Surprise / Unique Experience in Italy

We just returned from our honeymoon in Europe. Honestly, I don't think a professional photographer is worth it. We were there for 2 weeks and would have barely had a moment to pose for a photographer. I would invest that money into a nice camera-if you don't already have one. Ideas for a special surprise- what about a winery tour/wine tasting, or cooking class, or horseback riding in Tuscany?

Thanks Jamie. I was afraid it might be too much to do the photographer and you've confirmed it.

See Tuscany in a Vespa! It is different from a good restaurant certainly, but does not taste as good. :-) Here is the website. www.tuscanyvespatour.com/ You see a guide can take you on many tours or you are able to take the Vespa yourself. It is something fun! I think it is also something romantic, but that is me.

splurge on a water taxi from the airport to Venice. Cost is around 100 euro. It is magical and will make you feel like you are in a James Bond movie. Tip the operator a bit and get them to take you down the length fo the Grand Canal before depositing you at your hotel.

Consider signing up for a cooking class together. It's not particularly romantic, but it's a lot of fun and I guarantee you she'll be surprised. We took this one last month, and it was a highlight of our trip. http://www.cookingclassesinrome.com/ The chef is great and the food you'll make is quite good. More info on this and other classes here: http://www.roninrome.com/%20shopping-dining/cooking-classes-in-rome

Thanks everyone, these are some great ideas! @Ron - We'll be arriving in Venice by train from the airport in Milan. Should we just take the water taxi from the train station or is it not as special that way? @Michael - I've heard of that cooking class. What was your favorite part of the class? It looks like unlike some classes I've seen here in the states, you actually get to cook, you're not just watching!

The chef has already done the shopping and has planned the menu. The class of about 10-12 people does all the food prep in a surprisingly small kitchen (but that's part of the fun). He does the last 5% of the cooking to get it plated and out on the table. It's all done in English, and you can also get the paired wine flight if you want. The chef is very opinionated about food (not surprising) and that's part of the fun. ("Deez-guss-teen-guh" was his pronouncement on several things Americans eat.) And it's a fun way to meet people from all over. Our group was two Aussies and the rest were Americans from all over the country. It's also fun comparing notes with people about what you've all been seeing and doing in Italy. It goes from 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m., and it flies by. And I can answer the question about the water taxi - What makes it cool is jetting across the lagoon from the airport to Venice. Don't wait until the train station.

Bring a small padlock, paint your names on it, and you can celebrate the custom of "locking your love" by affixing the padlock to a bridge where you see others, and throwing the key in the water. Here's one in Venice: http://www.fotolia.com/id/32247600 Be careful of the spot you choose, as in some places the "love locks" have become so numerous as to be a nuisance, and it is illegal to put them there (Ponte Vecchio in florence may be in the category).

any ride in a private water taxi is a good thing. The trip from the train station to hotels in the main part of Venice should be around 60 euro

That price seems high for a photographer, and I would use the money elsewhere. Someone suggested buying a nicer camera for yourself, and that may be a good idea if you enjoy taking pictures. Personally, I like having some photos of myself on trips but I also just like to capture the atmosphere around me and look back on it for memories. Have a wonderful honeymoon!! Congratulations to you and your fiance. I will be spending a 3 day mini honeymoon in Rome in August, and will let you know if I have any suggestions for that city! Personally, I love art and walking around, so you may enjoy a morning of walking through the Villa Borghese (similar to the Central Park of Rome) and then touring the Galleria Borghese which is home to many amazing Bernini sculptures. That is romantic to me!

Chris, In terms of "unique experiences", nothing comes to mind at the moment, but I'll post another reply if I think of anything. I'm assuming a serenading Gondolier in Venice is perhaps not "unique" enough? In any case, congratulations! Hope you both have a wonderful time in Italy!

To secure eternal love, you two could lock a lovers' padlock and throw the key into the river, at Rome's Ponte Milvio. Lots of people do this. http://www.spottedbylocals.com/rome/ponte-milvio/

Thanks Richard and Margaret. I knew I was coming to the right place for advice!

How about a hot air balloon ride over Tuscany? I think most of them are located outside of Siena. They are usually early in the morning and in October it would still be quite comfortable. We had planned on one this past March but it was still way too cold. Congrats on the wedding!

Oh Chris, you'll just have to do ALL of these great suggestions....seriously. And, if you do the little lock, definitely don't tell her until you pull it out of your pocket when there..............she will be soooo touched. If you have not been in a hot air balloon, it is such a calm, peaceful experience (seriously)......and what a lovely place to do your first ride (if you've never done one before). Cooking class, vespa tour, and, of course, just being in Italy.....fabulous. Oh what a very special honeymoon! What great suggestions posters have shared. Do allow just a few hours of just sitting and soaking it all in, too. A leisurely drink at an outside cafe in a village town (or even in the middle of a big city). Italy is so wonderful that it is easy to over-schedule oneself, trying to see EVERYTHING. To avoid exhaustion and resulting mini-meltdowns, plan a chill-out couple of hours every couple of days. It really does help. Best wishes for a long and happy life together (filled with continued travel).

