Amy & Joe

With this contribution we will spend a day hiking through the coastal villages of Cinque Terre, described as one of the most beautiful places on earth (and confirmed by a 16 year old Amy that has always dreamed of returning to this location for her honeymoon). We will enjoy a romantic and lovely day of hiking through the 5 cliff carved towns of Cinque Terre - stopping along the way to sample wine at the local vineyards, explore olive orchards, and of course chow down on a fresh bowl of pasta and a few gelatos. Hey, don't judge, it's a 5 hour hike with no stops - but, we plan to eat and drink our way through it.

Of all the things Germany is famous for, from castles, to high quality cars, and of course sausages. The most outstanding product by far is beer. We'll enjoy a pint or two on you. Cheers!

One of the most important museums in the world, the Accademia is most famous for its art works by Michelangelo, in particular the large “David” sculpture, which was given a full restoration from 2002 to 2004. In addition to this statue, there are also unfinished sculptures of the “Four Prisoners” which Michelangelo designed for the tomb of Pope Julius II. Throughout the rest of the gallery are displays of art from the 13th-16th centuries, a collection of musical instruments, and pieces by other Renaissance artists, including Andrea del Sarto and Giambologna.

Send Amy & Joe on a tour of the original Cinderella's castle. On this tour, we’ll take a rail journey to the Bavarian Alps to discover most famous castle of them all, Schloss Neuschwanstein. Complete with a horse carriage ride up to the castle, this was a "must do" on Amy's honeymoon list - and Joe wants a happy wife.

Send Joe and Amy on a walk back in time on the famed Night Watchman Tour of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Rick Steves calls this tour "flat-out the most entertaining hour of medieval wonder anywhere in Germany" and we're eager to find out if he is right!

We'll soar high above the Alps as we journey by cable car up to the 2,334 meter high peak of Hafelekar. Once there, we'll enjoy a lovely meal as we overlook the city of Innsbruck and soak in the beauty of the the Alps. And yes, I fully expect that we'll we humming a little "Sound of Music" tribute along the way.

Give Amy and Joe the opportunity to tour Southern Germany's biggest rock-cut cellar maze located at the foot of a castle in Nuremberg, Germany. From beer storage to bomb shelters, subterranean Nuremberg has a rich history that we're dying to explore. Did we mention the tour begins with warm pretzels and ends in a micro-brewery?

We can’t wait to explore the quintessential wine region of Tuscany! Learning about the history of this very distinctive and historical wine making region of Italy, our guides will share their vast knowledge of wine and more important, offer us a sampling of some their favorites. Tuscany is not only famous for its wine but also its olive oil. We will taste some of the famous Crostini Toscano as we learn why extra virgin olive oil plays such an important role in Italian cuisine!

1 Night Stay in at Brauereigasthof Hotel Aying (Ayinger Brewery Guesthouse) in Munich Topping our lists of "must dos" in Germany is enjoying one of our favorite beers - Celebrator - at Munich's Ayinger brewery.  Celebrator is the beer we shared together on one of our first dates - and we still have our goat charms to prove it.  :)  Help us make this an even more memorable experience with a stay at the Ayinger Brewery's own traditional Bavarian mansion that also serves as a romantic bed and breakfast. 

Discovering the beautiful Munich by night! We will pass beautifully illuminated monuments, fountains, and buildings. In the famous Hofbrauhaus, we'll be treated to an evening, Bavarian style, with music, shows and dinner. Afterwards, we'll pass through the former artists' quarter Schwabing going on to the Olympic area where we will ascend the Olympic Tower to enjoy the marvelous view of the city by night.

We will be staying 3 nights in the the Motel One (no, not motel 6) - a boutique hotel in center of the Munich city action. The hotel is only a short stumble home from the hofbrauhaus and a hop, skip, and a jump from the many historic attractions that we plan to visit while in Munich.

1 Night Stay at Gastehaus Raidel in Rothenburg, Germany. After a long flight across the ocean and a couple of train rides through the Germany countryside, pamper Amy and Joe with a romantic bed and breakfast stay  in an historic 500 year old guesthouse along Germany's famed Romantic Road (yeah, we're history nerds, so this excites us!).   Our first honeymoon evening's stop will be in Rothenburg, where we'll try to catch a short nap and meal before heading out on the Night Watchman's Tour of Rothenburg.  

As we wind down our honeymoon travels we plan to spend a little time pampering ourselves by fully indulging in the Florentine lifestyle. With this gift, we will spend our last 3 nights of our dream honeymoon at the luxurious Hotel Athenaeum. Located in the heart of Florence, this will be a great base to explore the history and art of Florence while sampling all the pasta, wine, and gelato that we stuff into our last few days of Italy.

Make Amy and Joe's stay in Cinque Terre - the rugged coastline of the Italian Riveria - a truly magical experience with a stay in the quaint Affittacamere Ildo Bed & Breakfast. Equipped with a private patio overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, this B&B will be the perfect retreat for Amy & Joe after spending their days hiking through the five cliff-side towns of Cinque Terre. affittacamereilda.com

I believe the saying goes ... "When in Tuscany - drink like a Tuscan." Help us indulge.

We will have to choose from all the local Italian restaurants in town to reserve the perfect table in the most romantic setting. We will tantalize our taste buds with homemade pasta, Panini, fresh Seafood, select an Italian vino and enjoy the best dessert ever, ending with a cup of cappuccino. Now that's amore!

Gelato - it's what's for breakfast on our honeymoon!

Our honeymoon is a quest - a quest to find the world's greatest pretzel. We promise that whenever the opportunity to indulge in a pretzel presents itself, we'll take it. With cheese, without. We don't discriminate. Pretzel-makers of Bavaria - start your ovens. We're on our way!

We look forward to a traditional hearty German dinner, choosing from a menu with Das Spanferkel, Sauerkraut, Bockwurst, Bratwurst, das Brotchen with Pommes frites, or in English; suckling pig, sausages, pickled cabbage, fresh bread and fries.

You can't get to ten cities in three countries without some fast transportation. Even better is the chance to get to see so much of the countryside while moving to the next destination. As the adventure segment of our honeymoon, we'll be using the Eurorail as a hotel to transport us from Austria to Italy through the night.  Wish us luck.

With your lovely wedding gift, we will experience a romantic and special honeymoon! We will begin our new lives together and enjoy each other's company while creating unforgettable honeymoon memories. It's our happily ever after and we thank you for making our honeymoon extraordinary!