Which city in Italy should my fiance and I go on our honeymoon?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

It's a toss up right now between Rome, Florence and Sicily. Yes I know Sicily isn't a city but we'd find a small town there to shack up in.

Help - I have no experience. My girl has been to Sicily - Melilli to be precise.

on edit - it will be 2nd week of October

[GOPisEvil]

1. Florence!

No reason. It just sounds so...honeymoon.

[trotsky]

10. I agree - Florence - but I have a reason!

I've been there, and the art museums and architecture are unmatched. Florence is truly one of the crown jewel cities in Europe.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

11. since I'm a huge Michelangelo fan - that's where I'm leaning

thanks!

[SOteric]

23. As true as that is...

and Florence is a lovely city, October is maybe a better time of year to spend in Sicily.

[everythingsxen]

44. Another vote for Florence!

It's the home of the Medici!

[rbnyc]

50. Another vote for Florence. (nt)

[matcom]

2. why not travel?

lived in Rome when i was a kid. LOTS to see and do but it isn't by far the most scenic part of the country.

why not start in Rome, rent a car and do some traveling?

drive to Tuscany, see Venice etc...

thats what I would do if i were going.

oh and congrats on gettin' hitched :)

:hi:

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

5. Thanks!

We thought about that

[mobuto]

3. Middlesex County resident?

You girlfriend isn't from Middlesex County, CT, is she? I only ask because virtually the entire population of Melilli moved there.

Go to Florence.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. We live in Middletown!

She went for the Feast of St Sebastian. Her mother happens to be the Mayor of Middletown, so they were invited over.

[mobuto]

14. Um, I think I've met your girlfriend

Mayor Thornton is terrific - congrats to your future mother-in-law (again) on her November victory.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

15. Thanks! It was a tight one. - It is a small world.

Glad to see DUers from CT

[LynneSin]

4. I want to go to the Amalfi Coast

Which is near Naples. It's like all these buildings built on a side of the mountain that hang into the water.

Heck I want to move there.

Don't commit to one town - rent a car and drive all over the place

And before you go - buy his & hers "American Apology Tee-shirts"

http://www.cafeshops.com/americanapology/137430?submit=%3CB%3EBuy+an+Apology+shirt+%28US%2416%29%3C%2FB%3E

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

8. Part of the trip is to scout out towns to move to if we lose this Nov.

I don't want to be around when (if) the pukes get a chance to really wreck this country (more than they already have)

[jonnyblitz]

34. i have been there. lemon groves etc....

it is nice there. i agree...

[NicoleM]

7. Firenze!

I really liked Florence when I was there.

[Paradise]

9. Florence! n/t

[sweetheart]

12. Pisa, assissi, florence and the south

For the cost of 1 hotel's stay in rome, you'll get good value for
money south off the beaten track.

If you're an alpine person, you could fly into milan and do the
"alps" thing, perhaps jaunting in to switzerland to see the
matterhorn for part of zie honeymoon...

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

46. Assissi sounds good

to walk the streets Saint Francis walked!

[emulatorloo]

13. I have been to Rome and Florence, and here's my advice

I second the opinion - why not travel? Train travel in italy is great! Start in Venice, go to Rome for a few days, go to Florence for a few days.

Rome is a terrific city, with lots and lots to do, great restaurants and fun street life.

Depending on when you go, Florence can be terrific or horrible. We were there in march, it was impossibly crowded with what seemed like every european college student on spring break. It was literally impossible to move around. . .walking was completely congested. I have to say I was kinda disappointed.

Back to Venice, you really should consider it too. As long as you spend a minimal time in St Marks Square (packed w tourists) you will enjoy yourself a lot. Again I guess it depends on when you travel - apparently rainy season is not much fun there when the canals rise.

ON EDIT: another reason to include Rome, given your interests - the Sistine Chapel is really **beyond** your expectations of it.

[Paganini]

16. What are you interested in doing in Italy?

If you love history, ruins and the like then there is no better place than Rome.