@Michael - Thanks! I'm booking this class now. It sounds like a great experience. @Lola & Otariidae - The padlock sounds like a inexpensive and fun thing to do. @Ken - we're definitely taking a gondola ride, but we've already talked about it and I was hoping to surprise her with something that she hasn't even thought about. Let me know if you think of anything though! @Devon - Do you have to reserve the Borghese ahead of time or can you buy those tickets when you get there? Have a great trip and I look forward to hearing from you after you get back! @Leslie - Fantastic idea!! I hope we can fit into our budget because that is perfect! Thanks again everyone - keep the ideas coming! :)

@Margaret - We haven't ever taken a balloon ride but it's something I've always wanted to do and you're right - what better place to do it?! Thanks also for the advice about relaxing. I'm researching everything and finding all these great sites and things to do but I have to keep telling myself that we won't/can't see them all. I'm putting together a list of the top things in each city that we can pick from as we feel up to it. We're avoiding booking too many things that require us to be in a certain place at a certain time so that we can just "go with the flow" and soak in Italy. The couple of hours a day to relax sounds amazing. Can't wait!

Also, since you mentioned photography, if you've never seen an XShot Camera Extender, check it out by Googling or on Amazon. For about $15, you can get a hand-held extender that allows you to take photos of the two of you...when no one else might be around to take photos with your camera or when you just don't trust anyone around you to not run off with your camera when taking your photo. Takes just a little practice to steady the hand, and it works like a top. Also good for taking photos over the heads of crowds or other times you might need a little extension. And, of course, the inexpensive little flexible tripods are also great for photos....set it on a rock, wall, bench, etc. then go quickly pose. Both of these things are super easy to pack, and they fit nicely in a pocket or day bag. ..........and you will want LOTS of good photos. And, be sure to tell the airline, hotel, each restaurant, etc. that it's your honeymoon......champagne, strawberries dipped in chocolate, or flowers, etc. will often mysteriously show up, which will make your new wife smile, too. In good marriages, it's all about those little smiles :)

@ Chris re: the Borghese. I have widely read that it is best to purchase your tickets in advance. They are timed and you have 2 hours to tour the museum. I will also be in Italy in October and cannot predict if the crowds will have died down yet, so in planning for the worst (but always hoping for the best) I am booking in advance. RE: hot air balloon rides - very romantic and a "bucket list" kind of thing. I did it in Napa, CA. Go for it!

Chris, I think it's great that you want to do something special for your bride but the entire trip will be special, focus on what's really important. Since you are posting here I assume you are doing most of the planning? The more you know before you get there the better time you both will have. You already have a perfect itinerary IMO. I would just keep reading here and on other travel sites and read the Italy RS guide. Tear the sections out for each city you are going and carry the section for your location with you. Use it for restaurants and the guided tours. Book ahead for The Academy, Uffizzi and Borghese. She'll be glad you did when you don't have to wait in those lines. You will be her tour guide and can do things such as the night time Rome walk. Pick a restaurant near Campo de Fiori and after dinner and an espresso take her on the walk. My wife was amazed and delighted at every turn and it was a very memorable evening. The only cost was dinner the book and doing my homework. Have a great trip and do your homework to make for a smooth trip. That will be better than any singular gesture, IMO.

Tell Chef Andrea that Michael says "Ciao". :-)

Richard is SOOO right, just being in Italy is so wonderful. If you don't have the Rick Steves' guidebook it is wonderful, and is fun to re-read on the airplane going over. As much as I hate to tear things out of books, that is definitely the way to go.....the less you have to lug when walking around the better. IF you pursue the balloon ride, I would suggest scheduling it for the first day you are in that particular city and definitely let the company know this is your BIG honeymoon surprise. That way if the weather is not conducive for taking off any one day or any part of a day, the pilot may be able to reschedule for a couple of hours later or the next day. Long way of saying, some flexibility may be needed. Balloons move by the heat controlling the up/down, but winds (not too strong of winds, though) are needed for the rest of the movement. Pilots know to go up/down to catch different levels of winds. But if it is storming the day you are scheduled....well, you understand. Most likely, all can go as scheduled, but just FYI on the flexibility bit. (I surprised my husband years ago for his birthday, and I didn't know for sure until 3:00 that afternoon for our 6:00 takeoff....here at home.)

