Help! Last minute honeymoon trip to Rome/Florence!

I myself havent been to Roma in 25 years but I still keep up with touristy things in Italian cities. In my researches on Rome it seems that indeed is true. The colosseum does sell out months in advance and, for example, the month of March isn’t even visible on their booking calendar yet but I’d bet it’s sold out already. Don’t use third party websites to purchase tickets. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

Thanks, Jon... But the tickets to the Colosseum open 30 days out which is why March isn't available yet! Appreciate the response though!

I know I left off the Uffizi... We're not art people. Am I really missing a lot by not including this?

Since we don't visit art museums in San Francisco (near where we live), we developed museum and cathedral fatigue when visiting Italy. Our visit in June to Pisa and Cinque Terre (about a day and half total) from Florence was a refreshing break from that fatigue, but I don't know what the weather is like in Cinque Terre for March. Since you're not art people, you won't be missing anything by not seeing the Uffizi, I honestly don't remember a thing from our visit there, except standing in a long line to buy tickets.

My wife and I did our honeymoon in Rome and Florence 20 years ago in March. The indelible memories I go to most are simple things like figuring out buses and trains and our quirky hotel. It was our first time in Italy and luckily, we have made Italy a small habit.

Be careful of trying to do too much. You can’t go wrong scheduling one event per day and using the rest of the day to wander. Plan on getting out at sunrise and sunset. If a guided tour sells out, there are options in other languages. Over the years, we have experienced many of the items you have mentioned and still some we have not. Next time.

Should we start with Colosseum, then forum, then Capitoline, then Pantheon?

I think this is a bit ambitious for one day. Your entrance to the Forum is good for the 24 hours following your Colosseum entry, so consider splitting over two days - especially if you think you'll find the Forum interesting.

If you're high energy you might consider popping into the Pantheon on arrival day, while you're walking around. It doesn't take that long. You could also stick your head into a church or two along your walk.

Hi NoviceTraveller - welcome to the forum!

What a wonderful surprise! Sounds like you've landed yourself a keeper. :O)
Just off top of my head...
Rome:
I don't think you need to do the "Heart of Rome" walk on Wed. night: you can pass by most of the landmarks along that route on your way to the Pantheon/Colosseum/Forum earlier in the day.

Your Colosseum ticket includes the Palatine as well as the Forum (Palatine and Forum are connected inside the outer security barriers) and I'll recommend that you do both. We have done Colosseum/Palatine/Forum/Pantheon/Capitoline in a day (getting an early start; Pantheon first) and it's a LOT so I wouldn't plan on your feet managing much more that day.

St Peter's/Vatican: that's going to be another trying day on your feet as well as a trying day managing crowds. You might be able to manage Sant'Angelo too, since it's close by, but San Clemente is ALL the way across town, nearer the Colosseum, so you'd spend valuable time (and shoe leather, if walking) backtracking.

Other:
With the limited time you have, and not wishing to run from one place to another, I don't see how you can comfortably add any more than what you already have. I'm not sure what's on the "Pilgrim's Rome" list (March 7) but will assume it includes Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano (Santa Scala is right there too) and Basilica of Saint Paul Outside The Walls. All of these are papal basilicas and 'Holy Door' churches during the 2025 Jubilee. I don't know as you can cover them all in one morning - Saint Paul Outside The Walls is quite a distance from central Rome - but if you hustle, maybe you manage at least SM Maggiore, San Giovanni and Santa Scala in a morning. Trying to squeeze St Paul's in, you'll need to take the metro B line to the Basilica S. Paolo stop and walk a block or two from there. Do make sure to check visiting hours/mass hours for all of them so you'll know when they're open and not holding services. Accessing the Holy Doors requires advance registration, otherwise just use the standard entrances. Skip San Paolo (it's a near total reconstruction after a fire in 1823) and you might squeeze in San Pietro in Vincoli (St Peter in Chains) or San Clemente.

The Capuchin Crypt and Mamertine prison are also skips, IMHO. Go back to Rome another time and see one of the VERY old and historic catacombs. These are interesting original subterranean burial grounds in the 2nd-5th century (you won't see any remains) versus bones which had been moved/arranged in the 17th/18th century.

Last Suppers:
There is a "Last Supper" in the Sistine (Vatican) and another in San Marco (Florence):
https://piningforrome.com/the-last-supper
http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/san_marco_last_supper.html

One more notable fresco at San Salvi (Florence) but it's outside of the historic center so not I'm not sure how you'd fit that in.
http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/san_salvi_last_supper.html#

Florence:
By the time you get from Rome to SM Novella, to your hotel and checked in, you'll only have a few sightseeing hours left versus 1/2 a day. Your one FULL day itinerary is already, well, very full so adding more would be tough. Cinque Terre (mentioned by another poster) isn't a possibility; you'd need more days.

As you're staying close to Piazzale Michelangelo, climb up further to San Miniato Al Monte: a very old and important lady with an interesting adjoining cemetery (Porte Sante) & fabulous view!!!
http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/san_miniato.html
https://www.feelflorence.it/en/node/12125

You're going to have a great time!

We were in Florence in March 2023 (16-22 Mar). We made a conscious decision to the Firenze card and concentrate on museums, also got the duomo pass (without the dome or bell tower). I think Accademia was incredible, much more than I expected. We were there on a Saturday morning, reservation for 11:30am and the street in front was crazy crowded. We're going back this year and I plan to reserve the first opening time in the morning. That would be my recommendation. The lines outside on the street seem chaotic but are color coded based on ticket type/reservation time and organized. Once inside, the crowds were more maneagable than I expected. We really enjoyed San Marco museum, and didn't find it too crowded, but we did that before going to the Accademia.
The Uffizi is amazing but overwhelming, even though we had one of the earliest time slots in the morning on a week day, it was still pretty crowded inside. If you decide to skip it, don't worry about it.

we didn't do food tours in Florence, but used Eating Europe in Rome and did the Taste of Testaccio tour which was fantastic! If you decide to do that, don't eat anything for breakfast, and don't plan on needing much dinner!