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Belated Honeymoon to Italy

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If you are in Naples, the Amalfi Coast (Positano especially) is not to be missed.

Capri is also amazing and you can take a ferry there from Naples.

One of my favorite areas in all of Italy is Portofino, close to Cinque Terre that a few other mentioned, but better in my opinion and less crowded.

I am headed back to both these areas this June with two other couples and we are finishing our trip in the Florence area doing some winery touring.

Enjoy the trip, Italy is one of my favorite countries.

My next visit to Italy will be the Pugilia area (think the heel of the boot in Italy). I've heard great things about that.
 
My wife, son, and I spent two and a half weeks this past March in Italy. We stayed in Rome, Florence, and Venice. We did the tourist thing and book mostly excursions through tour guide companies. A lot of good suggestions on here. During our trip we averaged 10.6 miles a day. I highly recommend a good pair of shoes. I would advise you to not rent a car, because the local driving is crazy not to mention their parking (have to see it to understand). We just used Uber.

My favorite(s):
  • The Vatican, especially the Sistine Chapel (If you book, be sure to get the "skip-the-line" tickets as mentioned above).
  • Palatine Hill. The view is incredible of the old city of Rome.
  • Trinity Fountain (the details in the sculptures and the sure size).
  • The Patheon.
  • The church Duomo Siena, in Siena is incredible (the architecture, etc.).
  • During or stay in Rome we did excursions to Naples, Positano/Amalfi Coast, Pompeii (fascinating), leaning tower of pisa (overrated IMO)
When we traveled from Rome to Florence and then Florence to Venice, we rode the high-speed train (pretty cool). On one of our open evenings, we took in a professional soccer game in Rome. The fans are crazy about their team, we were told the fans in Naples are "worst" (in a good way). It was a good trip; we only saw a portion of Rome. You could easily spend more time in Rome and you're not likely to see it all. Our trip was just before the tourist season. We were warned about pickpockets but did not have any issues. We did a food and wine tasting tour in Florence and the was fun and learned a lot about the culture. We were going to visit Michaelangelo's David in Florence, but they were closed on a Monday (check what days certain things are open or closed).

Hoping you and your wife have a wonderful trip. Enjoy!
 
I was stationed/lived in Italy for just short of four years. Here are a few general things to keep I mind.

1. NOTHING happens quickly or on time. They are simply not in a hurry and you have to be ready for that.

2. Reposo (lunch time business closing) is generally 12-1500. Don't bet on a punctual return either.

3. Italians are friendly on the whole and if you take the time to learn some Italian it will garner bonus points. Comparatively, Italian is an easy language to get at least a working knowledge of.

4. Dinner is late.......think 2000-2100. Also, every restaurant charges coperto (table charge per person) and they vary greatly . In off the path local places think 1 euro each.....at touristy spot in cities I have been charged as much as 10 each. Seriously think about getting to small places.

5. Gypsies are a serious theft concern and are much worse in the cities not in the north (I lived in Vicenza and it wasn't bad, Rome is reif with them) Not violent at all, but they travel in packs and will pick you clean.

Your timing on travel will be nice. No real tourist crowds, cool weather and wonderful Christmas atmosphere. See if you can make it to some local markets. Greetings of the season are Boun Natale (merry Christmas) and Bouna Festa (happy holidays). Spots in the central/south have been covered. I lived in the north and traveled from Rome north. If you have any questions feel free to PM. Italy is a great place to visit and you will love your time.
 
Italy is one of my favorite countries in Europe so you’ve chosen well. Rome is my city favorite so far. I just love the ruins and the history. I only had two days there and could have spent more. I have some restaurant recommendations from an Italian who lived there on my phone that I will follow up with in a different message.

I’ve been to Naples twice and I concur with the two comments that the pizza is the best ever and the driving is the craziest ever. Definitely do not rent a car and drive in Naples unless you have experience driving in congested and sporty cities. If you go to Naples, you have to go to Pompeii. I just went there a month ago and spent 6 hours walking around. That timeframe covered approximately 75% of the site with the audio guide. Pompeii is amazing!

I also agree with the comment that the leaning tower of Pisa is overrated. I think that area of Italy is great, but I recommend skipping visiting Pisa just for that one landmark.

