Finally decided on a HM - Italy!

climbingsingle · February 2014

I am silly excited. We were in Italy last year during a cruise and we've decided to go back. We're going to rent an apartment in Florence for 10 days. We'll do day trips to Venice and Milan and probably an overnight in Rome as well. I can't wait!

tcnoble · February 2014

That's awesome!!! So jealous! Italy is at the top of my travel bucket list.

thisismynickname2 · February 2014

Woo hoo! We just chose Italy too!

aspoonfulofsugar · February 2014

Enjoy it!! Day trips are great to do and when you need it, you can take a break (which are good too). Do you know where you're staying in Rome?

We were there a few years ago and are headed back over Easter, so I can't wait!

climbingsingle · February 2014

kaitlinLs said:
Enjoy it!! Day trips are great to do and when you need it, you can take a break (which are good too). Do you know where you're staying in Rome?

We were there a few years ago and are headed back over Easter, so I can't wait!

No idea where we're staying in Rome. Do you have any suggestions?

aspoonfulofsugar · February 2014

We stayed at Hotel Accademia http://www.accademiahotel.com/it/ It's not super fancy but I loved it because it was about a 20 second walk from the Trevi fountain (no matter how tourist-y it is, it's my favorite. I got to visit it at 6 AM our last day there with no one else there- VERY cool). With that being said, if you are on that street side, you can hear the fountain/public if your windows are open (downside) but, it is also in a great location- plus the restaurant next door is great.

FI stayed at Hotel Raphael http://www.raphaelhotel.com/intro-page.htm when he went with his parents a few years back and loved it. I always trust my FMILs travel recs (she's well-traveled and has a knack for choosing places). This hotel will offer much more (and is gorgeous). It's located near Piazza Navona.

JennyColada · February 2014

I LOVED Florence.

Italy is the #1 revisited country in the world.

kjvaracalli · February 2014

If you want less touristy and more Roman, stay in Trastevere. I stayed there 5 years ago at the recc of a girlfriend who lived in Rome for a while, and it was a great choice. It's a neighborhood across the river, about 20 min walk to Trevi fountain/Pantheon/Piazza Navona. We're doing Italy in May for our HM too: Positano and then Rome. We're staying at B&B Zen Trastevere in Rome. It looks great online, the owner is very quick to respond to emails. We don't want a hotel with lots of perks---just place to lay our heads at the end of the day.

Florence is an amazing city! I think it was my fav place when I did my trip last time. Be sure to day day trip to Siena and Lucca. Both short trips from Florence (bus to Siena, and train to Lucca). Another tip: I would purchase tickets to Uffizi and Academia (both museums in Florence) ahead of time (ie: before you leave US) to ensure you get in...if you're thinking of checking out, and I highly recommend seeing both. Go to top of Duomo (worth all 400+ steps you gotta climb) and redic views! You're gonna LOVE it!!

Pepper6 · February 2014

We were just in Italy last July and I loved it! Can't wait to go back one day.

If you are going to be in Florence, you absolutely must do at least a day trip to the Cinque Terre. We did a day tour with Walkabout Florence and it was one of our favorite things during our entire trip.

kjvaracalli · February 2014

OHhhh, agree with pepper6!! I completely forgot Cinque Terre. You must go there. It's just gorgeous, and make sure you do some or all of the hike between the 5 towns. It's worth the time in views! (about 8 hrs to do from Riomaggiore to the end).

JennyColada · February 2014

And DON'T eat at Very Good Gelato, they're basically Gelato Nazis, and it's NOT very good.

climbingsingle · February 2014

Jennycolada said:

And DON'T eat at Very Good Gelato, they're basically Gelato Nazis, and it's NOT very good.

Thanks for the tip!

KatWAG · February 2014

Sneak in a trip to Siena if you can. Such a charming town

climbingsingle · February 2014

I want to say that maybe we drove through Seina when we were there last year, but I really can't remember. We docked in Livorno, then drove to Florence. Spent a few hours there and then drove to a winery (Casa Emma - it was amazing). Naturally after the winery I was a little tipsy and I'm having a hard time remembering where we went after that.

Anyway, I will definitely make sure to check out Siena. Thanks everyone!

alithebride · March 2014

Siena is lovely. Lucca, volterra, Radda, greve are all worth visits. Florence us my favorite place on the planet. If you want to go wine tasting, which you should, hire a driver through the hotel so you don't have to drive. In Rome I've stayed at the Alberto del senato which overlooks the pantheon and Fontana di Trevi which looks over the Trevi fountain. Senato has a spectacular rooftop wine bar.

climbingsingle · March 2014

alithebride said:

Siena is lovely. Lucca, volterra, Radda, greve are all worth visits. Florence us my favorite place on the planet. If you want to go wine tasting, which you should, hire a driver through the hotel so you don't have to drive. In Rome I've stayed at the Alberto del senato which overlooks the pantheon and Fontana di Trevi which looks over the Trevi fountain. Senato has a spectacular rooftop wine bar.

Yup, we did just that when we were in Florence last year. It was perfect.

indianaalum · March 2014

ClimbingBrideNY said:

Enjoy it!! Day trips are great to do and when you need it, you can take a break (which are good too). Do you know where you're staying in Rome? We were there a few years ago and are headed back over Easter, so I can't wait!
No idea where we're staying in Rome. Do you have any suggestions?

I stayed at Hotel Raffaelo and they were awesome. They upgraded us to a room with a nice terrace, gave us a bottle of champagne and chocolates because we said it was our honeymoon. It was great location and came with a free nice breakfast. Loved it. They were so sweet and accomodating there

I felt that it was in a great location.

tesgirl123 · March 2014

We're going on our HM to Italy too. But since I have never been we are going to Rome, Florence and Venice. In Rome we are staying at the Bernini Bristol, in Florence at the Hotel Gran Cavour and in Venice at the Westin Europa Regina. We arranged everything through Perrillo Tours (all independent except for a tour of the Colliseum and the Vatican) and got a great price.

[Deleted User] · March 2014

That's so exciting!!! FI is Italian and was pushing for a HM over there but I knew if we went there it would turn into a family reunion so we opted for beachy St Lucia...maybe next year! HAVE FUN!!! Drink lots of wine!

climbingsingle · March 2014

TexasBride2014 said:

That's so exciting!!! FI is Italian and was pushing for a HM over there but I knew if we went there it would turn into a family reunion so we opted for beachy St Lucia...maybe next year! HAVE FUN!!! Drink lots of wine!

St. Lucia is beautiful! I loved it there. You will have a great time.

alithebride · March 2014

tesgirl123 said:

We're going on our HM to Italy too. But since I have never been we are going to Rome, Florence and Venice. In Rome we are staying at the Bernini Bristol, in Florence at the Hotel Gran Cavour and in Venice at the Westin Europa Regina. We arranged everything through Perrillo Tours (all independent except for a tour of the Colliseum and the Vatican) and got a great price.

I've stayed at grand Cavour twice. Great hotel, perfect location. The 3 times I've been to Italy Ive never done a tour.

Finally decided on a HM - Italy!

Re: Finally decided on a HM - Italy!

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