HELP FOR A HONEYMOON ;)

Hi Shawn,
For a honeymoon, I'd slow down a bit and enjoy each destination. Here's just an idea:

Venice 3 nights

Florence 3 nights (day trip to San Gimingnano and/or Siena)

Cinque Terre 2 nights

Milan 1 night

Congratulations!

Shawn, spend a few hours reviewing the hundreds of entries up in the search column. You will find about 99% of your answers, but we will assist with anything else.

For starters, you are planning way too many overnights.

Have a trip wedding and trip!

Thanks! That is good info... We are going by train. It is just easier to me. Do you think that is a bad idea?

You definitely need to slow it down so you can enjoy yourselves. Sharon is right on with her suggested changes. And, yes, the train will be perfect.

With your list of destinations, yes, use the train.

Shawn,
Traveling by train is a great idea and very easy in Italy. Here's a link that will help you plan for the distance between the cities that you decide to visit (see the link to "Train Travel Times.")

Trip Planning

Shawn,

Doing it on your own and going by train is just fine. However, I agree with Sharon's itinerary (see above). Slow things down a little bit so you can enjoy each destination, without having to pack things up and travel again almost every day. Spend 2-3 days in each spot, and use Florence as a base to daytrip to Siena and/or San Gimignano (especially if it's a Monday when many sights in Florence will be closed).

Have a great honeymoon!

Sharon has a great idea. Couple of thoughts here. Grayline has a bus tour from Florence to San Gmignano and Siena that leaves from the train station around 8AM and gets back about 5:30PM I seem to recall. Left Siena at 4PM. Costs about 65 Euros per person and includes guided tours of the sights in both towns, plus lunch in Siena. We passed on the free lunch to eat at a restaurant on the square and the people watching was well worth it.

If you can get an apartment in Florence for three nights in the right location, and you don't mind cooking a bit, you can go out to the piazzas every morning to find fresh fruits, veggies and flowers to make your day. You can walk everywhere in Florence.

Take the time in the CT to hike the trails between the villages. If you're in good shape, you can do it all, which is about nine miles. If not, some are easier and the views of the Med are breathtaking. If you get tired, there is always the train that keeps a regular schedule. Try to climb the steps in Vernazza to the trail toward Monterossa and take the picture of the harbor that Rick closes out all of his videos with. You know, the one that always follows him coming out of the red phone booth. It was one of my goals before I left home and I really treasure that picture. CT wine is great and you must try the Anchovies in Vernazza...baked in olive oil with diced tomatoes, sliced potatoes and olives. It was the best meal I had in Italy, and nothing like the Anchovies we get on pizza here.

Last words of wisdom....remember that you are in Italy, and to truly enjoy it, you really have to BE there.

...and try the stuffed mussels and a slice of lemon tart in Vernazza!

Sharon, please don't talk like that. You're making me homesick for a foreign country and my favorite town there, Vernazza. Even though the wine was great, I though the grapes I bought on the street were the best I've ever had. The gelato too. Trying to go back alone in September to hike ALL of the trails. My wife understands because I spent most of the time taking care of she and her mom.

Maybe you should add more nights to Florence rather than Venice....imho Venice is a one trick pony....

Jim, great quote!! Shawn ~ I also like Sharon's itinerary as it is much slower. Keep in mind you can't see everything on one trip. Enjoy & Congrats!

Keep in mnind that, in my opinion, there is much more to do in Florence (and much bigger lines there) than in Venice. Grab a guidebook and figure out what you want to do in each city and I think you will find there is more that you will want to do in Florence. Also, keep in mind that in the low season, some of the shops are closed on Sundays and Monday AM in Venice.

Also, I just got married in December. Keep in mind that you will be exhausted after your wedding. You may want to give yourself a week or so at home to relax before you go.

My tolerance level for Venice is precisely 21 hours. Unfortunately, it's become so incredibly tacky and commercial that it spoils the experience. Moreover, it's very expensive and is known for the worst quality food in Italy (on average of course).

I would recommend to spend 2 days/1 night in Venice. Siena and San Gimignano in comparison are great ideas and you should love it. The rest of the itinerary is also good. I would have changed Milan for Turin or Bologna, but I understand you have a flight constraint there.

Good advice except, they are going on their honeymoon, for goodness sake! Sharon's suggested 3 nights in Venice is right. The jet lag and orientation to a foreign country will take care of the first day. That leaves one full day to explore Venice proper and one day to travel to other islands; and 3 nights to be serenaded by gondoliers, sipping wine in a canal-side cafe, or on Piazza San Marco looking into each others eyes. If you really want to move a day around somewhere, maybe make Cinque Terre 3 nights. In that scenario you could split the hikes up into a couple of mornings and spend the afternoons sunning on the beaches or claiming one of the rocks near Monterosso for your own swimming/picnicking platform. I love Florence, too, but you will be back, probably sooner than you think. Save the deeper exploration of the art and countryside of that region for a later trip. Jim's suggestion for the bus tour is a good idea. It is a break in the middle of the trip from having to manage your time and transportation yourselves. and gets you talking to other travelers, sharing stories. Also, one of you should journal your trip - just a few lines each day with postcards stuck in to illustrate - it will be a treasure many years from now. Have a wonderful trip!