Honeymoon trip/ first time in Europe ( Sorrento, Florence, Como, Rome) Recs on things to do

Hello and best wishes on the nuptials. Rome is a very big city and you only have two days. I would try to really drill down on a few things you want to see in Rome and plan it from that perspective. There is so much to see so identify your top 3-4.

Two days in Rome is not very long, so I think you really need to prioritize because you won't see it all. I do think it would be worth paying for tours for the Colosseum and Vatican Museums if those things are on your list for the sake of saving yourself some time and hassle there.

Hi, any chance you could switch Lake Como to two days and give that extra day to Rome? Otherwise, it’s over four hours by train from Lake Como to Rome, so you only have an evening and one full day in Rome. (9:35am - 2:10pm; 10:35am - 3:10pm). Depending on where you’re staying in Rome, you will likely need a taxi, and traffic is congested, so don’t book activity reservations within a couple of hours of arrival at Roma Centrale station. (Ooh, a hint! Know which train station you’re exiting. There are multiple train stations with Roma, and you will want Roma Termini.. Don’t accidentally get off at Roma Tiburtina.)

For only one full day in Rome, I would skip the extremely crowded Vatican & Coliseum (inside tours). Try to maximize your time by not standing in too many lines. For instance, while you are at the Pantheon, walk behind and stop inside nearby Santa Maria sopra Minerva to see the gorgeous blue ceiling frescoes & another church nearby - Sant'Ignazio di Loyola has a beautiful painted ceiling that you can view with the large mirror on the floor. Those two churches are gorgeous, free, and no lines.

Trastevere is a fun neighborhood for dinner, located on the west bank of the Tiber River, if you would like a bohemian, cobblestone, lively vibe experience.

Saving money: Buy your longer fast train tickets now to save a lot of money. But, they are like plane tickets; you must ride that exact train & time. I use the Trenitalia app. Or, Trenitalia.com.

I’ll just tell you what I’d want someone to tell me if I were you: can you cancel the Como hotel? Putting those three days toward your Sorrento and Rome stops would really provide a better balance and restore some of the time lost to transit. If not; no worries—you’re young and will have the energy for it: I just feel like a honeymoon especially needs a bit of breathing room.

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

This:

Rome is a very big city and you only have two days.

If you are staying 2 "nights* in Rome, you only have one full day to work with. Travel from Lake Como to Rome is going to eat a hefty chunk of a day: approx. 5 hours or more depending on where on the lake you'll be located + travel to/from train stations + getting settled in a new hotel. You'll only have a few hours in the late afternoon and the evening on arrival day to sightsee.

So, if this is the case you're going to need to be very selective, and attractions available to see depend on your interests - must-dos are only must-dos if they are for YOU - and your actual dates, as many have a closure day each week. As well, the most visited of them are going to require advance, timed-entry tickets. Your best friend at this point is a guidebook: spend some quality time with it and pick out a couple of things that you both agree on. You will need to do that soon as June is going to be a busy time in all of your destinations & it's closer than you might think!

Are you counting your time in the other locations in # of days or nights? Could you also share what tours you've booked in Sorrento and Florence? That may help us get a grip on the sorts of things you both enjoy.

However this ends up, you're both going to have a lovely time!

PS: I'll agree with Jean on taking a day from Como (where on the lake will you be?) and adding it to Rome. It would give you more time to explore a very old and important city at a bit less than a dead run! Heck, I'm even with valadelphia on scrapping Como altogether as the Sorrentine/Amalfi Coasts could use more time too. After the wedding whirlwind and long journey to Sorrento, more time to catch your breath and relax a bit would very likely be welcome! :O)

If counting in nights:
Sorrento: 4 nights
Florence: 3 nights
Rome: 4 nights

(Edited a bunch of typos)

I absolutely agree with Kate that dropping Lake Como would make your trip much less complicated. Also, you’re probably picturing Lake Como as the Instagram photos of a serene, carefree location. Unfortunately, it’s now very busy with long ferry lines, etc.

I’d give Florence four nights & Rome three nights. That would give you the chance for a half-day minivan wine tour in the Tuscany region and/or a fun day out at Siena.

Please know that we’re trying to be helpful, but this is YOUR trip. Do exactly what you want and enjoy your lovely honeymoon!

I’d say the same even if it was not a honeymoon, but especially as someone who planned her own honeymoon 23 years ago and still wishes she had slowed down a bit! We went back to that country three times and you’ll be able to do that, too. Como and Venice would make a great anniversary trip down the line…
Don’t underestimate the power of getting all the way there and being bummed you have to move to a second place already(!) when you’ve barely caught your breath.

Hahaha, as I wrote this many others said basically the same things.. OK, hope I've edited out most of the redundancies. And welcome to the Forum! I agree wholeheartedly with Jean and Valadelphia, & Kate, fewer locations would allow you to see more. Jean's ideas about churches also means you can cool off inside! It's June, so it will be WARM. So what are your interests? This is a very busy trip & people underestimate the time it takes to pack, eat, catch your breath, plan the logistics to travel, & get between destinations. Not to mention enjoy being together as newly weds, congrats!

