Honeymoonin’ in Greece & Italy

Two weeks chock full of water adventures, delicious foods, gorgeous hotels, and endless sunsets. Seeing everything we planned together for months come to life is always the best part of this job! Danielle and John actually won an itinerary giveaway I hosted in 2021 when I “officially” started my travel business aka launched my proper website and started promoting myself as a travel consultant. It happened to work out perfectly because their wedding was on the horizon and I knew we’d be able to plan them a honeymoon trip they would never forget and one that Lizzie McGuire would be jealous of.

Their route went as follows: Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Sorrento & Amalfi Coast, then Rome. It is the quintessential Mediterranean summer trip! Especially right now as these places are having their bright, shining moment on social media. Even with the online popularity, they have always been insanely well-visited and a beach lover’s paradise. One of the biggest benefits of this trip for D &J was that they went in early May, so while still bustling with nice weather and people, it was nowhere near as crowded as peak season in the middle of the summer. The late Spring or early Fall time frames are referred to as shoulder season and they tend to still be very enjoyable, with things still open and warm enough weather, but much, much less people traveling.

Santorini can really be a hit or miss for people because of overcrowding and the very high price points. Most people flock to the town of Oia but it can be lacking in experience because of crowds, super full hotels, and obstructed views with people everywhere. If you are keen on Santorini over other islands, staying farther away gets you so much more bang for your buck in terms of luxury hotels with pools or hot tubs, and it gives you some privacy! D & J ended up staying in Imerovigli, which is not too far from the port/airport and also not a bad drive from Oia if visiting this famous area is still on your list. It’s a good way to experience some of the iconic views you’ll find on Google or Instagram without having to be in the heart of tourist heaven.

For D & J, Santorini was mostly about relaxing but they made sure to build time in for a catamaran ride and a beautiful photoshoot. They also wanted to have dinner with sweeping views and good food, so a fancier meal was important for us to find. They ended up picking the restaurant Throubi from my recommendations, which is within an Adronis Concept hotel. These hotels are well-known in Greece for celebrity stays and luxury experiences. A great tip if you don’t want to spend a whole meal’s worth of money but you’d like to see the private views from fancy hotels is to try to go to a bar onsite. Drinks are cheaper than a meal and you still get to experience the luxury environment and secluded sunsets as if you were a guest.

Next up, D & J hopped on a ferry over to Mykonos. Something to note about ferries is that there are two types - standard or high speed. They come with a price difference of course, with high speed sometimes being double the price. Ferries are a very typical, affordable travel option for island areas but they sometimes have a reputation for experiencing regular delays, because controlling the timing of boats is a bit harder than something like buses or trains. They can also be quite crowded in peak season. Another area heavily dependent on ferry travel is Lake Como in Italy, but really all it means is you should be a bit flexible with your travel plans!

Mykonos was the couple’s favorite island. They had their favorite hotel experience here and really enjoyed all of the things they got to do. They did a beach day at a gorgeous club called Alemagou, which in typical Euro beach fashion has you pay a price per head for chaise lounges and umbrellas. Beach clubs really can range from affordable to very, very expensive. Going middle of the road price-wise will generally get you a nice spot and decent pricing on food or drinks. Another place they loved for views and vibes was 180º Sunset Bar. There were multiple levels of seating, unobstructed views, and options for both food and drinks. They ended up here to do some before-dinner drinks! Something you may come across in very popular areas is food/drink minimums at these “perfect view” bars or restaurants. It’s not the norm necessarily but it exists enough to note. These minimums can be easy to hit for some and harder for others, so just make sure you pay attention to your menu. Ask for clarification if you need to!

Their last stop in Greece was Athens before taking a hopper flight over to Naples for the second half of their honeymoon. In Athens, they were able to do a street food tour, a guided tour of the Acropolis, plus a dinner with beautiful views of the Acropolis at Sense. Athens is a pretty affordable city, so it’s a good idea to add in a night or two here if you’re traveling through the area. The lodging options are generally very, very budget-friendly, without feeling too budget at the same time.

Getting to Sorrento from Naples is fairly easy with multiple options, taking anywhere from 45 mins to a bit over an hour. Your options include a ferry, a very affordable local train, a private car transfer, or driving yourself - however, I don’t advise renting/driving your own car in the Amalfi Coast region. It’s very challenging on its own with tight and very twisty roads but then add in seasoned drivers who won’t slow down for you and it would definitely be more stressful than it’s worth. D & J were able to arrange a private car from Naples to Sorrento through Hotel Continental, where they stayed for their Sorrento nights. Always worth asking your hotel if this is an option!

After relaxing a good amount in Greece, D & J were so ready to go, go, go, and explore Italy, doing as much as they could while still enjoying everything. They did a guided tour of Pompeii with a wine tasting, a highly recommended (from past clients) pasta-making class by Foodies from Sorrento, and then dinner at this adorable restaurant that I had been wanting a client to try out so badly called La Limonaia. They also offer lemon tours and cooking classes on their property.

They did not stop there! One of the best ways to see the Amalfi Coast is by sea and by land - so D & J did just that. They got to enjoy a boat ride over to Capri, stopping in lots of grottos for swimming and relaxing, but they also did a coastal Mercedes van tour through a few different towns so they could walk around and explore as well. While a van tour might not be at the top of everyone’s list, it is great in areas that lack good public transit options like the Amalfi Coast. Your alternatives are ferries, packed public buses, or private cars/taxis, which cost a fortune plus a loooot of walking in between. Small bus tours are a great way to get to the meat of the small towns without spending all of your time getting there so you’re able to actually sit and enjoy for a bit longer than trying to get yourself around. Contrary to how it may look because of how many people are there on your Instagram feed - Amalfi Coast is quite hard to get around. So you have to be prepared to spend a good amount of time or money on transport.

After enjoying as much of Sorrento and the coast as they possibly could in four full days, they made the trek up to Rome to end their incredible honeymoon with some historical sights and a secret supper at a local host’s home. John had spent time in Rome while studying abroad so he acted as their tour guide and got to show Danielle some of his “home away from home” spots. The secret supper is a fun experience I’ve found in multiple cities through Airbnb experiences. It’s set up essentially as a dinner party within a local’s home and they offer good, homemade food and great conversation. It was amazing to follow along via the photos and updates D & J gave me along the way and I had an absolute blast helping them plan this jam-packed, unforgettable honeymoon.

If you’re interested to learn more about any of the restaurants, hotels, or activities I’ve written about here - please reach out! I’d love to help you find the perfect experiences for your trip and give you all the support you might need along the way to create your own amazing adventure from scratch. Happy travels!!