I'm from Rome, Italy originally and I go back quite frequently, most of my family is still there.

If you want the best place to eat, go to Bologna- (by far the best food I've ever had.)

If you want a quiet picturesque place to revel in your love, then you have some choices-

Sicily is absolutely beautiful, slower in pace and very friendly. Romantic scenery, great climate (especially in the fall), and like all of Italy- great food.

Florence is one of the most gorgeous places I've been- Walk along the Ponte Vecchio- very romantic. Since you will be there around grape harvest time, you may want to be go to the Tuscan country side and check out some vineyards.

The Almafi coast is absolutely wonderful- best to visit the small towns and just wander about.

As a general recommendation do not eat in any of the restaurants that cater to tourists. Find a small trattoria's or osteria's thats outside of the tourist areas. You will find the food to be much better and cheaper. Also, in large cities beware of the Gypsy's that congregate around tourist areas. Just watch you wallet and bags.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

19. That is extremely helpful!

And all of those places sound so good! Thanbks

[Paganini]

17. What are you interested in doing in Italy?

If you love history, ruins and the like then there is no better place than Rome.

I'm from Rome, Italy originally and I go back quite frequently, most of my family is still there.

If you want the best place to eat, go to Bologna- (by far the best food I've ever had.)

If you want a quiet picturesque place to revel in your love, then you have some choices-

Sicily is absolutely beautiful, slower in pace and very friendly. Romantic scenery, great climate (especially in the fall), and like all of Italy- great food.

Florence is one of the most gorgeous places I've been- Walk along the Ponte Vecchio- very romantic. Since you will be there around grape harvest time, you may want to be go to the Tuscan country side and check out some vineyards.

The Almafi coast is absolutely wonderful- best to visit the small towns and just wander about.

As a general recommendation do not eat in any of the restaurants that cater to tourists. Find a small trattoria's or osteria's thats outside of the tourist areas. You will find the food to be much better and cheaper. Also, in large cities beware of the Gypsy's that congregate around tourist areas. Just watch you wallet and bags.

[radwriter0555]

18. NO, the tuscans resent Americans. Go to VENICE. WONDERFULLY

romantic, lovely, stunning, and they LIKE tourists a LOT.

Get a hotel on the island of Lido, rent a cabana on the beach for the day, enjoy the BEST seafood on the planet among lovely, nice, warm people in and absolute PARADISE.

[mobuto]

20. ???

Tuscans don't resent Americans. However Florence is a real city. Art, business, government goes on every day as it has for a thousand years. Venice is a dead city. Practically nobody lives there, you have tourism and nothing else. If that's what you want, great. I've had good seafood in Venice, but its really hard. Everywhere you go you get tourist traps banking on the expectation that you'll never be back and a result they give you reheated crap. In Florence, however, I can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. Good Call

Florence is incredibly beautiful and the food is good. Milan has excellent food too, but hotels are REALLY expensive there.

I actually like Venice quite a lot, but since i speak italian and look like a native, it's pretty easy for me to get the "non-tourist" treatment. (That's despite the fact that's it's pretty obvious that i speak italian with an american accent, so i'm not actually fooling them.)

I'm not thrilled with Rome and these folks should avoid Naples. Nasty crime ridden city. The south is EXTREMELY friendly around the cities of Reggio and Panateria. Sicily is friendly too, but not a whole lot to see there. Some of the cities along the Adriatic coast are very nice and friendly to outsiders, but, it's much, much, harder to find english speakers around there, so if one doesn't know italian, getting by is considerably more difficult.

I'd stay in the north, since i'd guess 70% of people speak at least some english. (At least in the larger cities.)

But, i'd agree with you about the food in Florence, for sure.
The Professor

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

25. My fiance speaks Italian and I'm going to go to classes

We're not looking at Italian as an obstacle

[ProfessorGAC]

33. Then Be Afraid, Not!

The italians are very hospitable and will go to great pains to allow you to work your language skills. They excuse almost any grammatical error (and will only very graciously correct pronunication mistakes).

