Ciao Ciao! I’ve had so many people reach out about our honeymoon in Italy back in September. I’m excited to finally share some details that will hopefully help if you’re planning a honeymoon or trip to Italy. This first post is a Rome and Positano honeymoon guide with helpful tips on where to eat, things to do, and where we stayed.
We picked Italy for our honeymoon because we obviously LOVE the food, wine, culture and the warmer temperatures. We got married at the end of July and decided to wait until September to do our honeymoon. If you’ve been to Europe during August you know the temperature is super hot and most Europeans go on vacation during this month. And October and November are typically the rainy seasons in Italy so we picked September to still have nice weather. Also, keep in mind that summer is peak tourist season in Europe so long lines and busy streets are the norm.
I studied Art History for a month in Italy while I was a junior at Calvin University, which was helpful in planning our honeymoon. During that month I traveled to Rome, Florence, Capri and Sorrento so I had an idea of how to plan some of our trip. Cory and I had already been to Venice in April for a work trip so we didn’t make it to Venice again for our honeymoon. I might include Venice in another blog post if you’re interested in some tips and tricks for that city. Here is the itinerary I planned out for our Italian honeymoon:
- Day 1: Chicago – Rome
- Day 2: Rome
- Day 3: Rome – Positano
- Day 4: Positano – Capri
- Day 5: Capri
- Day 6: Capri – Sorrento
- Day 7 – Sorrento – Florence
- Day 8: Florence – Montalcino (Tuscany)
- Day 9: Montalcino
- Day 10: Montalcino
- Day 11: Montalcino – Pisa (Tuscany)
- Day 12: Pisa
- Day 13: Pisa – Rome
- Day 14: Rome – Chicago
Rome
Rome is a beautiful city with tons of amazing history. Be prepared for a lot of walking (our first day in Rome we walked 12 miles) since public transportation isn’t easy for getting around from the major sites. I’m also going to quickly mention my trick for battling jet lag. When you arrive in a new city no matter how tired you are don’t take a nap and sleep during the afternoon. Stay awake during the day to sleep at night and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed. This has worked really well for Cory and I although pushing through to stay awake that first day really challenging. Hence why we walked 12 miles the first day in Rome…
Things To Do:
- Roman Forum
- Colosseum (purchase tickets before you go)
- Pantheon
- Vatican (purchase tickets before you go)
- St. Peters Basilica (we recommend getting tickets to the Cupola)
- Spanish Steps
- Trevi Fountain
- Borghese Gardens
We hit all of these sites on our list while we were in Rome. Even though September is typically a little slower than the peak summer months it was still very busy in Rome. The Vatican was VERY crowded and we waited outside in the hot weather to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. I would obviously tell anyone it’s totally worth it to visit these sites, but just prepare yourself for lots of people and waiting in lines (especially if you’re visiting during the peak months).
You could pretty much spend all day at the Vatican museum seeing the amazing artwork and Sistine Chapel, so plan accordingly depending on what you want to see. You can also book guided tours for the Roman Forum, Colosseum, or the Vatican if you interested in learning more about these sites. This isn’t something Cory and I enjoy, but if you love guided tours I would recommend booking this before you arrive.
Where to Eat & Drink:
- Panificio Bonci – Our favorite pizza we had on the trip
- Les Etoiles – This amazing rooftop bar with views of St. Peter’s Basilica is totally worth the $$
- Gran Caffè La Caffettiera – A perfect spot for an aperitivo
- Da Francesco – The BEST cacio e pepe
- Da Simo Pane e Vino – A great spot for lunch (I loved the caprese salad)
- Pierluigi – THE BEST MEAL WE HAD IN ITALY (see lobster photo below)
- Salotto42 – The BEST Aperol Spritz we had but $$
- Giolitti – Our favorite spot for gelato
- Osteria da Zi Umberto – A great cacio e pepe that we enjoyed on our last night in Rome
Where We Stayed:
- Luxury on the River – We stayed here on the first leg of our trip. It was fine because we didn’t spend time in our hotel except to sleep and enjoy the complimentary breakfast in the morning. The location was great, but we probably wouldn’t stay here again.
- Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora – We stayed here at the end of our honeymoon. This hotel was huge and more of an American feel with the decor and amenities. The bed was VERY comfortable, and the location was awesome for walking around. This hotel also offered a complimentary breakfast in the morning.
Positano
To get from Rome to Positano we took a train to Naples. This train leaves multiple times a day and it was easy to book online while we were in Rome. Once we arrived in Naples we were counting on taking The Campania Express Train to Sorrento, but we were a few minutes too late. This is a commuter train that offers assigned seats, air conditioning, and only stops a few times from Naples to Sorrento. Since we missed this train we took the regular commuter train and immediately regretted our decision. I should note that this is a great way from getting from point a to point b if you don’t have luggage and it’s not 90 degrees. It really is a commuter train and it happened to be packed with people, there was no air conditioning, and no place to store luggage.
After an hour and a half of Cory standing by the train door with the luggage and myself seated in direct sunlight we were so ready to be in Sorrento. We planned on taking the bus from Sorrento to Positano, but after talking with a cab driver outside the train station in Sorrento we learned taking the bus would be at least a 4 hour trip to Positano. Apparently rocks had fallen on the road that morning and the bus had to divert to the Amalfi Coast first before going to Positano. So we took a cab which was also a scary experience driving on the narrow cliffside roads. This cab ride cost us $$$, but we were desperate to get to our destination.
If we had to do it again we would totally do this a different way. Depending on what you’re budget is, timeframe or the weather I would suggest looking into private car or a ferry from Naples to get to Positano.
Things to Do:
Despite the hectic travel to get to Positano it was 100% WORTH IT. This was honestly one of our favorite stops on our honeymoon. The views were absolutely incredible and swimming in the ocean was so much fun. If we went back I would love to spend more time exploring other areas along the Amalfi Coast or try one of the hiking paths. I think the most memorable moment in Positano was meeting someone from Grand Rapids that recognized me from The GR Guide. Small world right?!
- Bagni d’Arienzo Beach Club – FYI most beaches in Positano require you to pay for the amenities (umbrella, lounge chair, etc). The beaches are very rocky so a beach chair is pretty important if you’re thinking of laying out. We LOVED this beach club for the food, drinks and complimentary water taxi too and from the main part of Positano.
- Shopping – There’s a lot of shopping in the main center of Positano including clothes and beautiful ceramics.
- Take a Hike – If you enjoy hiking there are many different hiking trails available in the area.
Where to Eat & Drink:
- Aldo’s Champagne Bar at Le Sirenuse – This place is beautiful but very $$.
- Ristorante Don Giovanni – We loved the homemade pasta with squid along with the view.
- The Restaurant at Arienzo Beach Club – The mussels were my favorite!
- Ohima Brasserie – There’s a wine bar here that’s fabulous.
- Casa e Bottega – We ate here for lunch and it was very good. Lots of healthy options and smoothies.
Where We Stayed:
- Hotel Marincanto – This hotel was beautiful with views of the coastline and an amazing complimentary breakfast. We stayed in the Villa and had a perfect view of the city. We would definitely stay here again!
For more wedding content be sure to check out Our Wedding: Part One and Our Wedding: Part Two.
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