Call me crazy...but I'm thinking of changing our HM!

Our dream was Hawaii, but for what we wanted to do, it came out to be DOUBLE our budget.

Sooo my SECOND dream was Italy. I've been there twice, but never with FH. I'd looooooove to be there with him.

Call me crazy, but now I'm looking into Rome and Florence. Airfare for our dates is only $600 per person ROUNDTRIP! That's amazing!

I'm going to look into hotels tomorrow. I know that the ones I stayed with in July 2005 were very reasonable, i hope they still are!

***If anyone has already planned your HM to Italy, could you please either post or FM your budget/cost of trip? That would be so helpful.

Thanks!!!


eta: We've only paid $500 towards our HM thus far, and it's 100% refundable until 9/17/07.

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Posted by FutureMrsBeck

I think it's do-able, but keep in mind that your spending money will be in euros, which are worth more than a dolar so you spend more on stuff. That may even things out between hawaii and italy.. just something to take into consideration...

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agreed....but the hotel fares and airfare are in american dollars, and I feel food was SO cheap there compared to here...I don't really plan on buying many things - (except leather in florence! hah!) -


I should mention that we can only go for 7 days. FH is a teacher and can't miss any more.

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Posted by Shorty McBride

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Posted by FutureMrsBeck

I think it's do-able, but keep in mind that your spending money will be in euros, which are worth more than a dolar so you spend more on stuff. That may even things out between hawaii and italy.. just something to take into consideration...

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agreed....but the hotel fares and airfare are in american dollars, and I feel food was SO cheap there compared to here...I don't really plan on buying many things - (except leather in florence! hah!) -


I should mention that we can only go for 7 days. FH is a teacher and can't miss any more.

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just another thing to take note of....
what do you want your honeymoon to be like? more relaxing, laying on the beach, etc... or more sight-seeing?

i loveee sightseeing, but all of our trips so far have been to places where we wnated to just take in all of the sights... so for our HM, we decided we wanted to just relax together!

- we hate the beach!

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Posted by LaurenF

we're going to rome for 4 days and on a cruise around italy/spain for 10 days. i know the cruise is $2500pp for a veranda and we're paying about $400 per night for the hotel in rome. with airfare, hotels, cruise, food, cruise excursions, miscellaneous, it'll be probably be close to 10k.

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You're so lucky.. That would be my dream trip. Unfortunately, we can't get the time off, nor can we afford it.

Nic I HEART Italy (of course I am biased bc that is where my family and FH is from) but anyhow...I think it's a great idea AND you can get Italy packages for up to 30% cheaper when compared to it's peak season (May-Sept). I guarantee you it will be more affordable than Hawaii in November.

Have you done the South yet? I do love Florence and Venice but have you done Sorrento, Capri, Sicily? There are so many gorgeous place there and the weather is perfect.

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Posted by Shorty McBride

- we hate the beach!

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oh! well in that case.... definitely do italy! we went back in 2003 ( I think) and had a FABULOUS time! we went in december, and although it was snowy and cold... it was still so beautiful!

In venice, we stayed at the 'san clemente palace' -- and I have NEVER been treated like such ROYALTY! it's an island of itself... (the hotel I mean), and they treated us like movie stars! they gave us a cell phone to borrow during our stay there, and arranged free transportation when we were 'lost' the whole place is beautiful, and lives up to its five star reputation!

we also went to florence... but i forgot the name of the hotel that we stayed in.

i highly recommend italy!

also.. if you're doing venice trip.... you MUST visit Murano! they have a tour of a glass-blowing facility.. where you can watch them create these gorgeous glass pieces....

if that's not convincing enough... how about this picture we took!

Thanks everyone!!!

I've been to Italy twice with my family..Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice (including Murano - and you're right - its awesome!!), Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Rocella Ionica (Calabria)...etc.


You're not gonna believe this- WE CAN GO TO ITALY FOR THE SAME EXACT PRICE AS THE CRUISE!!! Is that unbelievable?!

Like someone mentioned, its the off-season, so hotels offer discounts like if you stay 3 or more nights, you get 15% off, etc.

Get this:

JFK to Rome (direct flight) - arrive in Rome 7:55am, so we have ALL DAY!

4 nights in Rome in a 4 star hotel 300 yards from the Trevi Fountain

(day trip to Pompeii - we're history addicts)

Train to Florence - i've done this before- its only 90 minutes or so, and its BEAUTIFUL countryside!