I’m going to Florence and Venice in June so don’t have any advice for them yet. I’ll follow up after the trip if I have something meaningful to add.

As someone else mentioned, be sure to enjoy the food and cheap (but very tasty) wine! To me, that is one of the best parts of the experience. It’s hard for you to go wrong at this point. You will have a blast!
 
Re Passports, if do not have, get the process started. If the Passport is to expire in the next 18 months, may need to renew ahead of expiration so no issues as show up to the airport to fly to Italy later on in 2023. Many countries treat a Passport as invalid even when not yet expired if will expire within 6 months of your planned departure from their country.

My wife and i travel overseas each year. No kids tagging along but we sometimes travel with a small dog that clears Customs in dozens of countries with just proof of rabies shot.

We fit everything we travel into Osprey 40L backpacks. No wheels. We also have a personal item which is around 4L and fits under the seat (airline, train, bus). Wheeled suitcases are too tempting to fill up with "well, might need that so I will toss in for the trip) and navigating a wheeled suitcase along uneven walkways and streets then up oddball stairs gets frustrating quickly.

I use the Osprey Farpoint 40L while my wife used the Osprey Fairview 40L. Bulletproof stitching and zippers plus compression straps and comfortable shoulder padding. I use small bags to make finding items easier inside the Osprey. Ziplocs work fine though I have some of the zippered bags that come with a variety of colors so I know exactly which bag goes into the bathroom with my razor, etc. And, which back has my meds. Underwear and socks. Makes unpacking quicker when just dealt with a 6 hour delay on the flight so just want to unpack and sleep.

One bit of advice for day of arrival is to try and stay up until is dinner time locally. I think this reduces jet lag recovery by 24 hours. I tend to be aware of brighter than usual lighting as try to sleep and hear noises like elevator or birds. I take an eye mask and ear plugs with me on the road and this routine helps me sleep better in a new room.

Safe travels!
 
My son and daughter travelled separately just before Covid hit, a lot of the advice above mirrors their experience, search out the backs streets of the main tourist attractions to find cheaper, and in a lot of cases much nicer food.
Watch out for pick pockets
If you get to Rome you might bump into my half-sister, apparently my late dad was a naughty boy in WW2 and I have only just found that out!

Have a great time, happy wife happy life, you have nailed it!
 
I haven’t spent a ton of time in Italy and can’t offer specifics. But generally speaking my go-to move in Europe over the past decade or so has been to rent a car and bounce around interesting-looking smaller towns and villages as opposed to pushing through the masses of other tourists in the larger cities. For example, last year I googled “most picturesque villages in Brittany” then we spent a week staying in them, enjoying small museums and local cuisine. It was a much more memorable trip than fighting crowds in Paris would’ve been.

Sure, the smaller towns don’t have the major sights that the larger cities do, but you’ll be surprised at how much interesting stuff you can find in smaller towns and villages. Make a point to spend a day in Florence and Rome or wherever and check off a few big ticket items, but maybe consider heading to some places off the beaten path.
 
utah400elk said:
The Vatican tour is way worth it. The Sistine Chapel is simply amazing, and the major sights are super cool. The food was amazing everywhere we went. Watch out for pickpockets. I saw several people get tagged by numerous groups of teen looking gypsies. Just be aware and have
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MtnElk said:
My wife and I officially got married in December, but we'd been all but married up until that point. We had an aging dog who has now passed, and decided to put off a honeymoon at such time that we could travel without worrying too much about our lab and whether she might get sick or die while we were gone. Couple that with the fact that I have at least 3 hunts this fall, potentially 4 if a buddy draws Wyoming and if I hit one of the raffles I am in... well let's just say @Big Fin has warned us about not treating the wife to vacations as well.

She's made several comments over the last several months that she doesn't understand why I am sitting on a ton of miles and never using them, and how she has never been to Europe...so I decided to cash them in for 2 first class tickets to Rome for our anniversary this year. I told her last night and she practically had a heart attack - but as I told @Dsnow9 last night, I think I am in the black for a while with the wife when it comes to hunting 🤣

That said, I really really need any suggestions people have for Florence, Naples, Rome as it comes to food, drink, sights, etc. My wife loves art, so I know we need at least 2 days in Florence for all that, but beyond that, my knowledge of Italy stops as "I am going to eat all the pasta after 3 straights months of hunting"

So if anyone has any sage wisdom or recommendations, hit me with them.
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My motherland, spent half my childhood in Italy, born in a small village near Napoli. I travel back there from time to time. Amazing and beautiful country, very different region by region. You and your wife are going to love it.