We’re flying into Naples and staying in Sorrento (3 days)- Is this 3 nights at the hotel? Since it's your honeymoon, I suggest asking your Sorrento hotel to book you a car pick up at the NAP airport. Also ask the hotel for restaurant recommendations. What tours have you booked? In June Pompeii will be very HOT. (We highly recommend Askos Tours, they have a daily 9:30 departure from the entrance near the Circumvesuviana, but that's an early hotel departure.) And touring the Amalfi coast by ferry would be much nicer than by road, there's a lot written about it here on the forum. (Use Google to search "Rick Steves Forum Amalfi Coast", as an example, I find the search engine in RS Forum a bit too cumbersome.) Here's a bit about Sorrento -https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/sorrento

Florence (3 days), 3 nights? There's a LOT to watch here on RS! https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/florence

Rome - Is this just 2 nights? So you have the day you arrive by train & fights to the US usually leave early. Some of my friends have really enjoyed an evening walking tour of the center of town, to get oriented. Maybe start here - https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome. Try to get to Trevi Fountain first thing in the morning, or it will be jammed.

PS, Consider downloading Google Translate, it will come in handy. You're not going to need much of this, but buried in my last Rome Trip Report is a list of restaurants & a lovely way to escape the heat - book a time a few days ahead to see Vicus Caprarius, the underground aqueduct museum close to Trevi fountain, an unusual gem where you see the water flowing below you. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/rome-was-jammed-over-ny-but-still-fun. I hope you have a fabulous trip!

Dang it, I forgot to add that personally I would skip the inside of the Roman Forum & the Coliseum. (Unless it's THE THING you need to see, then budget for sore feet, heat, & far in advance booking.) There are some great views overlooking the Forum. (Walk up into the Capitoline Museum square with Marcus Aurelius on horseback, continue slightly right between the 2 museum buildings, and to the viewpoint.) So you could start there in the evening, then walk to the Coliseum, there's a road that runs through the Roman Forum from the Capitoline Museum, by Trajan's Forum to the C & it will be floodlit, magical!

I’d give Florence four nights & Rome three nights. That would give you
the chance for a half-day minivan wine tour in the Tuscany region
and/or a fun day out at Siena.

Yes and yes but I'm a lover of Florence so there's THAT. Still, as Jean has suggested, there are some very nice day trips out of that one. Yep, I could go for Sorrento 4 nights, Florence 4 nights, Rome 3 nights but she wisely counseled, this is YOUR trip and we're just trying to help sooooo......

Hello Steven-welcome to the forum and congratulations on your marriage!

How many NIGHTS do you actually have on the ground in Italy?
Count your trip in nights rather than days-gives you a clearer picture of how itinerary flows
It looks like 11 nights
When you say Sorrento 3 days is that 4 nights=3 full days or 3 nights which equals 2 full days plus jet lagged arrival day?

Are any of your accomodations and flights changeable/refundable?
If they are not it doesn’t do you any good if we make suggestions for itinerary changes

I agree with above that you probably have 1 too many locations and a lot of time spent transitioning
I think Como should be dropped
That’s a lot of travel time for what I assume is just 2 days there

All of your location choices are known to be extremely crowded -I would like see a bit more relaxation time on a honeymoon !

Sorrento is a great base for the Amalfi Coast but is not ON the coast
2 full days just doesn’t do the area justice-transportation around there is overcrowded and chaotic
I would suggest adding 2 of your Como days to that area-2 nights on Capri or IN an AC village

Rome should have more time but I think it’s ok to just give it 2 nights this trip especially if you can arrive before noon-which can’t happen coming all the way from Como (can happen coming from Florence)
You can always return to Rome!

With that 3rd Como night you could add a night to Florence which gives you time for a day trip/ small town experience

Sorrento then Capri or AC 5 nights
Florence 3 or 4
Rome 2 or 3

If your departure flight can be changed to Milan you could skip Rome and keep Como
Spend night before departure in Milan

Sorrento 4
Florence 3
Como 3
Milan 1

But do let us know if anything in your plan can be changed

Oh lol
Never mind

I see your update on number of nights
So actually your plan is really pretty good
You’ve still got a few long travel days
Plan to take a picnic with you on those long train rides!

I don’t think you need to plan any tours for Como or Rome.
Food tours are a lot of fun-Eating Europe tours are very good so that’s one I would consider

I would skip the Vatican, see Colosseum from the outside but do try to get tix for the Borghese

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all the input—I really appreciate it. I’ve updated my original post to include how many days and nights we’ll be spending in each location.

Hotels:

Sorrento – Hilton Sorrento Palace
Florence – The Hoxton
Como – Hotel Barchetta Excelsior
Rome – The Glam

Sorrento (3 days):
We have a boat tour planned along the Sorrento Coast, including Positano and Amalfi, for one day. Another day we’re planning to spend at Arienzo Beach Club in Positano. The third day we’ll keep open to relax and explore more of what we enjoy.

