Andria & Drew

After a long flight across the Atlantic, we hope to kick off our travels in Florence feeling relaxed and refreshed with an invigorating massage.

While enjoying the beautiful outdoor environment that Florence offers, we will intend to visit some of the must-see sights including the Duomo, the David, and more.

To see the major highlights in Bologna (Santuario di Santo Stefano and more) a day exploring the charm of Bologna is on our proposed itinerary.

While in Venice, we hope to take a little time for culture and visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of Modern Art.

Another high point of Drew's Italian experience, we'll be visiting the Ducati museum in Bologna. In lieu of Ducati's 90th anniversary in 2016, the museum and factory have been renovated. This, above anything else we do in Italy, will be a highpoint... for both of us equally. ;)

During our travels, an afternoon of wine tasting in will be on the agenda. A wine tasting experience and a bottle for a later evening would be a gift happily received.

Just outside of Florence, we will be crossing an item off Drew's bucket list with two day passes to a Moto GP race. For two years, we tried getting to one of these races at the Austin, TX track. I guess we were unknowingly holding out for our first race at this legendary Italian track instead.

After a very long flight, we will begin our Italian adventure with three days in Florence. While seeing sights like the duomo, the ponte vecchio bridge, and the David, we hope to find a reasonably comfortable hotel to call home for those few days.

Whether a tent in the middle of the infamous Mugello Race Track or a hotel outside of the racecourse excitement, we plan to stay somewhere close enough to the racing event in order to get the full experience... but recover after a "whole lotta motorcycling!" ;)

Another 'Must See' for Drew is the Ducati Museum just outside the city of Bologna. Though we only intend to stay for an evening, we hope to do and see including the Towers of Bologna, the Fountain of Neptune, and a museum. Then, it's off to the Riviera!

We plan to initiate our exploration of the Italian Riviera in the village of Portofino. Whether a tent on the beach, or a hotel with a panoramic view, we intent to make the most of our time exploring this beautiful beach city for two days of R&R.

To ensure we get our fill of sunshine, scenery, and small towns, we have two nights in the colorful fishing village of Camogli scheduled in the middle of our honeymoon. Reviews describe Camogli as a revived maritime village with brightly colored buildings and a vibrant yet relaxing atmosphere.

Though it's highly likely we'll be leaving Milan with a couple extra pairs of shoes, we hope to make two significant stops during out one-night stay in Milan. First, see the Last Supper mural and visit the second of two race tracks on Drew's 'must see' list- Monza.

Having visited Verona once many years ago, I remember thinking how romantic the city's atmosphere felt as I wandered down cobblestone streets, looked up to flats with beautiful flower boxes on balconies, and stumbled on a outdoor market at every corner. though we anticipate another one-night stop, this small romantic village will be one for the books.

If we're missing out on any memorable cities or villages in the northern region of Italy, PLEASE share your suggestions! We're hopeful to solidify all lodging plans during the winter months and would LOVE your suggestions from your own travels.

In 2001, Lindsey, Becky, and Andria stayed at this hotel during our first (and only) family vacation to Europe. We stayed in room #411 with a wonderful view of the Venice Lagoon. At the age of 19, Andria still remembers thinking to herself that this would be the perfect hotel to stay for a honeymoon. Little did she know she already knew her future groom, but both Drew and Andria are thrilled to start there honeymoon at the Hotel Savoia & Yolanda, Room 411.

Just as Drew has a gelato limit, Andria intends to hold to a similar coffee constraint. This gift would give us the opportunity to enjoy each other's company along a bustling Italian coastline, and make the most of this timeless experience- naturally over coffee.

We're intending to pack a lot into each memorable day of our honeymoon. To that end, we anticipate having several casual lunches while in between sights and/or activities.

After an inspiring day of hiking throughout the Italian Riviera, Drew and Andi climb aboard a catamaran for a dinner cruise along the Mediterranean Sea.

Setting a limit for how much gelato we (mainly Drew) will consume while in Italy seems wise. ;)

We look forward to reserving an intimate candlelit dinner. We'll choose a quiet restaurant with a warm atmosphere, outstanding cuisine and impeccable service.

Once settled in our Florence hotel, we'll stroll through the Giardino di Boboli and across the Ponte Vecchio to a nearby traditional Italian restaurant. Dinner.. Wine.. Romance.. the works!

To conclude our short stay in Venice, a romantic dinner along a Venice Canal would wonderfully conclude our first stop in Europe.

Camogli is a small Italian fishing village lined with shops, restaurants, and lots to see. We hope to bring a piece of art back to commemorate this experience- we think we'll find it here!

We're hopeful to bring luggage that is easy to maneuver allowing us to pack light yet have everything we need for everywhere we're hoping to see and go.

Two days at a Moto GP race at the Mugello race track hits pretty high up on Drew's bucket list. We will need to commemorate this experience with the appropriate level of memorabilia.

"When in Italy" should always imply stopping at a winery to ship bottles home. We hope to send some back to relive this once in a lifetime trip from the comfort of our living room sofa when we return.

Though we don't quite have the logistics figured out yet, our intention is to do some of our traveling on two wheels. This is will likely allow us to travel from some of the larger cities into the Italian Riviera, but if Drew has his way, we'll be on pavement rather than railways throughout the two weeks.

As Venice is a city surrounded by water, water taxis are going to be pivotal to break up our days filled with on-foot exploration to ensure we do and see everything! Time on the water will make our honeymoon wonderful.

Chipping away at airfare is no easy journey! We plan to fly into Florence and out of Venice after 14 wonderful days in the northern part of Italy.

From the excellent service at the hotel to the attentive waiters at dinner, there's going to be a long list of people to thank for helping us have the perfect time away from home.

Thank you for allowing us to pre-plan our trip. It all goes towards having the ultimate getaway made possible by your generous registry gift.

Are we missing anything to make the most of our first international trip as husband and wife? Any suggestions to maximize our honeymoon with must-see places and activities are welcome.