Chris, For visits to the Galleria Borghese, you must make reservations for a specific time! I can't recall the details for making reservations, but they're listed in the Guidebook. On my last visit, I showed up early and waited for cancellations which worked out fine, but I could have just as easily been disappointed as well. It would be a much better idea to have the reservations "locked down". Note that for visits to the Gallery, you WILL have to check just about everything, including (but not limited to) Daypacks, Purses, larger Cameras and just about anything else you're carrying. I had to check my dSLR Camera, but they handled it very carefully. You WON'T be able to take photos there, as there are Cameras and Guards in every room. You can take photos of the beautiful gardens outside the gallery though. As I recall, visitors to the Gallery are only allowed two-hours for the visit. Cheers!

Hey Chris, I agree with Richard in that all the pre-planning you're doing is nothing less than a complete labor of love and it's the most important part of the trip other than the experience itself. That you're willing to invest so much time and energy into making your honeymoon so lovely for HER is really touching and I'd have to say that your bride-to-be has really snagged herself a great catch. Good for her! My mom's an (excellent!) artist and recently she's taken to collecting things from our yearly trips, which annoyed me at first ("Tell me again WHY I have to carry around that huge beach stone in my backpack for the rest of the trip?") but I soon understood the method to her artistic madness; when she got home she'd creatively put together an original scrapbook/photo album that she'd present to me at Christmas or on my birthday. Lovely! She'd also sketch little drawings around each foreign treasure and write a little blurb about why said treasure was unique/important/ amusing to us at the time she'd packed it away like a good little squirrel. Anything that made our trip even more memorable she included, as long as it didn't weigh too much (stone excluded!). Now every time I take a look at each trip's "time capsule", I'm taken back to certain places, experiences and adventures that make me feel like I'm still there with my loving mom & best friend. A post-trip present with tons of TLC to enjoy and treasure forever, not to mention how great of a souvenir it is! If you're like me, the collecting part won't be a problem but the creative aspect of it will. Perhaps you could find a creative/artistic friend to help you out a bit if you decide to embark on this project. And I'd present it to her no other than on your first anniversary...it's all in the timing! Best of luck to you both and Happy Trails!

If you like opera there is an English speaking Anglican church in Florence (St. Mark's) that puts on various opera performances on weekends and they are fabulous. Costs 30 euros ($45) and the proceeds go a childrens hime in India. If you order by email you get a 2 euro discount. Four years ago I took my wife and her mother to see La Boheme there and we all had a wonderful time. In fact, we went to it because they love that opera and found myself liking it so much that I've attended several since then. The venue is similar to what we call theater in the round where the chairs are moved to a "stage" in the middle of the church. The music was provided by a world class pianist who made the grand piano sound like an orchestra. There were four main characters in the opera and at the beginning of each act the leader explained to us in English what would be happening in that act. Below is the web site you can go to if you're interested. It gives your the 2011 schedule, and for a honeymoon it would be very romantic. There is also champagne available at the intermission if you need any help with that. Hope this helps. http://www.ourtomorrow.org/clients/concerto/index.html

Thanks everyone - such great ideas!

Chris, two of the most romantic moments in our trips to Italy: 1. Dancing in St. Mark's Square late at night, when most of the tourists are gone. We took dancing lessons for a year before we went, which was helpful, but in reality those darn cobblestones make it pretty hard to make a smooth turn. There are three bands which take turn playing music. They play to at least midnight and its sooo romantic, especially if there is a full moon shining down. The music is mainly popular songs with some oldies tossed in. 2. Walking to the (okay, readers, I am probably going to mess up this name) Piazza della Signorina to hear a great singer. She sings at night (sometimes during the day) outside in a couple of different locations in the old part of Florence. Her husband plays the accordian and she sings lots of older songs and some opera. I think their names are Natalia and Anatolya. I recall how her voice echoed off the stone buildings all around and how there were folks standing arm and arm, swaying to the music. We have purchased two CD's now (on separate trips) as we enjoy their music so much and it brings back such wonderful memories. I had the impression on the first visit that she didn't have a license to be singing where she was located as the cops came and moved them along, but on the second trip there were no cops to interfere. Neither of these options cost much, unless you spring for a glass of wine in St. Mark's Square.

@Paul - I see where you're coming from, but I assure you that's not my intention. Actually in our marriage I'm sure I'll do the majority of the cooking. But I appreciate the thought! It's not the most romantic thing for sure. Any romantic suggestions?

