10-day Italy Honeymoon Itinerary

Italy is one of my top destinations in the world. The culture is rich in history, romance, art, and of course, food and wine. When we were planning our honeymoon we knew we wanted good food, mountains, and a laid-back atmosphere. To get that, we decided on Northern Italy and it had everything we could have dreamed of, and more. Italy was the perfect place to unwind, focus on each other, and enjoy ourselves without the stress of everyday routines.

During our stay in Italy, we traveled from Follina in the rolling Prosecco hills, up to Merano in the South Tyrol region, and over to the sparkling waters of Lake Como to stay in Bellagio.

If you are looking to book your perfect Italian honeymoon, I’m sharing our itinerary along with a few other tips so you have the best Italian honeymoon ever! I’ll list out our hotels, some great restaurants, and tours. We traveled in May, just when the summer season was about to begin. To me it was perfect, the crowds weren’t unmanageable and the places we stayed at weren’t too full of others on holiday.

So let’s get started with our itinerary and travel plan for exploring Northern Italy!

DAY 1

Welcome to the Prosecco Hills!

Fly into Venice airport, pick up the rental car and drive the 1-hour trip to Agriturismo la Dolza, your home for the next few days. Agriturismo la Dolza is located in Follina, right in the heart of The Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our room was spacious - two-floors, a walk-in shower, and a veranda with spectacular views of the grounds and CastelBrando (thousand-year old castle turned hotel).

Mid-afternoon: Go to Osteria Senz’Oste! It’s a self-serve vending machine for local wine, water, meats and cheeses. Not to mention the sweeping views of small towns and endless vineyards!

Evening: Dinner at Fucina Restaurant inside CastelBrando. For visitors (aka non-guests of the castle), park below the castle and pay a small fee to ride the cable car up to the top. The castle has sweeping views of the region, beautiful landscaping, and the food was divine! After dinner, head back to the hotel for some much needed sleep!

Day 2

If you’re experiencing jet lag, the best tip I can give you is to adjust to local time as quickly as possible. Italy was a 7-hour time difference for us and at night it was difficult to stay awake and the mornings were a bit tough. Our first few mornings were tough to wake up at our “usual” time - I think we slept in an extra hour and a half!

If you’re finding it hard to wake up and are hitting the snooze button for an hour - just getting up and moving will help. Once you’re up and at ‘em, you remember that you’re in an incredible place and you can’t help but get ready and go explore.

Morning: Once you’re awake and ready for the day, head down to the complimentary breakfast. Here you’ll be greeted with homemade breads and tarts, fruit, fresh juices, meats and cheeses, and more options than you could feast on (not to mention espresso drinks, too)! To add to the delight, if the weather is nice, enjoy eating outside in the garden.

Before a private wine tour in the afternoon, take the time to explore Follina by foot. The town is so charming and there’s plenty to see.

Afternoon: Get picked up by your driver to do a wine tour with Visit Prosecco Italy. This company offers full-day or half-day tours to visit multiple vineyards and learn more about Prosecco. The half-day tour is €250 and you can choose either morning or afternoon - I highly suggest the afternoon tour. With this option, you’ll be able to visit 2-3 wineries.

Evening: After a day of wine tasting you will be hungry! I recommended going to Osteria Dai Mazzeri in Follina for dinner. You may even have the best meal of your life here - according to my husband, he did! He had the Lasagne alla Bolognese and it’s the meal he kept thinking about our entire trip. If you’re still hungry after dinner, there’s always an option for dessert or coffee.

After dinner, head back to the hotel for a well deserved night’s sleep!

Day 3

Morning (take your time): Have a relaxed morning, enjoy the veranda and have breakfast when you’re ready.

After breakfast and a walk around the grounds to greet your new furry friends, it’s time to pack up and start the drive into the mountains. The drive to Miramonti Boutique Hotel in Merano is about 2 hours and 45 minutes but believe me when I say the drive goes quickly. The excitement settles in when you start to see the terrain change and the mountains around you grow taller. I will say, the last 30 or so minutes the drive gets quite interesting as you climb the mountain. If you have a fear of heights, keep your eyes up and wait to take in the views until you get to the top. Trust me, it’s worth it.

