Honeymoon Itinerary -- To stay in Siena or Cinque Terre?

Are you traveling by car or train?  This is important to be able to answer your questions.  However, to answer without that information - I would consider 3 days in Rome rather than four.  I would also consider skipping Venice unless you are really set on it.  It is extremely touristy and crowded and I didn't really enjoy it the last time I was there last May. I love Siena, one of my favorite cities.  If you have a car, I would stay outside of Florence and drive to one of the free parking lots overlooking the city and walk in.  Much easier.  I also love the Cinque Terre, but one day is really not enough.  Choose between Tuscany and the Cinque Terre .  If you are getting a car, also consider making Rome last on the itinerary so you can drop off the car before you go into Rome and won't have to deal with it at the end of the trip.  Additional comments: If it was me going, I would pick up a car in Rome, drive straight to Tuscany and stay 5 nights (maybe base in 2 places for 3 nights/2 nights so you don't have to backtrack a lot, go to the Cinque Terre for 3 nights and stay 3 nights in Rome. You mentioned 12 days, so I only counted 11 nights, but if you have 12 nights I would stay one more night in Tuscany.  You will love the relaxing beautiful areas of Tuscany and Cinque Terre.  Cities we like in Tuscany besides Florence - Sienna, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Cortona and more.  

I went to the Cinque Terre in August, and was blown away at the beauty. I have been to Italy 5 times, and they say this is the North version of the Amalfi Coast. You can relax, take a boat to each of the 5 cities (much better than train), and just soak up the sun on the beaches in Monterosso al Mare.

I also loved Siena, but you need to go to other places in Tuscany to get the full effect. Here is a video from Tuscany-Chianti I made for my cooking show: https://youtu.be/fGmXtJ6XYEs

I would personally choose to stay in Cinque Terre over Siena. While I visited I took day trips to both locations and wished I would have stayed MUCH longer in Cinque Terre; the beauty is jaw-dropping and it's such a different overall experience from the other cities you'll be visiting. You can choose to hike, take a train, or take a boat from city to city so there are plenty of options to suit your mood and the weather! If you're big seafood lovers, Cinque Terre is part of the Liguria region which is well known for their fresh seafood dishes and, trust me, the food is definitely incredible. Plus, often you can enjoy your amazing meal in a cliffside restaurant that offers gorgeous, sweeping views of the ocean, distant cities, and cliffs which only enhances the experience! Hope this helps a bit. Happy traveling, and congratulations!

Florence to Siena is very close. Cinque Terre not so much. It depends on what you want to do. If you want to chill and eat great and relax, I say more time in and around Florence. It makes more sense to stay in that area, rent a car and explore some hill towns (great wine in Montalcino and Montepulciano ) and Siena is lovely.  

If you want to hike, be active and enjoy the charm of Cinque Terre do that. I think 2 days of that s enough and add more time in Florence. Both are romantic and lovely.

Definitely Cinque Terre. I studied in Florence and traveled all over Italy, and Cinque Terre was my favorite. It's a perfect place for a honeymoon.

Having been to both I would say Cinque Terre is the most unique and the views are fabulous! But it is not where to go to relax as you will probably want to visit the Five Towns by hiking or the little train. But it is unforgettable! Go for it! Stay in La Spezia as an alternative as there are very few hotels in the Cinque Terre.

Siena is lovely, but from what you describe, I think Cinque Terre would be better for this trip and go to Siena another time when you can spend some time wandering around Tuscany.  I would also suggest two days in Venice if you have the time.  Can you cut Rome by one night?  Venice is an enchanting place like no other and you will spend a lot time getting lost which is part of the fun.  Cinque Terre will offer the ocean, walking and relaxing.  You will enjoy it.

If it were my honeymoon (and it's not!) I'd want a place away from tourists. Italy, and Cinque Terre in particular, is beautiful, but more tourists per square inch than anywhere I've ever been. I'd look for a quiet, non-touristy location.

I am not a fan of Siena. My take is do Cinque Terre.  The three days can easily be consumed by the five villages. Getting around is easy on the train and I think you would enjoy it more than Siena. Just my humble opinion.

September will still be quite warm and it's a beautiful time of year to visit Italy. One night in Venice is not enough, not if you truly want to walk the city and find hidden places to eat and really enjoy the beauty of this fascinating place. Also, depending on your budget, you may want to skip the gondola ride. It is unbelievably expensive. You can get a real feel for the city by taking one of the ferries that go around the island. You can hop off if you wish but I suggest staying on. It's a wonderful way to view the architecture and the sites day or night. And eat in places away from the tourist areas where the food is incredible. I would spend less time in Florence. Be sure to see the Duomo,of course , and walk all the way to the top.Boboli Gardens  is a must see as well. I love Siena but I would suggest saving Siena for your next trip and plan an incredible driving vacation thru Tuscany. If you enjoy the outdoors and hiking a bit Cinque Terre is incredibly beautiful. We stayed in Vernazza and enjoyed climbing up the mountain for unforgetable views and a hike not to be forgotten. We did stay one night but I must say it is very hard to find accommodations and our place was extremely rustic . There are only a few nice very small hotels and September is a very busy month so not sure what you'll find. We drove to Cinque Terre and there is a parking lot to leave the car and then you take the train in. It really is an incredible experience. From there we went to Pisa for a night and flew home from Pisa. Really, you can't go wrong whatever you decide. As far as relaxing, well it's a bit hard to do in Italy with so much to see and so little time. Take advantage of the outdoor restaurants and really take your time and enjoy your meals and be ready to experience a truly unforgettable trip. Best Wishes!

