Colosseum was incredible but so crowded that our guided walkthrough felt rushed, could barely hear the guide over the noise of other groups. Venice gondola ride was lovely though quite pricey for what it actually was.

Modena's tortellini alone justifies adding this city to any Italy itinerary, we still talk about that meal.

Colosseum at sunset, gondola at dusk, this trip had all the postcard moments back to back.

My husband is a Ferrari fanatic and the Enzo Ferrari Museum lit him up more than all of Rome put together.

My husband is a complete Ferrari fanatic and the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena was honestly the moment his eyes lit up the most on this whole Italy trip, more than Rome even. That said Rome delivered too, standing inside the Colosseum imagining what it must have been like two thousand years ago gave me goosebumps. The Sistine Chapel ceiling left both of us speechless and slightly neck sore from looking up so long. Venice in between was the romantic interlude, a gondola ride at sunset that felt like a movie scene. Eight nights across three such different cities and not a single dull day.

Solid honeymoon route through Italy, just book Vatican tickets well in advance to skip the worst of the queues.