Ultimate One Week Italy Itinerary for First Timers
Italy might just be my favorite country in Europe. But as much as I like love traveling Italy, several people I meet hate it! They find it too expensive, too touristic, or too this, that, and the other thing. Because of this, and because I hate to see tourists leaving one of my favorite destinations disappointed, I’m sharing how I would recommend spending one week in Italy as a first timer. I start with the high-level breakdown, and then include a day-by-day detailed itinerary.
Now, I have to warn you. This one week Italy itinerary is super detailed. Like, how-the-heck-do-you-have-time-to-write-all-this detailed. And I did that on purpose. You can go to any old website to get a vague “two nights in here” and “one night here,” bare-bones itinerary for Italy. But those itineraries don’t tell you what to do in each place, or how to get from each city to city. You’d have to go look that up after. But not with this itinerary.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is: you might absolutely want to save this for later right now by bookmarking it or saving it on Pinterest, just in case you don’t finish all in one go. Then, grab a cuppa, sit back, and let’s get to it!
Italy One Week Itinerary Summary
For a first time visit to Italy, I highly recommend visiting the “big three” of Rome, Florence, and Venice. I recommend spending three nights in Rome, two nights in Florence, and two nights in Venice.
| Days | City |
| Days 1 – 3 | Rome |
| Days 4 – 5 | Florence |
| Days 6 – 7 | Venice |
If you’re the average traveler with limited vacation days, I suggest breaking it down like below. This way, you only need to use five vacation days, but you actually get seven days in Italy.
Psst! Want to see even more of Italy? If you can finagle just three more vacation days, you can also visit Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Milan with ten days in Italy. And if you can add in another four days, you can also add Positano and the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii with two weeks in Italy. But if you can’t do more than one week in Italy, don’t worry – Italy is definitely a repeat-visit kind of destination!
Also! Be sure to check out my hotel and hostel guide to match this itinerary’s stops!
The Best Month to Visit Italy
The best time of year to travel to Italy is hands-down the shoulder seasons of April – May and September – October. You can see everything in mildly warm weather, but you can avoid the notorious crowds (And heat! And prices!) of the summer months. And while we’re here chit-chatting about weather – just a heads up that Venice is prone to flooding during rain!
How to Get Around Italy
One of the loveliest things about traveling Italy is how convenient it is to get around the country without a car. In fact, I totally believe trains are the best way to travel in Italy. This is particularly true for your first time in Italy. So, this one week Italy itinerary is completely car-free, relying solely on trains and water taxis.
One super important tip for train travel in Italy is to always validate your ticket! Otherwise, you will be fined, and lemme tell ya – the fines ain’t cheap. (Like, truly. These fines are low-key high-key robbery.) How do you validate your train ticket in Italy? Simply insert your paper ticket into the machines before you enter the train. It’ll make a noise and time-stamp your ticket. These little validation machines are usually at the entrance to each platform. If you have difficulty finding them, just ask a train station employee. If you buy your ticket online or via the mobile app – no need to stress!
Another tip for train travel in Italy is to always buy your long-distance train tickets online as soon as you know your travel dates! This way, you can purchase a Frecciarossa ticket (the faster kind of ticket) before the price gets too high closer to the travel date. If you are riding regional trains (which work fine for shorter distances), just buy them at the station on the day of, so you have flexibility in case plans change.
In this one week itinerary, I include all the details and prices for each time you’ll use public transport to move around Italy. I’ve got you covered! And if you still have any questions, feel free to book a call with me, and we can work on your Italy itinerary together.
Free Printable 1-Week Italy Itinerary E-Book
But you’re once actually in Italy, you definitely don’t want to be walking around on your cell phone all trip long, trying to get from each spot to the next. So, I’ve made a printable, condensed version of this post with every important detail from this seven day Italy itinerary you’re about to read. Just download the PDF, print it double-sided (so two pages total), and you’re good to go for your trip. It even has a map to help you visualize! Enter your email below and get the PDF sent straight to your inbox.
AND NOW, LET’S GET TO THE ACTUAL ITINERARY ITSELF
Beforehand, I just want to let you know you can do this itinerary in the order I have it or the reverse order. Just look up flights and see which direction is cheaper.
Rome
As the former capital of the Roman Empire and the current capital of Italy, Rome is a unique mix of old and new. Try to ignore the street vendors with zero concern for personal space selling selfie sticks and whizzing gadgets, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with Rome.
How to Get to Rome
This is the start of your trip, so you’ll need to fly in. Rome has two airports, so be careful you fly into the correct one. The main international airport in Rome is Fiumicino (FCO). This airport is the further out one. To get to the city center from FCO, you have two options.
- Option 1: Take the train. Follow signs in the airport to the train platform. From FCO, take the Leonardo express train to Roma Termini train station. This costs €14 and will take 30 minutes. From Roma Termini, you can either walk to your accommodation, or use the Metro to take the subway if your accommodation is further away. Be very careful of pick-pocketers in this train station! Do not accept or ask help from anyone except official employees, and wear your backpack facing your front.
- Option 2: Take a taxi. Taxis from FCO into central Rome are a fixed fare of €55. Make sure you get into an official taxi at the taxi pickup line. They should accept card, and you can double check this as well as fare before getting in. This will take 30 minutes, just like the train.
- Option 3: Take a bus to Roma Termini train station. There are multiple options you can explore here. Some include Terravision, which offers a €6.50 ticket, and the ride takes 45 minutes.
Rome’s other airport is Ciampino (CIA). This smaller airport is actually slightly closer to central Rome. However, it is only used for budget airline flights within Europe, like RyanAir and EasyJet. If you’re flying here (or anywhere!) with RyanAir, definitely skim through my guide on how to not get ripped off! Once again, you have two options on how to get to central Rome from CIA airport.
