Hi, We're planning our honeymoon and this will be our first time so please help us if you can. We plan to fly out to Paris for 6 days then take a flight to Venice for four days, then train to Florence for 4 days, then train to Rome for 6 days then fly home from Rome. Could you please recommend some hotels in Venice and Florence ($120?) and any good day trips to take. We would love to take a day trip to a wine country/town so if you have any suggestions, please share. Thank you very much. Btw, we're going from sept 4th to 22nd. Thanks.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32214 posts
Amanda, First of all, congratulations! My first suggestion would be to pick up a copy of the Italy 2012 Guidebook, as that contains a wealth of information on things like Hotels, sightseeing, transportation, etc. For accommodations in Venice, you might try This Pensione. In Florence, have a look at This Hotel. You didn't ask about Rome - have you already booked accommodations there? For day trips, you might consider either taking a trip to Siena (by Bus) OR possibly try to fit in two nights there on your way from Florence to Rome. That's a good "wine country" location. Happy travels!
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
83 posts
I booked all my hotels on booking.com and had good luck based on reviews there. While in Florence, we did a walkaboutflorence.com tour called Best of Tuscany which I thought was pretty cool. You are going to have an awesome time....happy travels!
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11 posts
We used Trip Advisor for the hotel reviews and then booked direct with the Hotel. Be warned however, that if you choose your hotel using this method you will end up in a Hotel with customers mostly from the US! :-) Definitely think about the small B&B's for a honeymoon- a bit more personal. If you get time take a day out in the hills and vineyards of Tuscany. Slow Days does a great day tour from Florence, visiting a small family run vineyard, slow food restaurant and a castle all in one day. Don't try an pack in too much- it's your honeymoon after all! Good luck!
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10241 posts
Congratulations! I have to commend you for your itinerary. Many first time visitors try to go to way too many locations for the time they have. Yours is a very good pace. Venice is expensive you may need to increase your budget there. Have you considered apartment rentals? You can often find them to be less expensive than hotels. You would have more room (European hotel rooms are often quite small), and you can prepare some of your own food if you desire. My husband likes apartments because he can have as much coffee in the morning as he wants. No free refills in Europe!! I use vrbo.com and homeaway.com for apartment rentals. Since you know your itinerary I would try to reserve your lodging ASAP.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
209 posts
We honeymooned in Rome and Florence in September. It was more than grand and very romantic and fun. You are going to have a great time. There are relatively few crowds then and the weather is perfect. The suggestion about apartments is a very good one. It would be both cheaper and more private. And yes, you could have a second cup of coffee. Do double check what kind of beds you will have in Italy. Two singles in a double room is common and perhaps not exactly what you want on a honeymoon. Many of the hotels and apartments were once palazzos and have rooms facing the streets and rooms facing the interior courtyard. If you like to sleep in or night sounds bother you ask for a room facing inward. If you like to people watch in the mornings, choose a room facing the street. CONGRATULATIONS
Posted by
St Petersburg Florida
951 posts
Al Ponte Mocenigo was amazing in Venice. Room 5 is a balcony room over a small canal. http://www.alpontemocenigo.com/ Hotel Loggiato dei Serviti in Florence was also amazing. We were upgraded to their room 12, a 2 story room with so much space, over looking a square.
http://www.loggiatodeiservitihotel.it/ Both rooms were affordable....but we went in the winter so room rates are way less. But check them out. i would return to both hotels in any season.