Holy cow,Paul!! Taking a cooking class TOGETHER is no indication whatsoever that Chris wants to TRAIN his wife to be a good housewife.........jeez!!! Where did THAT come from? Actually cooking together as a couple is one of the things women rate as among the most romantic (maybe second only to hubby/boyfriend preparing an entire meal for them)..........so remember that. (And, Paul, that does not mean leaving everything for HER to clean up.) And, the memories of doing that in Italy with a group of other fun people, I think it is a homerun. I've been bugging my husband to take a cooking class with me for several years , so we signed up for one at our local Whole Foods.....not Italy by any stretch of the imagination, but should still be fun. So, Chris, keep the booking for the cooking class. Someone (wise) once said that you can tell how much your wife (girlfriend) likes something you gave her, based on how much she raves about the experience or the item to her girlfriends. Believe me, the girlfriends will hear about it and they will say, "how wonderful you did that TOGETHER"....and "gee, I wish I could get my husband to do that WITH me." ...............and what better place than in Italy :) Food, as you know, is important in Louisiana....a family affair.

I gotta disagree big time here, fellas. Cooking is (or can be) a very sensual experience in the true sense of the word (and, like all sensual experiences, potentially very romantic). All the senses are engaged: the feel of the pasta between your fingers, the crunch of the chopped veggies, tasting the sauce as it simmers, and the enticing aromas! If you don't regularly indulge your epicurean nature, then you're really missing out. But there's more to it than that. Remember, when she cooks for you you're not just tasting her food, you're tasting her generosity, her capability, her care. When a woman makes you a meal, she's not only cooking; she's providing, hoping, teaching. That's a lot of attention you're being paid. That's a lot of effort and care and fat. That's a lot of love. Her meal is her gift. And when you can create that experience together, when you give each other those gifts, well, that's the very essence of romance. So the cooking class itself may not be the most romantic moment in your life, but it will pay off bigtime over the years. Trust me. Ok, end of lecture. :-)

I vote for the gondola ride in Venice, in the evening, with a serenade (maybe even a musician). What could be more romantic than sitting side by side, under the moonlight, riding through the back canals of Venice sipping a glass of Chianti. The cooking lesson wouldn't quite do it for me. Have a lovely honeymoon making lifetime memories with each other!

Thanks Bob & Margaret. You're certainly right about Louisiana, food just has a different meaning to us I think. It's more than just a meal, it's an experience. I appreciate the encouragement and the insight from a woman's perspective. So far I've got these things planned: Cooking class with Andrea in Rome Gondola ride in Venice Padlock on a bridge
Wine/cheese/olive oil tastings in Chianti It doesn't look like I'm going to be able to fit the balloon ride into the budget. I loved the idea but we'll have to save that one for the next trip! The rest I think we'll play by ear. I particularly can't wait for the relaxing evenings in each city. Hearing everyone talk about their trips makes it so hard to wait!

Chris, sounds like you will have some really nice surprises planned. Of all the things you have planned, I think the surprise of the little lock will really be the most touching (and oddly, too, because that will be the least expensive). Having fun together is the key thing, and it sounds like you will have a lot of that. And, keep a good sense of humor if it rains the whole time you are in Venice or if your flight is delayed. How one handles the stress of travel is such an indicator of so much in life. Safe travels, and best wishes for a lifetime of happiness. What a fabulous start!!

What Bob said. There is nothing "unromantic" about cooking together. Seeing a man in the kitchen who actually knows what he is doing is a real turn-on for many women.

If anything will get men cooking, it's what Sasha just said.

haha so true

OK, now that I have your attention, I will also issue a caution on the gondola ride idea. Unlike Denise, I would find this really hokey. A gondola ride is neither unique nor unexpected. Most of them are filled with groups of tourists. They are doing a canned Venetian experience, not something unique or romantic. The packed gondolas move up and down the canals in groups so several can hear the singing of one gondolier. Sometimes you will see couples in one and often they look a bit sheepish, like they wish they were anywhere else. And they definitely will not be drinking Chianti-that is a Tuscan wine, not Venetian. You might wait on the gondola idea and kind of feel her out on the subject before splurging on this one. Walk around in the evening and see how she reacts to seeing the gondolas filled with people. If she seems interested in the idea, see if you can find a quiet side canal you might actually have to yourselves. But be warned that everywhere you go in Venice, you will be approached by men in their striped shirts, offering "Gondola, gondola" to get your business. If your bride seems interested, that is your cue. If not, take heed. Me, I'll take a bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella (in the Veneto) to share with my guy on a quiet and private balcony overlooking the water . . . preferably after we have shared that meal we cooked together.

I agree with Sasha.....sometimes the most unforgettable moments are those that are not planned but rather, spontaneous. You will be in some very romantic places....don't over plan, just be open to the magic that is Italy.

I think a cooking class will be a lifelong memory! You will cook a dish or two that you learned that day for many years to come and will always remember that day, when you were young and newleyweds, that you learned to prepare those dishes. That is a very, very cool idea in my opinion. Long after the souvenirs and pictures are stuffed into the the attic or into albums, the menu from that day will still be cooked or the "art" of cooking will still be practiced, year after year. Go for it, you aren't training your wife, you are creating a memory!