Our Honeymoon Registry: Shelly & Craig

Champagne for Two

Treat the newlyweds to a bottle of fine champagne in our room upon arrival at the cruise.

Breakfast in bed

Nothing screams dream honeymoon like getting breakfast delivered right to our room!

Massage

Between the stress of planning our wedding, a full day crammed into those never-quite-big-enough airline seats, and walking from site to site all day long... we will DEFINITELY be ready to relax. Treat them to a nice massage together!

Wine during dinner

What good is touring around places like France and Italy if we can't endulge in their wine!

Maps

1 continent, 8 countries, 12 cities = a lot of places for us to get lost!

Extra 2 days in Barcelona

Please help us stay two extra days exploring Barcelona at a Hotel located in the heart of the city!

Touring Montserrat

Tucked away high amongst a series of long, finger-like spires of rock sits the Benedictine Monastery of Montserrat. Found in the 11th century to commemorate an apparition of the Virgin Mary, it has become a major pilgrimmage destination for devout Catholics everywere. This is a short train ride away from the heart of Barcelona and will offer visitors some of the most spectacular mountain views of Catalunya. Since Craig and I love the outdoors and enjoy walking... there are some easy and interesting walks through the mountains where we can experience magnificent views of the most unusual rock formations as well as the amazing Catalonian countryside.

A Taste of Barcelona

I see a lot of cervezas and paellas in our future!

French Riveria Excursion

The first port on our cruise itinerary is Nice, France. Upon our arrival, we hope to join this excursion where we will drive along the famous Grand Corniche, originally built by Napoleon where we enjoy a scenic view of Roquebrune Cap Martin near the Italian border. Later, we will arrive in Monaco, one of the richest "country" in the world. There we'll see the Grand Prix Motor Race track and be on our way to the Monte Carlo and its Grand Casino. As for sightseeing, we'll drive along the Middle Corniche to the charming medieval village of Eze. Perched on the cliff 1,400 feet above the Mediterranean, the views sounds spectacular as people look back over Beaulieu and Villefranche. The village is lined with narrow cobblestone streets, many little shops and local artisans.

Sightseeing in Florence

We'll be spending a day visiting the Leaning tower of Pisa and then exploring the walking city of Florence. We'd like to go to the Accademia, where Michleangelo's David has resided for over 500 years, and go down Via Ricasoli to the world-famous Duomo, stop at the Uffizi museum to take in one of the largest collection of Renaissance art, and cross the Arno River at Ponte Vecchio (the old bridge built in the 12th century!) before ending our stroll in the Boboli Gardens, an idyllic resting spot originally designed for the Medicis. There, Craig and I can wonder how the most powerful and influential Florentine family lived hundreds of years ago... I can't wait!

Rome transportation

For the 2 days we're in Rome, we are going to explore the eternal city just like the natives do! We plan to use the highly regarded public transportation systems from where our ship docks (Civitavecchia - about an hour away from Rome) to get to all the great landmarks within the city of Rome! "Por favore, dove si trova la stazione ferroviaria?"

Two days in Rome

We're stopping in Rome for two days and we can't wait to see the famous ancient ruins while reflecting twelve centuries of Roman culture, politcal and religious history. We'll see the Trevi Fountain, the Forum, the Colosseum, Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel............ as two history buffes, this will be such an amazing destination for the two of us!

Lunch in Rome

I hear meal time is serious time in Italy and from 12-2pm, all work stop and everyone eats lunch. As we will be in Rome during the weekday, we hope to experience this phenomenon where working lunches are frowned upon and we'll be dining amongst all of Rome!

Romantic Dinner in Rome

An elegant dinner for two newly weds... and don't forget the wine! "Per favore! Una bottiglia di vino" Cin cin!

A night out around town

After a romantic honeymoon dinner, we'll experience Rome by night as we stroll to the unforgettable Trevi Fountain, then on to the Roman Pantheon built in 27 BC to sample the most praised gelato in Italy. Then a nightcap at the Piazza Navona, considered the most beautiful square in Rome with its 3 Bernini fountains. We can't wait!

