France + Italy Honeymoon
France and Italy are one of the most romantic places to go on a honeymoon, and I can now attest to that. Matt and I had an amazing time in both countries back in September, and I have nothing but great things to say. We decided to start the adventure in Rome since we ultimately wanted end in Paris, along the way visiting Cinque Terre, Venice and Nice.
We booked our lodging through sites like AirBnB, Go with Oh and Homeaway except for Monterrosso, where we had to book directly with the hotel. We had a harder time finding availability in Cinque Terre, so book early!
The best way to get to know this amazing city really is by walking and getting lost in between piazzas. We’d then take a break by stopping at a gelateria, which quickly turned into a habit. Gelateria del Teatro was our favorite by far.
We stopped over in Pisa on our train ride between Rome and Cinque Terre. The train station has lockers, so you can leave your suitcases to wander the city. We ordered our lunch to go and had a picnic by the tower before we continued on our adventure to Cinque Terre.
This was one of the breathtaking views from our hike from Monterrosso to Vernazza. And by breathtaking, I also mean literally! It’s a steep hike, but we quickly learned why it’s highly recommended. We hiked from Monterrosso to Vernazza and took trains to the following villages. On our way back we took a boat ride to enjoy the view and the sunset.
Venice really is everything that people tell you and more. It’s beautiful and utterly romantic. It’s also the home of the oldest coffee shop in the world, Caffe Florian, opened since 1720. It was under restoration and had just reopened while we were there. This was definitely one of the highlights for me.
We also spent a day in Murano, the island famous for hand blown glass sculptures, fabulous chandies and Venetian mirrors. It’s a 10 minute trip on a vaporetto. We didn’t know anything about the art beforehand, and we were so happy we went. We came across some factories that allowed people to watch their artisans work, away from the tourist traps.
The weather in Nice wasn’t warm enough to hit the local beaches, so we decided to visit Monaco, Cannes and Marseilles as well. If your guy is into car racing, Monaco is it. Among the hairpin curve and the casinos you might recognize from James Bond movies, you will also find plaques with photos of Grace Kelly and the royal family. The St Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco is where Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier were married and it’s beautiful. It was closed for mass when we were there, but it is open to the public.
We also visited Claude Monet’s house in Giverny. It’s a 40 minute train ride from Paris. There are shuttles from the train station that will take you there. We loved seeing the lily pond for ourselves, then going to the D’Orsay Museum the next day to see the painting.
While in Paris, we also went to the Les Puces St Ouen, the famous flea market where the movie Midnight in Paris was filmed. If you watched the movie, it’s even more amazing in person! In Montmartre, after visiting the Basilica we made our way to the fabric district. I took a quick shot with my camera below, starstruck at the variety of Liberty print fabrics amongst other finds! I got a few yards from Tissus Reine. There so, so many things to see and do in Paris, it’s the perfect honeymoon for a couple who likes to do a bit of everything.
This is lovely, two of my dearest friends are planning there’s starting in Barcelona then Paris and finishing up in Italy, which is perfect. I grew up in Europe and its just the best place.
Hi! This looks so lovely! And it’s exactly what we were planning for our honeymoon (Italy followed by Paris on the way back to the States) May I ask how long you spent in each location? Thank you!!
We already want to go back…you will love it!
2 days in Rome
3 days / 2 nights in Monterrosso
3 days / 2 nights in Venice
3 days in Nice
5 days in Paris
The only thing we would change in our itinerary would be maybe spending a day less in Monterrosso and Nice to add to Rome.
Enjoy your HM!
Great post! We are planning to go to Paris for our honeymoon. May I ask where did you stayed or is there any place you would recommend in Paris? Thank you.