If you won't have any language problems, make sure you ask at the hotels at which you stay where THEY go to a nice dinner. You'll get cheaper and better food that way. Most of these places don't have many english speakers, so they won't recommend them unless you specifically ask and they know you can do italian.

Despite what some folks have said here, DO NOT miss Venice. I wouldn't recommend any more than a day or two, but you should go.

Florence, Milan, and Como are great places in the north, and Reggio is a great place for the people and the food. The FFSS can get you from Milan to Reggio in just about 6 hours. The food on the trains is quite good, too. Have a good time.
The Professor

[radwriter0555]

45. I found Florence very overrated... while I appreciated a small amount of

the art, I found the church's influence overwhelming and suffocating. I couldn't bear to see any more glorious paintings depicting the fairy tales of the bible.

I did however appreciate the Galileo museum and learning the history of the Medicis, even though, again, their imposition of the church's influence was suffocating.

I found the shopping ok; the quality varied widely with the prices equally disparate.

I had the opposite experience eating in Tuscany. We were treated terribly, and were simply starved after our 10 days there. We found nothing to eat but pizza, spaghetti bolognese and anti-pasto. We ended up living on gelato... As an accomplished cook who travelled to Italy to EAT my way through Tuscany, I was bitterly disappointed in the countless tourist menus and wretched service. At one point after being ignored for hours by the waiter when I wanted my check, I simply dropped my bottle of water on the floor to get his attention.

I was farted at, called a bitch because I asked if the bus went a certain place -- TWICE --; yelled at by horribly rude train ticket sellers; given the wrong information more times than I could count, and put on the wrong train, 2 hours out of our way. This was all in Tuscany. I went in every door with a smile; approached everyone with polite and cheeful greetings, asking nicely for information and directions, and with literally TWO exceptions was treated miserably in Tuscany. We spent a month in Europe, and the 10 days in Tuscany were horrible. In Paris we were so nicely received; in Nice we made so many friends; in Venice we were treated like family where ever we went and in London, again, treated like royalty.

I can't explain our experience in Tuscany. In chatting with the gentleman we rented our rooms from, he did say that the Tuscans deeply resent being over-run with Americans and the Dutch who have bought up all the old farms... he said that the good food is at the homes, on the tables, and not in the restaurants, and that the people keep to themselves, happy to make the money from the tourist, but not to socialize with them.

We stayed on Lido in Venice, and were treated like literal royalty, being escorted, wined, dined and welcomed everywhere we went. The restaurants were for locals only, and were spectacular, with even better service. We didn't see much of the tourist part of Venice, and I found that it isn't an empty city at all... it's rich in warm, friendly people who actually appreciate their tourists.

[northzax]

65. overwhelming and suffocating?

an interesting comment, but you can't understand Italy without understanding that the Church is overwhelming and suffocating. Italy and Catholicism go hand ine hand, and have since the days of the Roman Empire. That's like saying you went to Jerusalem and were overwhelmed with how Jewish it was. Or Saudi Arabia and Islam. You can't have one without the other.

Now I concur that my best days in Florence were as a child, twenty years ago, and I have since fallen out of love with it, it's no longer what I remember, and it certainly isn't the place Forster remembers. But watching the sun set over the Duomo from the hills is still a religious experience.

I have never been to Tuscany and not found my way into homes to eat and sleep, I have rarely been reduced to eating from tourist menus, but you have to expect to pay for good food, and pay well. Tuscans have been making money off of travellers for 2000 years, they know how it's done. I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but the fault, dear brutus, does not lie in the stars.

my .02? go to the dolomites or the golfo de poeti. Either eat rich, hearty meals after a long hike the early winter, or eat the best fish you've ever tasted while staying in a off season pensione for next ot nothing. enjoy.

[DrDan]

21. Florence

without a doubt

What a great city.

And since you are in the area, get to Milan.

