Hi all!
Firstly, I just wanna say when JC and I travelled on F&E to Italy wholeheartedly direct from Manchester, this is my best management of the trip by far! Not that I wanna be your tour guide, but I know what's best for you 2 when it comes to honeymooning, cuz it's a win-win situation for your hubby and yourself (shopping!! haha!) Well, without a due, here's my itinerary from Manchester as best as I can remember hehe.
13 days trip (budget 2,500 pounds for 2 all-inclusive of meals, hotels, food, expenditures, including my return flight tickets to Manchester via MAS thru any local flight agt (ard SGD900))
Currencies used - Italian Lira , GBR (pounds) & Euro.
Flight from Manchester to Rome (99 pounds p.p.). You can fly direct to Rome if you do not wish to travel around UK, will be cheaper abit if u fly from London Heathrow to Rome.
Local train tiks in and around Italy (1 month duration ~150 Euro p.p. (depends on the duration of the tickets) OR you might consider single trips if u do not intedn to use trains extensively ard Italy).
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Arrived Rome (morning, day 1)
Hotel already booked thru Ryanair 1 week prior to flying to Rome (flight e-tickets by printed from internet cafe at Joey's Uni. internet cafe).
Hotel name: Hemitage (from 80 Euro per day per double rm.) main url of all hotels in Rome only.
http://hotels.hotels-rome.ws/1/search/location/Aventino%20e%20Testaccio.html
No. of days : 4 days.
Info:
first day: We toured ard Colosseum for 6 hrs, lots of picturesque ruins called the Palatine (there's a tour on it) nearby to take photos). afternoon thru evening, walked thru all the St. Peters Basilica and outer arena of the Cathedral.
2nd day: whole day - We walked around the arena of the Cathedral (St. Peters Basilica), from there sourced thru the lots of english-speaking tour-guides. Found an American tour-guide (happens to be studying history of Rome). Paid him, and the 1-whole day tour begins. (went thru inside the cathedral, rem to charge your cams!!) went thru the sistine chapel, went thru the gardens of the Vatican. Lots of history to be learnt! including the enigmatic Michelangelo and the painter Picasso, etc etc. - note, certain rooms cannot take photos (day tour ~35 euro p.p.).
3rd day: A run-thru the whole of inner Rome. Went to the La' Trevi fountain, the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, lots of piazzas (Piazza Novona is the popular one!)(squares) with your day of fun-filled shopping!!!
4th day: hotel provided full day tour - Assisi (nearby Rome) - the most romansque city around Rome region. - (~99 Euro p.p.). Alot of places and cathedrals to see, and their hilly castle atop the hill is really beautiful and romantic. Candle-light dinner provided before heading back to Rome.
5th day morning - train trip from Roma ( termini station) to Firenze (Florence)
Florence - Very "local" city with lots of gypsies. WARNING: Aviod giving gypsy kids any money, cuz they can suddenly flock to you, and pickpocket from u!!
Info:
1st day (total 5d) - from Hotel (we forgot the name, but the hotel is cheap at 65 Euro per double, you can book the hotel from your hotel in Rome - pls tip the concierge about 10 Euro for the service, otherwise they might ignore you.) we booked tickets for entry into the Galleria Accademia 2 days prior to visit - very popular!!! with the statue of David naked! haha. (I suggest you book early thru your hotel in Rome early first!)
early afternoon - walked thru the Giardino di Boboli, or the Boboli Gardens; and the Piazzale Michael Angelo, nice romantic spot for viewing the whole city! esp evening!
Walked thru the whole city - check out the duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), very picturesque! and the bridge with loads of your shopping desires!! hehe.
2nd day (total 6d) - hotel day tour to Pisa (whole day ~99 Euro p.p.)
3rd day (total 7d) - hotel 1/2 day tour to Ravenna (Another very scenic town with shopping!! ~60 Euro p.p.) lunch at Ravenna before heading back to Firenze.
- 1/2 day tour in Galleria Accademia (starting 2pm I think). Lots of pictures! unfortunately, u can only take photos of certain areas.
4th day (total 8d) - morning train heading to Venice
Venice - The legendary romantic water city
1st day (total 8d) - we book the hotel when we were in Firenze (Hotel Londra Palace ~400 Euro per day per luxury suite). Behaving as if we were married, we actually took a honeymoon suite, cuz of the best view. - Venice hotel url:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-191501770-prhigh-599.99-prlow-300-venice_hotels-i;_ylt=Am836fp6DxPPXbfg1rxu3fTKFWoL
early afternoon, lunch by the Basilica di San Marco. Walked around the city again shopping! and an evening gondola ride to end the romantic day.
2nd day (total 9d) - not much, laze around and shop shop! haha.. evening train to Milan.
Milan - Hotels are expensive there, so we got the cheapest hotel : Mozart Hotel ~60 Euro per day.
1st day (total 10d) - Mainly shop shop at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II! hehe.. I getting bored then

but I have been there before, honestly the best spot for designer clothes.. and they can be expensive depending on where you buy, nevertheless they are cheaper than in Sg & London!
2nd day (total 11d) - If yall are into Christianity.. u can see Da Vinci's works at S. Maria delle Grazie (Last Supper). Best of all, the Il Duomo di Milano is the best of all Duomos!! check out the insides.. again, prepare your cams!!
3rd day (total 12d) - train trip to Positano, Amalfi coast (most romantic hidden spot for me, better than Venice!) It's on the west coast also, nearest big city is Naples. Stayed at the Le Sirenuse (~180 Euro per double per day, cradled at the mountain slopes, the hotel views are magnificent!!!) We spent this last day, bought a champagne, candlelight dinner, view the cool Mediterranean, to celebrate our anniversary of our relationship before heading back to Rome, and back to Manchester.
4th day (total 13 days) Sad day in the morning where we took the train back to Rome
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I think for your case, it is better to get the tickets direct to Rome, and start your itinerary there. Take note, if you want a more fulfilling trip, dun take the tour packages! they are a rip off just take note of my advice for the hotels and the art galleries. Happy planning from hereonin
Cheers,
SDL