27th: Tuscany
August 28th: Tuscany
August 29th: travel to the Amalfi coast. Stay in Positano, Capri or Ravello.
August 30th: Amalfi Coast
August 31th: Amalfi Coast
Sept 1rst:Rome
Sept 2nd: Rome
Sept3rd: Rome
Sept4th: Depart Home

Posted by
4730 posts

Congratulations, may you love long and prosper. After the stress that comes with most weddings, you might want (and / or need) some down time. Doing Rome, Florence, and Tuscany sounds good. But the Amalfi Coast is south of Rome and you might want to save it for another trip to avoid backtracking. Italy appears to be small compared to areas in the U.S. and it is. However, despite the smallness, a great deal of time is "lost" every time you change locations. In addition to actual travel time, there is also the time to pack up, check out, get to the train station, find the new hotel, check in, unpack, and such. If your air tickets have not been purchased consider flying into one city and back from another. Don't mean to sound like Debbie Downer, just offering food for thought so your honeymoon memories are not cluttered up with memories of train stations and rushing to and fro.

Posted by
11247 posts

Congratulations! Like TC, I think it is too much. It will be hot and travel is more draining when it is hot. Drop the Amalfi Coast, which will be horribly crowded anyway. Rome (4 N), Florence (3 N), and a few days (4 N) at a Tuscan agriturismo are plenty for 11 nights.

Order: Florence - Tuscan countryside - Rome.

Posted by
650 posts

Congratulations. Almost 25 years ago we honeymooned in Italy. We have been back several times since and I hope we'll do it again I the next couple of years.

But I would strongly suggest you limit the number of places you visit. It sound contradictory, but you will actually see more, the fewer destinations you try to take in.

I would suggest spending about half of your nights in Florence. Use it as a base for day trips to some of: Lucca, Siena, Fiesole, and/or Pisa. Take a cooking class in Florence. Book a day wine tour from Florence.

Rome has enough sights for two week so five or six nights will just scratch the surface. Take a day trip to Ostio Antiqua. Consider a city food tour.

Posted by
106 posts

Congratulations!
We had our honeymoon on those exact dates last summer :) You are going to have a wonderful time.

If you arrive in Rome in the morning, it might make the most sense to go straight to the train station to Florence. Plan to spend a half day traveling to and getting settled into each new hotel.

My advice is to take it easy the first day- only plan to do one site but nothing too draining. Spend the afternoon walking, eating then go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.

Tell everyone you meet that you are newlyweds - they will be very excited for you! Ask other couples to take your photos. They usually will ask you to reciprocate. This creates a nice sense of comraderie :)