Giving the Honeymoon the Boot

This boot, that is.

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Mr. Bruschetta and I have known for some time that we want to honeymoon in Italy -- in fact, we selected our wedding date to ensure it would be the optimal time -- shoulder season -- to visit our desired destination. And, after monitoring airline prices for the past six months, we recently snapped up our plane tickets. We'll have one day after the wedding to recuperate, and then we're flying into Rome for our 12 day Italian honeymoon!

While in Rome -- how amazing would it be to receive a Papal Blessing, like Weddingbee reader Chela429 and her husband did? -- we would like to find a balance between the "tourist" experience and one that allows us to find (and savor) the eateries favored by locals. (Inspired by Mrs. Toucan, I've told the mister I plan to seek out a new gelateria each day; he countered with his intention to enjoy authentic Italian pizza just as regularly.)

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Following our days in Rome, we're going to devote some time to exploring Tuscany. I love the idea of staying in a rustic villa, and truly learning about wine firsthand.

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We're also intrigued by Cinque Terre -- five little villages nestled in a remote area of the Italian Riviera -- which Rick Steves (our chosen travel guru) describes as "the traffic-free, lowbrow, underappreciated alternative to the French Riviera." These small towns will hopefully provide the relaxing experience that's most often associated with honeymoons.

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We have a skeletal itinerary, but there's still a fair amount of planning to do for our honeymoon. Have you visited Italy? Which cities/regions are your favorite? What recommendations would you pass along to the Bruschettas?