My husband and I will be taking our honeymoon to Italy December 25-January 6. We are considering Milan, Florence, maybe Siena/other, and Rome. Any recommendations for those cities and activities given the time of year would be much appreciated!
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2495 posts
You’ll have 11 nights in Italy, is that right? Maybe fly into Milan and out of Rome. Maybe start with a couple nights in Varenna on Lake Como, then 2-3 nights in Florence. Then the rest in Rome. I would count on a lot of stores, sites & restaurants being closed for New Years (closing early on 12/31 and closed all day 1/1), so plan accordingly for both activities and meals.
Dress warm. We did a very similar trip many years ago and we were bundled up the whole time. It didn’t stop us from getting gelato every day!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11680 posts
Cities are good places in winter as there are many things to do even in cold or wet weather.
I would ask why Milan? Anything in particular drawing you there? For a first trip to Italy, a classic tour would be Venice, Florence and Rome. If you have 11 nights, 3 Venice, 3 Florence, 4 Rome.
You can fly into Milan if that is convenient for you but go immediately to Venice by high speed train so you wake up Day 1 on this romantic city. With good weather, stroll the streets; with wet weather hit the museums and churches, Rick Steves’ guidebooks are loaded with ideas. The Italy Guide book would cover all three cities very nicely for your trip.
Florence is lovely and also a good base for a day trip to Siena if that appeals. Again, many museums but also a delightful city for strolling.
Rome at the holidays is magnificent and as the “holidays” extend to January 6 you will benefit from the atmosphere and lighting. New Years Eve is quite lively and advance dinner reservations essential. Keep an eye on Katie Parla’s site for updated 2023 info but here is her guide from 2022 https://katieparla.com/where-to-eat-in-rome-christmas-new-year/.
You can do all of this by the efficient train system as you do NOT want a car in any city. It is totally stressful given limited parking, ZTLs where you cannot drive without permit, and insane traffic. Much more relaxing by train with taxis as you need them.
I would not recommend lake or seaside locations at this time of year in Italy. Mostly shutdown as it is out-of-season.