Here's some suggestions and as others have said, be sure to get your skip the line tickets for the various sites in advance or you will waste half a day waiting in line:

ROMA

1) Vatican and Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel, ST. Peter’ s Basilica.

2) Colosseum and Roman Forum. Be sure to get the tour, you will learn a ton and it makes the experience soooo much better.

3) Spanish Steps, Via Frattina, Via Condotti.

4 )Trevi fountain, Via Veneto ( have coffee at Doney), Villa Borghese.

5) Catacombs

6) Pantheon

Eat at Restaurant Meo Patacca in Trastevere, Terrazza Caffarelli on top of Campidoglio, Ristorante Tre scalini in Piazza Navona.

You could also arrange a comprehensive guided tour through sites like this one and it's a good way to see the city in 3 days: http://www.visitacity.com/en/rome.

FIRENZE

1) Uffizi Gallery

2) Accademia Gallery Museum

3) Florence Duomo. The first time I saw it I literally was overwhelmed with emotion at it's beauty. It will leave you speechless. Unbelievable that humans built that and so long ago. A true masterpiece from humanity.

4)Piazza della Signoria

5)Ponte Vecchio.

6 ) Boboli Gardens.

7) Piazzale Michelangelo

Typical dishes :Bistecca alla fiorentina (guaranteed to be the best damn steak you've ever had) at Trattoria dall’Oste restaurant, ribollita Il Latini restaurant. Also go to the Mercato Centrale, it is an amazing place to get a wide variety of food (think Quincy market in Boston, but light years better). Definitively go there for lunch and maybe even dinner. Bet you will go there more than once!

Again, you can opt for the comprehensive tour and see the city well in a couple of days: take a guided tour, this is a good site to see Florence in two days: http://www.visitacity.com/en/florence

Napoli

1) Cappella Sansevero (must go here!)

2) Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (amazing collection of pieces from Pompeii)

3) Galleria Borbonica

4) Via San Gregorio Armeno (especially during holiday season)

4) Take the ferry to Capri

5) Pompeii and Ercolano - get a tour guide to enrich your experience!

6) Costiera Amalfitana (you MUST go here). The Amalfi coast is amazing, be sure to stop at Sorrento, Amalfi, Ravello and Positano.

When in Napoli, be sure to also check out L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (world's oldest pizzeria. Get the margherita pizza, it's heaven on a plate!) Also, go to the Pasticceria Giovanni Schaturchio and get ministeriale. This is a uniquely Neapolitan delicious pastry that I have never found outside of Napoli.

Just a watch out, be careful in Napoli. It is NOT like any other city in Western Europe, it is much rougher, yet has a beauty of it's own and some of the most passionate and warm people you will ever encounter. Be careful of pick pockets. The gypsy pick pockets are masters at their craft. Always keep your wallet in your front pocket and dress down. Go and have fun, just use your street smarts.

Some other tips...

I suggest staying at an Airbnb while there at the various cities. I've had great experiences doing that and have met some great and very helpful hosts.

Do not, under any circumstance, drive. Especially not in Napoli! They do everything slow in Italy, but NOT when it comes to driving. Everyone has a lead foot and stopping at stop signs or red lights is optional. Heck, even the side walks are used as additional lanes in Napoli...Just get an Uber and when traveling from city to city, just use the railways. Trains are excellent in Italy and you can get anywhere you want with them and they are also incredibly punctual.

Bring sunglasses... You will never see such a concentration of stunning women anywhere, especially in southern Italy such as in Napoli. I am married too, but not dead. Thus you will be looking, it's inevitable, hence the shades...

Even if you are not into soccer, do try to go see a Serie A match. Preferably in Napoli (SSC Napoli)or Rome (A.S. Roma) and I would recommend the former as SSC Napoli have been having a great run lately and won the Scudetto (League champions) just last week for the first time in 33 years. The atmosphere and spirit is unlike anything else you'll ever experience. Sheer madness and super fun. Even the best sporting competitions anywhere else pale in comparison to the enthusiasm European soccer fans have.