[displacedtexan]

24. Fregene!

Here's a link to a map (about an hour from Roma by car or bus):

http://tinyurl.com/2yt5p

[HuckleB]

26. Italy?

A small town on the coast, if you must. It's your honeymoon. Hit Rome and Florence for some short visits, and leave it at that.

But, for a European honeymoon, I'd recommend Spain. Barcelona and the northeast coast, or Granada and Seville, with a quick trip to Lisbon and the southern Portugeuse coast. It's not as cliched, it's just as beautiful, and you would be supporting a worthy new government.

And, for the honeymoon to end all honeymoons, I'd say Ecuador. Some time in Quito, with it's gorgeous colonial architecture, and the small mountain central Andean towns, followed by some time on the incredibly beautiful coast. Or if you're more in the mode to keep moving, hit the jungle for a few days, if you'd like, or, if you have the money, the Galapagos.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

27. My fiance wants Brazil - I want Japan. Italy is where we agree

We also are devoutly Catholic and want to visit the Vatican as we view this as a religious event.

We both have a deep love for all things Italian.

[HuckleB]

32. Oh, all right.

:)

In that case, I would still recommend that you spend most of your time on the southern Mediterranean coast, after a quick stop in Rome and any other big city tourist haunts. The southern Mediterranean, and the mountains east of it, are the best of Italy, in my book, especially for a honeymoon.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

35. That sounds very good

I want to soak up the nature and I love coastal areas.

[HuckleB]

36. If that's the case...

then definitely put Ecuador on your list of "places to go, someday."

:)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

37. Oh really - elaborate please

Sounds interesting

[HuckleB]

42. I'm in a hurry, but...

No place on earth can one find such a variety of unique cultures, landscapes, art and architecture in such close proximity. One can spend days hued to the Andes, outdoors or travelling from village to village, and then zoom off for a ecological jungle experience within a couple of hours, or head the other way and enjoy the grandeur of the coast. Anyway, abundant nature, wildlife, and the friendliest people on earth, as long as you let the Native folk know you're no fan of Georgie, of course! It's the whole of South America in summary form, minus Buenos Aires and Rio, of course.

I can tell you more later, if you would like.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

43. please do

thanks

[HuckleB]

64. Will do.

Actually, I'm going back for two weeks in May, so I'll post a "trip report," afterward. That's probably better than my three, five and ten year memories can offer.

Salud!

[The empressof all]

28. Florence

Absolutely Florence. Make sure you dine at Il Latini one night-what a hoot. Buy some Aqua d anti hysterica at the De Medici Pharmacy.

[mobuto]

31. Seconded - An excellent restaurant!

If you're looking for restaurants in Florence, I could probably list another hundred. Its almost impossible to find a bad meal. Il Latini is great.

[Zero Gravitas]

29. Tuscany

Find some nice hill town to stay in & visit Firenze, Pisa etc!

[Zero Gravitas]

30. or Capri

or check out Capri... beautiful!

[pfitz59]

40. Sorrento..Amalfi...Positano......or my favorite, Ischia!

Stay at a spa on Ischia and soak in the thermal pools! If you go to Sicily stay on one of the outer islands..Vulcano, Filicudi, Alicudi. One has no cars, everyone rides donkeys. Dinner consists of pasta and the catch of the day. The sea is warming up and gets nice in late spring.

[myomy]

54. We lived in Berlin for 12 years and our favorite spot was Ischia without a

doubt. Like Capri, it's a smallish Island off the coast of Naples and was a favorite "'spa place" for the Romans. Beautiful and the food is magnificent.

[Whitacre D_WI]

38. Go up to Piemonte.

Alba, Barolo, Barbaresco -- good food (that is, if you're a carnivore) and GREAT wine (that is, if you're a wine drinker). Not to mention some of the most beautiful country on the planet.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

39. I will change my rules and eat and drink anything I can

And wine is high on my list.

Anybody know where the best place to get truffles is?

[Hand]

41. Florence...

And take me along as a reward for giving you such excellent advice!