3 nights in Florence in a 4 star hotel, excellent location near the Santa Maria Novella

(day trip to Siena - beautiful place)

Flight home from Florence airport to JFK, (50 minute layover in Paris - no direct flights home from Florence)


for the same base price as the Caribbean Cruise!
Our budget is $3500.

The cruise was $2300 PLUS airfare - approx $2880. PLUS alcohol, PLUS money for the upgraded restaurants, PLUS spending money, we figured $3500.

I just got the above itinerary (air and hotel) for $2726....granted, the cruise included food, but food in Italy is relatively cheap. I figure we only need about $1000 for food and spending money (museums, etc)... which brings us up to $3800 or so. $300 over budget, but its ITALY!!!


I've spent the whole morning on the phone, computer, etc. - I just have to run it by FH - he's a little concerned about the length of the flight, but they're at good sleeping times. I think we'll be fine!

What do i do!?

Hi Crazy!! You are so not- I think Italy is a great idea. Sooooo romantic! You can go to Hawaii another time. But Italy....and since you have been there already you know all the great spots to take FH. Italy is so breathtaking- I know I wouldn't mind going a second or third time. I just have to get there the first time!

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Posted by Shorty McBride

Thanks everyone!!!

I've been to Italy twice with my family..Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice (including Murano - and you're right - its awesome!!), Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Rocella Ionica (Calabria)...etc.


You're not gonna believe this- WE CAN GO TO ITALY FOR THE SAME EXACT PRICE AS THE CRUISE!!! Is that unbelievable?!

Like someone mentioned, its the off-season, so hotels offer discounts like if you stay 3 or more nights, you get 15% off, etc.

Get this:

JFK to Rome (direct flight) - arrive in Rome 7:55am, so we have ALL DAY!

4 nights in Rome in a 4 star hotel 300 yards from the Trevi Fountain

(day trip to Pompeii - we're history addicts)

Train to Florence - i've done this before- its only 90 minutes or so, and its BEAUTIFUL countryside!

3 nights in Florence in a 4 star hotel, excellent location near the Santa Maria Novella

(day trip to Siena - beautiful place)

Flight home from Florence airport to JFK, (50 minute layover in Paris - no direct flights home from Florence)


for the same base price as the Caribbean Cruise!
Our budget is $3500.

The cruise was $2300 PLUS airfare - approx $2880. PLUS alcohol, PLUS money for the upgraded restaurants, PLUS spending money, we figured $3500.

I just got the above itinerary (air and hotel) for $2726....granted, the cruise included food, but food in Italy is relatively cheap. I figure we only need about $1000 for food and spending money (museums, etc)... which brings us up to $3800 or so. $300 over budget, but its ITALY!!!


I've spent the whole morning on the phone, computer, etc. - I just have to run it by FH - he's a little concerned about the length of the flight, but they're at good sleeping times. I think we'll be fine!

What do i do!?

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Nic I am telling you this is a kick butt deal..I market/sell Europe (espeically Italy) for a living. I say for it. We put out an entirely seperate brochure for winter travel bc it's so much more cheaper than the summer. I think it works out even better bc you have been there 2x and FH hasn't. You can be a bit of a tour guide. You know what you can't miss and what to avoid. We are HM'ing in Riviera Maya and I've been twice. FH hasn't so I think it's great that we don't have to waste time on 'should we do this or should we do that nonesense.'

As for food, you can live on pasta, pizza and gelato..not to shabby!

What I HIGHLY recommend is that you work with your travel agent on purchasing some of your excursions/day trips/even museum tix in advance. A travel agent can do this and they should because they do earn a comission off of it. The benefit to you is that you will save money on the conversion rate. The Euro is MUCH stronger than the dollar right now. The more you pay in US dollars up fron the better off you are in the long run.

Thanks Brit! That's exactly what we did last time! Booked train/bus fares in advance. They're so cheap - I'm talking $30 roundtrip.

And we always travel with a rewards Visa or MC - the CC conversion rate is the BEST - and why not get rewarded for it?

Hawaii is very expensive...we are going there for our HM and we have to save sooo much money!!! Italy is beautiful and very romantic...I think you'll have a wonderful time there with your FH, you can always go to Hawaii another year...maybe for an anniversary. Good Luck planning!

I would do it!!

Vinny loves Italy- we plan on going there after we do Hawaii (we wanted a place BOTH of us have never been to)...

But yeah I would go for it!!! Sounds amazing!!!

Your not crazy at all! You need to do whats best for you. Your plan sounds good!