Hope this helps and feel free to message me if you have any questions.

Have fun and enjoy La Dolce Vita while you are there!
 
Smooth! Very cool and good move on first class. Worth blowing points for that duration of flight time.

Looks like some great advice shared! I've none... Been to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain/Portugal.
Always wanted to explore Italy. Take pics! Share or you didn't go... 👍
 
Spent several years in Italy, lived near Lago Del Garda. Absolutely loved it and traveled every chance I got. If you make it to northern Italy, check out Bolzano and the museum dedicated to Otzi.

Murano glass blowing is really cool in Venice!

Learn the phrase "vino della casa" and use it at every restaurant

Several cities in the region you'll be was designed to be walled in and worth checking out if you like architecture. Museums are everywhere and full of history.

Don't be afraid of traveling by train, very cheap and very convenient throughout Italy. Much better than driving!

You can drop in any winery too just to take a peak and grab a bottle. Visit all you can.

If you do drive, watch out for the Carabiniere red lolly pops on the side of the road and for goodness sake keep and eye out for traffic cameras, they're everywhere!

Rather than bombard you with specific places to see or eat, I'd suggest visiting local places and staying away from the larger or well known establishments. When I lived there I fondly remember the smaller, local places in the little towns far more than I ever did the top names. You're in for a treat, Italy is a great place and too much to see and visit in one trip. You'll need to go back.

Fill free to reach out if you want or need specifics. I miss the place and still have a few bottles of Bertagna wine from our favorite winery in Italy. They do ship, hint hint!
 
Whatever you do, make sure you eat a lot of pistachio gelato. Trust me you’ll thank me when you get back.

Squid ink pasta is a must too.

PS don’t expect to jump on Hunt talk in Europe, I just got back and it’s blocked outside of the United States and Canada 😆
 
FishN4Eyes said:
If you are in Naples, the Amalfi Coast (Positano especially) is not to be missed.

Capri is also amazing and you can take a ferry there from Naples.

One of my favorite areas in all of Italy is Portofino, close to Cinque Terre that a few other mentioned, but better in my opinion and less crowded.

I am headed back to both these areas this June with two other couples and we are finishing our trip in the Florence area doing some winery touring.

Enjoy the trip, Italy is one of my favorite countries.

My next visit to Italy will be the Pugilia area (think the heel of the boot in Italy). I've heard great things about that.
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☝️ This! I’ve been all over Italy, and Amalfi Coast and Portofino are my favorites.
 
Just back from a Euro highights bus tour of London, Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, & Rome. 10 day trip that was our best vacation to date. Absolutely wonderful time. My wife & I agreed that there were no favorites until we rolled into Rome. She is an artist & that was a large center of what we focused on. The Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St Peters Basillica, & the Collosium are all must see. We had wonderful tour guides, both a Tour Director that was with us the whole trip & local registered guides in Paris & Rome. The added cultural dimension wasn't expected & enhanced the experience with a ton of historical information as we toured these sites. If you're in Venice you should check out the island of Burano. It was a side trip we took, they are know for blown glass & finest lace in Europe.

This trip was originally planned for the spring of 2020, & was delayed due to COVID. This year the amount of travel is booming as COVID wanes, so expect a lot of crowds. Lines into main attractions in Rome can have waiting time 2+ hours during the busy season. The weather was wonderful. What we heard from our guides that we hit it at a good time. Their main comments about coming during summer months is the overcrowding, & summer heat in Italy. AC usage is highly regulated in Europe & not like it is here. Live in Phx & I can't imagine doing this trip with temps at 105+ & 90% humidity.

This was out first trip to Europe & we plan on going back to dig deeper into Paris & Rome. Hope this is helpful. Best of luck for your trip...
 
We have done Italy a few time's. Rome, Venice, Sorrento, Pisa, Pompei. So incredible. I can never get enough Rome. So much to see. Get a few paintings from the street venders in Rome ( art district) there. There are a great memory and beautiful on the wall.

I don't have specifics that I know about of the top of my head. But try to take as much in as you can.
 
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