:hi:

[bif]

47. Venice--most incredible city in the world

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

48. some people here seem to think its touristy - what's your opinion?

[bif]

51. If you're gong off season, it's incredible.

Just avoid it between May and August. You step off tthe train, cross the canal and you're transported into the 17th century. Words and pictures simply can't describe it. And you have to stay there for at least a couple days. It's so beautiful, we gave our daughter the name Venice for a middle name!

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

55. WOW!

You've swayed me. You named your daughter Venice? Holy crap! Thanks. Thats an endorsement!

[NewHampster]

56. Florence and Fiesole

http://schwartzie.com/gallery/italia

We fell in love with Fiesole. a 10 minute bus ride from downtown Florence. it has lovely little inns on the green and Etruscan ruins pre-dating Florence

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

63. I was just reading my old Janson Art History book about Etruscans

and it mentioned that they were in the Florence area. Another check in the Florence column.

[sistersofmercy]

49. Definitely Venice! If you're going in October it shouldn't be filled with

too many tourists. Beware of the free water taxis to Murano, though. They'll take you to a glass factory and charge you out the nose to get back. I liked visting the small island of Burano, it's known for lace but I found some interesting art glass which was much more reasonable than buying it on Murano.
Also if you're planning on going elsewhere and want to see Pompeii, definitely make the trip to see Herculaneum, it's less well known, won't be crowded and imo is much better preserved.

[Skittles]

52. SICILY

NO CONTEST

[DemOverseas]

60. Sicilia

This Island has everything you want. Taromina is a favorite city. October is a great time to visit as it is still warm and not so crowded. I LIVE in Sicily in a small seaside village population year round.. of 2000. In the summer it bursts to 10,000. There are tons of resorts to choose from. Add trips to the Islands and Mt Etna to famous ruins. The hospitality is warm and inviting. The food fresh and not so tourist oriented as in the northern part of Italy. There is no other choice.
Demoverseas

[IconoclastIlene]

53. Trieste

Across from Venice; not to be missed.

[Piltdown13]

57. I'd vote for Florence

It was my favorite of the Italian cities I visited, at least in terms of the number of great museums and getting around and such -- it's small enough that, if you start early enough, you're not limited to seeing just one or two major attractions per day (i.e., I saw the Accademia gallery (where David is or used to be) and the Uffizi collections on the same day, as well as doing some shopping; by comparison, in Rome I spent an entire day getting through the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel). This was offseason -- early May -- BTW; your mileage may vary. Rome is just amazing, but I did find it rather tiring (perhaps because it was the last city on a three-week trip composed entirely of stays of three days or less per city!).

I also second the recommendation above to visit Bologna. It's a lovely place, very architecturally unified in a way you just don't see very often, and the food is wonderful. (I actually stayed in Bologna and commuted by train to Florence during my time in that area. Interesting story -- I stayed with a young Italian woman in her apartment there; she found me standing with my frame pack at a bus stop, having gotten off in the wrong place. She invited me to have lunch, and within an hour she was offering to loan me the extra keys to her apartment -- amazing what can happen when you're a very young-looking woman traveling alone. The best part was, she was getting ready to open a restaurant, so she tried out a different recipe on me practically every day! The only slightly weird thing was that she didn't tell me about her on-again, off-again boyfriend staying over sometimes, so the first morning when I woke up and wandered into the kitchen in my tank top and underwear, I was quite surprised to find a man there wearing bikini underpants and nothing else; apparently they had come in after I went to sleep. Thank goodness she had told him about me, because he didn't speak any English and I had no Italian.)

[nuxvomica]

58. If those are your only choices, Sicily.

And I know just the town: Sortino. A beautiful little city tucked away in the mountains northwest of Siracusa.

The absolute best place to visit in Italy is, of course, Venice.

[SoCalDem]

59. Florence

:)

[MrScorpio]

61. Florence

You can't go wrong with Florence

[MichaelHarris]

62. The ones with...

topless beaches? With a digi cam? And a place to post um? kidding.