Italy Honeymoon help

We are looking to honeymoon in Italy for 12-13 days in mid April 2006. The cities we want to hit are Naples (Capri), Rome, Florence (Tuscany) and Venice.

Any recommendations on Hotels that are somwehat affordable but still nice? I can use all the help I can get. I'd rather do the leg work myself and get better prices than rely on a travel agent. TIA!!!

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

Hi.

I can tell you that the Best Western chain offers very nice and pretty affordable rooms in most (if not all) of those cities. I stayed at one in Venice, right off of Piazza St. Marco. If I don't go with a Best Western, I try to use an Italian run smaller hotel.

a really great travel book to purchase is Rick Steve's Italy series. I am not sure if 2006 came out yet, but he has some really great, affordable, clean, and comfortable rooms listed, as well as sites to visit and restaurant recommendations.

also try these websites

Travelocity

Venere

both have great listings in all price ranges.

I do Italy and Europe faily often (and ALWAYS on the cheap and chic ) and I have never used a travel agent. there are so many resources out there. please feel free to fm if you need more ideas.

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

I did all the work on planning our HM and let me tell you we made out so much better that what the TA could give me. I researched all the hotels using tripadvisor and fodors.com.... excellent info on fodors!!!! I emailed all the hotels and asked for their rates.... a piece of advice, get the Rick Steve's book for Italy and review the hotel sections for each place staying. Some will give you a discount for mentioning his book (so will many resturants).

As for where we stayed...

In Rome we stayed at the Albergo del Senato www.albergodelsenato.it ... it is infront of the Pantheon. Absolutely wonderful spot in a quiet square and what a view. We had a room with a balcony and it was breathtaking at night. Plus, there is a gelato place next door so after walking the city at night we would come back get gelato and sit near the fountain and people watch.

We stayed in Sorrento when doing Capri and the Amalfi Coast. Have info if interested.

For Florence we spent 2 nights in Siena and then 2 in Florence itself. We wanted to experience the town-life. For Siena we stayed in the Palazzo Ravizza www.palazzoravizza.it
It over looks the Tuscan country side. This was my favorite place out of all of Italy.

In Florence we stayed at the Guelfo Bianco www.ilguelfobianco.it . Its right down the street from the Duomo, around the corner from the Academia and pretty much everything is so close.

In Venice we stayed at the Hotel Ala www.veniceby.com/alahotel/pages/profile.htm. THis hotel is off a canal and sits in a small square. Venice prices are crazy for anything near St Marks... this hotel is 2 canal bridges away (really close).

The hotels were great, all have AC. I made sure that we were pretty much in the center of everything. If I can be of any other help let me know.

Good luck and congrats.

This is the view from the Albergo Del Senato and then from our room in Capri and from Siena

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Re: Italy Honeymoon help

My FFIL who was born in italy and just came back from a visit last August told me the castles where wonderful places to stay. Not only where they beautiful, the put more motern things in them than some the hotels that haven't been up dated since the 30s.

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

Thanks so much for the suggestions & I will definitely pick up that book. Your pics are great! I can't wait to go. Any other hotel recommendations or suggestions on how we can organize our trip would be great.

We are planning on Starting south and working our way up so we would hit Naples first, Rome, Florence then Venice.

thanks!!!

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

I am so excited for you and your future husband! Italy is so amazing. Just a suggestion...I know Venice has been so hyped-up as one of the most romantic places to go, but I really didn't enjoy it. It is so 'toristy' and not so clean. Look into Cinque Terre which is on the Northwestern Coast instead. It is a National Park with beautiful hiking trails (and a train and boat) connecting 5 quaint towns where you can stay. Torist traffic is so minimal as it is not yet extremely popular (at least to those outside Europe). In the towns, you can rent a house with a kitchen and bath for really good prices. The natives will just approach you and ask if they could house you for 20 euro and up. You can ask around and take the best offer. The coastal scenery is out of this world and it made my semester-long tour of Europe complete, as it was one of my favorite places. I met a honeymoon couple while I was there and they said they had an amazing time.

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

FH and I are doing the Amalfi Coast and Rome! so exciting- we haven't made any concrete plans yet, so I will be checking back!

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

Someone else told us about Cinque Terre too, so I definitely think we are going to try and work that into our trip. Thanks again for all the input & if anyone else has any good hotel recommendations or anything else on what to see in Italy, I'd love to hear from you.

thanks!!!

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

This is great info. We are looking into Italy as well - I too have heard cinqe terre is amazing - I have been to Rome, Florence, and Venice - all unique and amazing however for my HM I think I would like to go to more seaside, quaint villages. The big cities are great for site seeing but flooded with tourists.

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

I wish we could stay a month!!
So much to see!
I think we have to limit our sightseeing to the just the highlights in Rome so that we can see other quaint areas like Cinque Terra & the Amalfi coast otherwise we just wont have time for it all.

thanks

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

i am not a big fan of rick steves, maybe b/c it is a personal joke with me and my friend about how we laughed at his book. he had this book called 'europe thru the back door' and suggested a way to save money is to sleep in parks etc. there was even a picture! it was so funny!

anyway i am more of a hostel chick, especially for europe, but i can understand why you want to stay in a nice place for your HM.

for rome, pay extra to be in the city. i went there last july for a weekend and fiance and i tried to save money by staying slightly out of the city. well public transport to that part closed by 10pm. also pay extra for A/C, it is so worth it, it gets hot in italy. IMO i dont think naples is a great place to stay, the city is nothing special, as for capri, there are some really cute places to stay, might be pricey, but worth it for a nite. i wish i stayed there for one nite.

frommers website is pretty helpful, i have used them a few times for restaurants.
good luck!

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

your post was great and very helpful...we want to go to italy too...saw a travel agent but have decided to plan it ourselves...thanks again.

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

I went with FH and my family last May ('04). We stayed here in Positano when we went to the Amalfi Coast and it was amazing, and not too expensive for the amenities -- including a breakfast that is served in your room!-- and the view. There was a 45 min, or maybe less, ferry ride to Capri. We also stopped in Ravello, and it was gorgeous, and much more low-key and less touristy than some of the other Amalfi coast towns.

Have fun

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

Thanks for all the info girls. We are doing a 14 day cruise out of Rome, and wanted to spend a few days there before setting sail. This info will be very helpful in setting that up!

Re: Italy Honeymoon help

Hooray for this thread!

Our current plan is to rent a villa in Tuscany and then go on day trips. Does anyone know where Cinque Terre is in relation to Florence or Bologna? Also, does anyone have information about renting a villa? I am clueless and too impatient to wait for the TA to call me back.

TIA