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Italy for 10-year Anniversary

Posted by (Provo, UT) on

Hi,

I am daydreaming about my trip to Europe next year. My husband and I will celebrate our 10-year anniversary and will have about 2 weeks. I have thought about a lot of different destinations, and it's so hard to pick! But, I think we'll try Italy. I have only visited Venice and that was 12 years ago (and in November...), my husband hasn't been. We have loved watching the RS Italy episodes, especially the Amalfi Coast one. I've done a little research (watched the videos, leafed through a few travel guides), but I'm just kind of getting a feel for it, and I have some ideas, but I'd also like to know what you guys think. It also feels like there are just so many great options in Italy that it's hard to narrow it down--every place I read about sounds amazing.

So--what would you recommend? My favorite city is Paris, but more for the atmosphere and delicious food than for the museums or shopping. We really enjoy scenery (both cityscape and countryside), and since it's a celebratory trip, we'd like it to be relaxing (meaning a slower pace and less time in cities. I am not a spa person). I love photography, my husband loves the beach (and would love to snorkel. Me, not so much...). Our anniversary is June 4, but we are open to traveling around that time: just sometime in May or June 2015. I'm sure it would make more sense to travel in May for weather and for crowds. We aren't interested in spending a lot of time in museums, but a few are okay (if we go to Florence, we'd want to see David). We also don't like to rush and prefer to spend at least 3-4 nights in one place instead of 2 (unless it's really warranted).

We are also open to a splurge or two--if you have any recommendations of things you've done and loved, I'd love to hear about it!

Posted by
174 posts

It sounds to me that the perfect place would be along The Amalfi Coast. You could fly to Rome and do some sightseeing there and then head south. We found Ravello to be a marvelous place; it was recommended by an Italian friend. From there you could do as much traveling around as you wanted, heading out to Paestum or other sights, or just go stay in one of the beach towns and chill. The scenery is incredibly beautiful all around there.

Posted by
663 posts

You have enough time with 2 weeks that you could easily start by flying into Milan and heading straight for the lakes (either Como or Maggiore), then spend a few nights in Venice, then off to Tuscany for lovely hill towns and marvelous food and wine, and ending in the south along the Amalfi coast (Sorrento makes a wonderful base for the entire area). You'll get lots of romantic locations and few museums.

Posted by
30 posts

It sounds like you are looking for some relaxing, off-the-beaten-path destinations. I haven't been to the Amalfi Coast yet (but we are going in May of this year!) but I absolutely loved Parma, Bologna, Modena, and some of the smaller cities in central Italy. Also, I was absolutely mesmerized by Cinque Terre and loved the hike from town to town. I found Florence to be much more charming than Milan or Rome - there's plenty to enjoy in Florence aside from the museums. Plus, Florence is a great jumping off point for Tuscany - you can make day trips to Siena and other lovely towns. I would highly recommend staying at Pensione Bencista if you plan to travel to Florence - it's a charming old B&B in Fiesole, a town looking down onto Florence.

Also, I'd really recommend taking the trains to get around - some of the train rides in Italy are incredibly scenic, and it minimizes the stress and gives you time to look out the window and take it all in.

Posted by
175 posts

Thanks, guys! Katherine, I'll be sure to check out Ravello.

Angela, would we really have enough time to do the Lake District, Venice, Tuscany, and Amalfi? I'd love to be able to hit all those destinations; I think one of my problems has been narrowing down my list. But I guess if you don't visit Florence or Rome, it's more manageable, right?

Ikashi, thanks for the tips on some of the cities in central Italy! We'll check it out. We'd love something more low key than the big urban centers. I saw a House Hunters Intl. in Bologna and it looked really lovely.

Posted by
1501 posts

Have you thought about spending a week in Sicily? It's spectacular, especially all along the Northern Coast, the Med is beautiful, with large rock formations, perfect for snorkeling (may be a little cold In May)

Maybe a week in Rome and a week in Sicily?

Posted by
175 posts

Donna, I'd never considered Sicily, mostly because there were so many places I'd already heard about further North. I'll check it out! It sounds lovely. And if it means DH can snorkel, we might go in June or a bit later. He'd love that.

Thanks for the links, George! Looks like Bologna is a great destination for food; that's right up my alley!

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