One thing to note, they do speak primary German in this region. So don’t be alarmed when you start to see German road signs on the drive up. The hotel staff does speak German, Italian, and English - so you’ll be able to easily communicate during your stay.

Afternoon: You’ve arrived at Miramonti, your bags are being brought up to the room and you’re enjoying the views over a welcome beverage. Relaxation can’t help but creep in. The hotel is immaculate with its modern furniture, signature aroma, and mountains as far as the eyes can see. Take your time to walk the grounds and get acquainted with your oasis for the next few days. If you arrive between 2:00-5:00pm, enjoy the hotel’s signature, daily teatime - filled with delicious options from their in-house patisserie.

Evening: Enjoy dinner at the hotel’s Klassik restaurant, one of three on the property. This restaurant is casual yet elegant. The cuisine is impeccable and you can get lost in their extensive wine list. While everything is incredible, I suggest trying the pasta with lemon goat cheese. It’s unlike anything I've ever tasted before and truly a work of art.

After dinner I suggest either enjoying an after dinner drink or dessert in the lounge. Or retire up to your room to sit on the terrace and watch the lights of the city below come to life.

Day 4

Morning: Have an early morning swim or slowly get ready for the day before heading down to breakfast. The menu has some new options every day so you’ll have new foods to sample.

Hop in the car and head down the mountain to the spa town of Merano. This smaller city is elegant and full of life. We parked in the underground parking ramp, Therme, as it was in walking distance to the city center. This city is very walkable and you’ll have plenty of shops and cafes to hop in and out of.

Afternoon: If you’re in need of a slice of Germany, hop in the car and head to the Forst brewery. While it is an Italian brewery, the atmosphere transforms you to Germany - from the music, to the atmosphere, to the food. It’s a fun place to have a brew and unwind after a day of shopping.

Once back to the hotel, go relax in one of the pools and enjoy the spectacular mountain views.

Evening: Dinner tonight is at the panoramic restaurant inside the hotel. It’s best to make a reservation for this restaurant as it’s smaller than the Klassik restaurant. I’m not sure what’s better, the food or the views. Either way, dinner will not disappoint.

Day 5

Morning: Fuel up at breakfast so you can get some hiking in. Around the hotel’s property there’s a circular trail that takes about an hour to complete and as everything else here, it is stunning. If you’d rather venture off the property, the front desk can give you a map of other trails in the area to check out.

Afternoon: If you’re ready for more adventure after this hike, head down to Merano 2000. In the winter this is a ski resort but in the summer there’s plenty of hiking and mountaintop views to take in. Take the 7 minute ropeway up to the top and start exploring. Another fun adventure for all ages up here is the albine bob. We shared a bobsled but I do recommend everyone riding their own. It’s a fun little course and you’ll find yourself giggling the entire way down. If you get hungry, grab a bite at Panoramabistro Meran 2000, near the ropeway station.

Late Afternoon: Once back to the hotel, you go for an afternoon swim or take a walk down to Sankt Kathrein, the small church you can see from the hotel. You can have a look inside or simply have a seat outside. Nearby is another small hiking trail that will take you to a spot with even more great views (I know, you’re wondering how there could be more!). As I’ve found with my travels, all stairs and uphill climbs lead to great things.

Evening: Have a casual night in and rest after a long day of adventure

Day 6

Morning: Have breakfast then pack up to drive to Lake Como.

The drive is about 4 hours long so I recommend breaking up the trip about halfway in Verona. This medieval city is most well-known for being the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. To park while you explore this city, find a spot in the free parking lot, Parcheggio Porta Palio. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from the city center and easy to get in and out of.

Verona is one of those cities that you can wander around and find beauty all around you. You’ll find shopping streets lined in marble, a beautiful Roman amphitheater, and the river Adige. Wander long enough and you’ll find yourself at Juliet’s balcony.