Hmmm...in September the weather will be getting a little cooler, many of the tourists will have gone home so I would plan on spending the last 2 or 3 nights in Cinque Terre. There will be a little walking - not too strenuous, and lots of places to sit and enjoy that bottle of wine! Consider staying in Santa Margherita and taking the train to one of the Cinque Terre towns, then walking to the other four. You could also take the boat over to Portofino for lunch from Santa Margherita. You only need a day to see Siena and it is too beautiful to miss. Why not take the train from Rome to Siena (about 3 hours) spend a night there then take the train to Florence (1 hour 38 mins) spend a night in Florence, then continue your trip from there. You're squeezing a lot into your itinerary but a little taste of everything is good. You'll want to go back! Have a fabulous trip.

Siena and Cinque Terre are beautiful, in very different ways. You could make either one work, but as you say, trying to do both wouldn't be very relaxing! I think your idea of adding an additional day in Florence is a good one.

But here's what I'd recommend - if you are renting a car, or would be comfortable renting a car for a few days, I'd stay in a Tuscan "villa" in the countryside for the last few days of your trip. Lots of companies rent them by the week, but if you go on airbnb, there are lots of beautiful options for a few nights. You could then take a day trip to Siena from there and spend the rest of your time in Italy eating and relaxing in the sunshine.

Staying in Cinque Terre would be amazing as well (those views!), just keep in mind your last day of travel, from Liguria to Rome, would be a longer one.

Siena is a BEAUTIFUL city. Close buildings, beautiful shops, and the open center of the city to sit and people watch. We only spent a day there, and I wished we planned more.

The Cinque Terre is VERY relaxing! In Monterosso al Mare, we stayed in a room for rent on the beachfront with a balcony facing the ocean for only 90€! It's more laid back with more town exploring than shopping. In Old Monterosso, after some shopping, we wandered around until a cute little old lady (who spoke no english) insistently took us up a path to a winery at the top of the hillside. In our way back,  we discovered an old castle that was turned into a cemetery and a tiny pebble church courtyard. 

It depends on what you enjoy, but it would have allowed more time for the Cinque Terre as well.

We planned 3 days in Rome, and by the third day,  both me and my husband couldn't WAIT to get out of the city.  We do NOT like crowds,  slower paced was definitely more or style.  We also planned 3 days in Venice.  We spent one afternoon resting in our hotel room just because we felt we'd seen everything on our itinerary. ..twice.  the city is a lot smaller than I thought,  but a lot of fun to get take the water bus,  or walk,  wander,  and get lost. You're on an island, you won't get far.  ;) Hope these answers helped you out! 

My husband and I went for 16 days, and rented a car for the trip.  The only place we actually used the car was on the Amalfi Coast,  everywhere else was so well connected by trains, subways, and busses,  we ended up parking the car (paying for the parking) and using the public transportation. 

We each packed only a single carry on,  and still felt like we packed too much.  Search you tube for videos on packing tips!  Pack in layers that can be mixed and matched for new looks,  wearing your bulkiest pieces on the plane.  We DID buy a bag from one of the souvenir carts for 35€ to put our souvenirs in for the trip home. 

Cinque Terre is magical. You can also visit San Fruttuoso and Porto Venere from there. 

Sienna is nice but it is a more formal Florence. The best thing to do in Sienna is to go for the Palio, it is an amazing event and Palio tours out of Coral Gables, FL puts together great tours, but that is another matter. 

You should spend more time in one or two places and go back later. Don't try to do the Chinese tour thing. Venice and cinque Terre would be a great honeymoon!

Hello, I have been to this part of Italy, three times. I agree that 3 nights in Rome is enough- I would suggest a city tour- in the pm on the day you arrive- to orient yourselves. I would suggest you get a private tour guide- - your honeymoon- they get you into the Vatican, without waiting in line ups. They could also walk you around the highlighted areas of old Rome. Email me , I can tell you who I used. Amazing experience, You can walk the highlights, dine anywhere. I would suggest 1 night in Venice- since- honeymoon, YOU MUST BREAK THE BANK AND TAKE A GONDOLA RIDE- as soon as you get there- rides will stop if weather not good. You can walk Venice to see highlight- do not go to Murano Island unless you want to spend thousands on a chandelier. 2 nights in Florence is a must- book tickets to Uffizi Gallery online from home so you don't wait in any line. This is a must- you can walk Firenze- go to Boboli Gardens - - the museum is nice BUT THE GROUNDS - amazing- climb to the top of gardens, then turn around to see the view of the city... I would not go to Cinque Terre, too much running- you can stay in Florence and do a day trip to Siena. I had a driver - Leonardo Maroni- 00393357849614? he owns business with cars-etc. He drove us from Florence to Siena,  and back  - was 300 euro in 2009. Well worth it. It may reduce your running and add to your relaxation and memories.

My suggestion is to spend 2-3 nights in the country side far from the city chaos; you can enjoy a pool, some wine tasting and nice restaurants.

I know some fantastic places in the Chianti area very close to Siena.

Hi! In my opinion you can stay one more night in Florence and visit Siena, then move to Cinque Terre and spend two nights there. You are the only one that can choose what to visit as Siena is a medieval charming city and Cinque Terre are breath taking with stunning panorama...Let me know if I can help more!

Siena, if you like arts, monument, history and serene landscapes

Cinque Terre if you prefer seaside.

Siena, Val D'Orcia Suites Srl for a night, then try Castello Banfi