Postcards from Italy

So, You Want to Honeymoon in Italy…

We customize trips for all sorts of travelers, from those who have been to Italy before but are set on experiencing the truly authentic side of the Bel Paese that we can help provide this time around, to those who are about embark on their very first trip and want every moment perfectly planned; from large, sprawling families of two or three generations, to small groups of friends, happy to be celebrating their “empty nest” with quieter grown-up trips; from new, slightly timid clients, to return adventurers who know exactly what magic we can make.

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(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

But of all the trips we love to plan and all the clients we love to work with, there is something special about honeymoons and honeymooners. These can be the classic fresh-from-the-wedding honeymoons, the second wow-we’ve-made-it-this-far honeymoons, the pre-moons (yes, we’ve planned proposal trips), the re-moons, and everything in between. Even after dozens of romantic trips planned and taken, we still get just a little starry-eyed when working with our in-love clients.

Since we have planned so many honeymoons over the last decade, we’ve noticed there are a couple of key elements that can make or break a successful one in Italy. So if you have your heart-shaped pupils set on Italian shores, keep these pointers in mind:

Whoa, There, Mister (and Missus)

Regardless of whether you are coming straight from a frantic wedding week (or month. or year.), or celebrating with a bit of a time delay, slow down! Take at least a few days at the beginning of your trip to regroup, relax, take stock, and begin to let the adrenaline buzz boil down to a low hum. If you hit the ground running, you’ll never get a chance to catch your breath, leaving both you and your honey stressed, cranky, and decidedly unromantic for the remainder of your trip.

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(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

We almost always book our honeymooners into a swank, heavenly-hushed resort to chill after they get off their overseas flight. So grab a sun lounger with a view, get one hand around an icy drink and the other around the fingers of your sweetheart, and just be for a day or two.

Keep the pace

Ok, you’ve chilled. Now it’s time to begin the honeymoon marathon, right?

Wrong. Not only should you pull up on the reins when you first land, but you should continue with your leisurely trot for the rest of your stay. Remember, you’ve got a long life ahead of you as a couple, so there’s no reason you need to start check listing the joy out of it in the first weeks.

Instead of thinking of your trip as “our honeymoon in Italy”, think of it as “our honeymoon in Tuscany (or Puglia, or Piedmont)” or “our honeymoon in Venice (or Florence, or Rome)”. Don’t over-stuff your itinerary with too many destinations and days spent traveling, but choose a smaller area or one city and make your dreams come true there.

Remember why you’re there!

Romance! Don’t forget it, and don’t think it doesn’t need a little nudge from time to time. We are always careful to select hotels that go that extra mile for our honeymooning couples, restaurants with that perfect blend of unforgettable food and candlelit ambience, and destinations where heart-stopping sunsets and dreamy scenery are the perfect backdrop for those first “hey, we’re officially a couple” snapshots.

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(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

Make sure you keep the romance in mind when planning your trip logistics, from lodgings to meals to timing. It takes just a few minutes to look up sunset times, for example, or order breakfast served on your private hotel terrace with a view, and these are the sweet little gestures that will stay with you for much longer than the Vatican museum or the Leaning Tower. Our favorite romantic touches are night drives (in Rome) or gondola rides (in Venice), private sails along the Amalfi Coast or on the Lakes, and a sunset row along the Arno River in Florence. Want to win the Romantic of the Year Award? Plan one of these as a surprise for your sweetheart.

Don’t just see. Do.

Yes, you will do some sightseeing, which is fine. But remember, you want to be making memories–which means creating special experiences together, not just trudging your way through a tourist itinerary side-by-side. Make sure your museum and church visits are broken up by something fun that you do as a couple: a cooking class, a food tour, a wine tasting, even a soccer game. Anything that speaks to your passion and who your are together. If you love touring, book a private walking tour so you are less distracted by trying to find your place in the guidebook or on the map and can really enjoy discovering a new place with the person you love the most.

We always book our honeymooning couples on private experiences and excursions, so the day is never marred by a “third wheel”. There are times when socializing with fellow travelers can be a priority, but on this trip, make it all about you two.

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(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

And a last pointer:

Leave those thank you notes at home! You have three months to write them before you’re breaking etiquette. You don’t need to be stressing about post-wedding chores during your honeymoon.

Travel Specialists

Maria Landers

Brian Dore