After some sight-seeing, tasty foods, and shopping, head back to the car and finish out the drive to Bellagio, Lake Como.

Afternoon/Evening: After the winding drive along the lake, you’ll be happy to find the Hotel Belvedere. I recommend booking a Comfort Room with a lake view, and a patio if you can swing it. We had a corner room on the 4th floor with a large, private patio overlooking the pool and the lake.

Take your time to wind down from traveling and soak up the views of Bellagio. When you’re feeling up for it, walk into the center of town, and find a spot to eat. Dishes with rice and lake fish are popular here, so don’t be afraid to try them.

Day 7

Morning: Wake up with the sun coming over the mountains and illuminating the lake. Head down to the restaurant in the hotel for breakfast (included in your room rate). Like the other stays, you’ll find fresh eggs, fruits, meats, cheeses, breads, baked goods, and fresh juices.

Late morning/afternoon: Take your private boat tour with Anna Maria Gilardoni. She is so knowledgeable and accommodating. On the tour, you’ll cruise in style aboard one of the classic wooden boats and truly feel like royalty. With her tour, you’ll not only learn about the lake, but she can also arrange a tour at one of the famous villas on the lake and even a lakeside lunch.

We toured Villa del Balbianello and it was magical. Not only beautiful it also has a rich history and has been the set of movies such as Star Wars and James Bond. To learn more about our tour of Villa del Balbianello, click here.

Evening: After hours of touring the lake, head back to the hotel for a swim and relaxation on the pool deck. When hunger strikes, head to the restaurant where Anna Maria’s husband and son work their magic as chefs. The spaghetti carbonara is out of this world and the pizzas will also rock your tastebuds. This was my favorite restaurant on this trip, I’m still dreaming about it! After dinner, maybe grab a gelato for the walk back to the hotel.

Day 8

Morning: After breakfast, take the ferry over to Varenna or Menaggio. These are cute towns to explore and spend a few hours in. Once you’re ready, hop back on the ferry to Bellagio.

Afternoon: Do some shopping in the local shops of Bellagio for leather goods, scarves, kitchen gadgets, or anything else that peaks your interest. If you’re ready for another outstanding meal, head back to La Dolce Vita to try something new on the menu and sit outside for lunch.

Once you’re full from lunch, head back to the hotel for an afternoon of swimming and sunbathing. The trip up to this point has been action packed, take some time to truly relax and soak up the lake life.

Evening: Walk down to the harbor of Borgo di Pescallo, the harbor you can see from the hotel. Here the houses are covered in ivy and fishing boats sway in the water. Bellagio is filled with little gems waiting to be explored.

After exploring, enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants in the town. Don’t be afraid to explore the side streets - there are quaint restaurants hidden everywhere and they are all so unique.

Day 9

Travel day before flying home.

Once you check out from the hotel, drive down to Como to drop the car off at the train station before hopping on the train to Milan. The train ride is about an hour long and you can enjoy the views along the way. A train ticket for two is about €25 and you can purchase it easily off of the Trainline app.

For the one night stay in Milan, find a hotel or AirBnB that’s both close to the city center and a metro stop. That way you can explore Milan in the afternoon and easily hop on a train to the airport in the morning.

If you’re into art, I suggest booking tickets to go see The Last Supper painting in the Santa Maria delle Grazie. It is a breath-taking piece of art and history and will leave a lasting impression on you. While you’re out and about, go check out the Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. These two landmarks are next to each other making it easy to see both when you’re on a limited time schedule.

Milan is a big city so feel free to wander about, do some shopping, and try the foods this city has to offer.

Day 10

Take the metro to hop on the Malpensa Express (if you’re flying out of MXP) to get to the airport. It’s about an hour train ride but the train takes you right to the airport to begin the travel process. With most international flights, make sure you allow plenty of time to get through security and find your gate.

Check out: Exploring Bellagio on Lake Como, Italy