Pompeii

We adventure past Mount Vesuvius where the ruins of ancient Pompeii lies. There we explore the lives of those who once lived in this thriving empire some 1,900 years ago and admire the mansions and paintings and inscriptions that has made this one of the most famouse excavations in the world.

Drive along Amalfi Coast

On this excursion, we will take a relaxing two-hour drive along the Amalfi Coast, the most famous drive in all of Italy. We first proceed to the town of Amalfi. In the main square, we will have some time to admire the magnificent facade of the 12th-century cathedral. Afterwards, we are transported along the rugged coastline, framed by cliffs that rise from the sea with vineyards and gardens back to Naples.

A day in ancient Athens

A day of exploration in Athens, we will see some famous sites such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the largest Corinthian style temple in Greece that took over 700 years to build. the National Gardens, the National Library, the Panathinion Stadium (which aws the site of the first modern Olympics held in 1896). But most of the day will be spent visiting the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age where we visit Acropolis and of course Athena's glorious temple; the Parthenon.

Istanbul Architecture

We are lucky enough to have two days in Istanbul where we will be basking in the glory of all that ancient architecture during our first day. We'll be traveling over the Golden Horn to the anceint side of Istanbul where we will see the Hippodrome, which for over 1,400 years was the scene of countless political and military dramas, including rival chariot races. Afterwards, we'll see the Blue Mosque, recognized as a triumph of harmony, proportion, and elegance. Later, we'll get the chance to explore St. Sophia, considered the most magnificent Byzantine Church of all times, it is one of the finest and largest architectural works of art in the world. It has been nominated to be 8th wonder of the world, and we cannot wait to experience it! We will conclude our day at the Grand Bazaar, which is often claimed to be the world's oldest shopping center (My type of place!!). There, I hope to drag Craig along the streets the Grand Bazaar shopping for anything and everything!

Lunch in Mykonos

Mykonos basks in the middle of the Aegean Sea and is famous for its landscape of unique natural beauty, countless beaches, Church of Paraportiani (the Byzantine Church that overlooks the sea) and the Avenue of the Lions (an ancient street dating back to the 7th century BC lined with majestic stone lions). During our stay in Mykonos, we hope to find a waterfront restaurant where we can bask in the sun and serenity of its picturesque harbor.

Explorating Croatia

We will be stopping by Split, Croatia on our second to last night on the cruise. We'd like to visit the palace of Diocletian, where Roman emperor Diocletian ordered a residence to be built here for his retirement. It took 10 years to build this magnificent palace and Diocletian lived there until his death in 313 AD.

2 Romantic days in Venice

Please help us stay 2 extra days in the beautiful city of Venice at a hotel located on the Grand Canal.

Getting around Venice

Help us get around Venice with rides on the water taxis/buses and more!

Gondola ride in Venice

Cruising down one of the smaller canals during sunset sounds perfect.

Venetian Island Tour

With your wedding gift we will explore three of Venice's most fascinating islands, Murano, Burano, and Torcello by boat. Not only will we be touring the ancient glass-making factories in Murano, seeing Burano's centuries old lace-making houses but we will also be able to travel through time and experience the influence of Byzantine architecture on the island of Torcello. This will be especially unique because we will have been in Turkey just a few days before to see where it all started.

Dinner in Venice

Ending our magical honeymoon with the food and wine that Venice has to offer is.. perfect!

Artwork from our trips

We would love to shop around for our favorite piece of art as a cherished keepsake from our honeymoon. This gift will adorn our home for many years to come.

You tell us...

Do you have a favorite restaurant or sightseeing activities from your own travels that you'd love for us to experience on our honeymoon? Or better yet, some food we absolutely should try no matter how bad it looks/sounds? The best places are usually found by word of mouth, so please let us know!