Florence:
We’ve booked a cooking class and a wine tasting experience in the Chianti region.

Lake Como :
I’m really looking forward to taking the ferry or possibly renting a boat to explore the lake. We’re also considering heading into Switzerland for a day.

Rome :
Probably St.Peters Basilica and the dome climb. We will probably do another trip next year and just spend much more time here.

Thanks for updating your info, Steve! Nice to know that you have a bit more time in each destination than we'd thought.

Quickly, as this was a red flag for me, I'd seriously rethink that day at Arienzo Beach Club. After looking through the booking terms and conditions, cancellation of their boat shuttle due to rocky seas (a occasional possibility even for the big ferries to Positano) will involve reaching the place by land, and you have to figure that out yourself. As well, their booking rate is non-refundable, even on a day of light rain or high wind. If it's SO bad that they have to close the club altogether, that "does not constitute a breach of contract and does not entitle to monetary refunds." You can reschedule the reservation, subject to availability. If that's not possible "due to unavailability or guest constraints, the amount paid will be converted into a non-refundable credit" at a list of their services.

https://booking.arienzobeachclub.com/terms?_gl=1*26tnpg*_gcl_au*MTU5NDAxMjQ4OS4xNzc2NzkwNzg1

All-in-all, not very flexible? I took a look at your hotel and, oh gosh, 6 swimming pools with free loungers and towels, a poolside bar, ability to leave your valuables in your room nearby, short walk versus a ferry + boat shuttle needed to get to them (both ways and that's if the shuttle is running), and you're out nothing if the weather doesn't cooperate. Oh and no hot, rocky pebbles to mess up your feet: there's no sand at the beach club.
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/rrohihi-hilton-sorrento-palace/dining/la-pagoda-pool-bar/

Your honeymoon but I know what I'd do? Just sayin'
Sooo, no interest in Pompeii? That would be a gotta-do in my book in staying Sorrento (been twice) but my interests may not be the same as yours.

I checked ny Google map for Rome. I marked the Terrazza Monti Restaurant and Lounge Bar as a place I’d like to go sometime. It’s near The Glam Hotel. It appears to have a beautiful rooftop bar.
For you last day in Rome, think about just walking around together and enjoying just being together in Rome.

With your reasonable limited activities, this looks more like a honeymoon! Thanks for the update Steve, very helpful. Wow, that Sorrento hotel sounds super, agreed hang out there rather than at another club, you're already paying for your club, and the views will be marvelous! Glad to see you're taking an AC boat tour, very reasonable as long as weather cooperates. Do look closely at their cancellation terms as well.

Just seeing St Peters is very reasonable, early in the morning the lines will be shorter to get through security. You can book your tickets to climb the dome on their official website here.
https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/products/the-dome.

Someone else mentioned bookmarking restaurants in Rome. I would do this in each city. Just click on the 'Save' button (in Google Maps) & you can title it as a separate place. And keep these for your next trip. Bon Voyage! (PS, I've used Rome Wise for advice on restaurants and she's done an excellent job. Scroll down for selections near famous monuments.) https://www.romewise.com/places-to-eat-in-rome.html?srsltid=AfmBOoovIGltFMSh6Aun4btEZi8QCq7jtRb8W91a1z9BSxB3Uor9diWl

We've spent a few days in Rome twice in the last 3 years, both times were at the end of a longer trip. (March 2023, and Nov 2025). We've kept our prescheduled activities to a minimum each time, knowing that we were at the end of travel. Instead we tended to wander around just enjoying the beauty of the city. For the March 2023 trip, after doing the RS self guided walking tours, and visiting Castel Sant'Angelo (not very crowded, but consider time of year.) We had one day that was a forecast to be drizzly, so we signed up for the Taste of Testaccio tour by Eating Europe. It was our first ever walking/food tour and it was fabulous. There were only 7 of us on the tour, we started around 10am and got a great introduction to one of the neighborhoods of Rome that hadn't been completely discovered yet (may have changed by now). I highly recommend that tour, although i'm guessing, that time of year, you may need to book in advance, rather than we did, just the night before. If you do take the tour either this time or your next visit, my advice is there's no need to sign up for the extra drinks (prosecco toast and maybe a few extra glasses along the way) you'll get plenty to drink, and don't expect to need much for dinner that night. After eating our way through the Testaccio market and walking a little longer we went to a nice restaurant for 4 types of pasta shared family style - plenty of food! Then the tour ended with a great gelato.

During our November 2025 trip, we walked to the colosseum, not planning to go inside, it's impressive from the outside. But it turned out to be armed forces day, and entry was free and shockingly there was no line, just a quick stop to get the tickets at the official ticket office and across the plaza to the entrance. I'm guessing we were extremely lucky because of the time of year so I wouldn't count on walking up and getting tickets, but that's ok, just admire from the outside!