- Option 1: Take a bus to (right near) Roma Termini train station. There are multiple options you can explore here. Some include SITBusShuttle for €6 one-way, or Terravision for €6.50 one-way if purchased online. This ride takes 40 minutes.
- Option 2: Take a taxi. Taxis from CIA into central Rome are a fixed fare of €40. Again, make sure you get into an official taxi at the taxi pickup line and confirm the fare before getting in. This ride takes 40 minutes.
What to Do in Rome (Three Days)
Below is exactly how to see Rome in three days. Take it easy on day one, since it’s the day you arrive on your flight. But feel free to interchange days two and three as works best for you. If you get in way too late on day one, you can tack it onto day three.
Day One
Walking straight through this route as I have it below is 30 min (2km or 1.25 miles), just to give you an idea of total distance on day one. Start at whichever end is closer to you.
- Scalina Spagna: The beautiful staircase known as the Spanish Steps gets busy in the evening as a popular hang-out spot.
- Trevi Fountain: This is Rome’s largest and most famous fountain. Stand with your back to the fountain and toss a coin in to guarantee a return trip to Rome (if you believe the legend).
- Pantheon: This famous Roman-temple-turned-church is €5 to enter, plus an additional €2 if you purchase in advance online from the official site.
- Piazza Navona: Several cafes line the edges of this beautiful square with three impressive fountains.
- Largo di Torre Argentina: This is where Roman senators assassinated Emperor Julius Caesar by stabbing him 23 times (dramatic much?) to death in 44 BC. You used to only be able to look down on it from above, but now you can enter. Tickets cost €7 in person, or €8 if you book online at the official site.
Day Two
- Colosseum: Perhaps the most famous landmark in Rome! Tickets are €18 and include this plus the next two sites. You can purchase in advance online from the official site. This price quote is the highest price, but those 25 years and younger get discounts!
- Roman Forum: This once-bustling site is now ruins of numerous important government buildings during the ancient Roman Empire. Walking around, it’s amazing seeing how huge the ruins are, and wondering how it must have been back then – almost 2000 years ago!
- Palatine Hill: This is where all the rich kids lived during the Roman Empire – the aristocrats and emperors and all that jazz.
- Arch of Constantine: This arc, built in 302 AD and the largest surviving one of its kind, is right outside the Colosseum.
- Via dei Fori Imeriali: This street connects the Colosseum to the next attraction below. You can look down on the Roman Forum from above on one side and view other incredible ruins on the other.
- Vittoriano: This huge, white, marble building almost doesn’t fit in with its ancient surroundings. It’s a memorial to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the united Italy as we know it today.
Day Three
- Vatican City: Did you know this is its own country? It’s the smallest country in the world, ruled by the Catholic Pope. There are basically three things to see while here: St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Museums. St. Peter’s Basilica is free to enter, but dress code is very strict. Make sure your shoulders and knees are covered. This goes for all genders and ages. There is a slow moving-crowd-slash-line to get in, but I found it moved quickly enough when I went. You can book in advance online for €7 if you would like to reserve a date and time, plus get a digital audio guide. Once inside the basilica, you can climb up to the dome for iconic views. To the right from the entrance, there should be a “Cupola” sign. Follow the sign until you get to the ticket office. There you can buy a ticket to either climb the whole way up for €8 or one to take an elevator part way for €10. You can book online for €17 and €22, respectively, if you’d like to secure your date and time in advance. The Vatican Museums house the world-famous Sistine Chapel. It costs €20 for entry, plus a €5 online booking fee if you book in advance on the official site, which I highly recommend you do. The Museums are closed Sundays, except the last one of every month. On that Sunday, entry is free. However, you can only enter with a guide that day. So, you end up paying €20 for a guided tour, even though the actual entry fee itself is free. Seeing Vatican City should take up a whole morning.
- Castel Sant’Angelo: Emperor Hadrian originally had this built as a mausoleum for himself and his family, but it’s since been used as a fortress, castle, and nowadays a museum.
- Wander: Explore on your own! Get lost! You’ve checked off all the “can’t miss” things everyone else does, but who wants their trip to be just the same as everyone else’s? If you just run around ticking off attractions, I’m not sure you’ll like Rome. But wandering it’s less-crowded streets, strolling along the river, popping into a random church – these are the things that will leave you loving Rome.
Florence
Florence conjures images of Renaissance paintings and fairytale Tuscan buildings. There are so many things to see here, but I think two days in Florence is the perfect amount of time for a first visit.
How to Get to Florence from Rome
Take an early, direct train from Roma Termini train station to Firenze S. M. Novella train station. This takes either 1.5 hours or 4.5 hours depending on what kind of train you take. If you are buying a ticket for the next morning, you can expect to pay €25 for a 4.5-hour Regional train or €55 for a 1.5-hour Frecciarossa train. If you are buying one month out, the price for the 1.5-hour Frecciarossa train drops to €20 – €30.
What to Do in Florence (Two Days)
Some people recommend purchasing the Firenze Card because it covers a lot of the main things in Florence. But for two days in Florence (or even three days in Florence), I am not sure the card is worth it. I actually recommend purchasing the Brunelleschi Pass instead. This pass includes entry into the Duomo, a climb to the Cupola (dome) of the Duomo, a climb to the Campanile (bell tower), entry into the baptistery, entry into the Duomo museum, and entry into the crypt beneath the church. It costs €30 which can be bought on the official website.
Now, let’s get to all the things to do in Florence in two days! I haven’t split it out into separate days here, because I think it’s better if you choose yourself. Would you prefer to visit one museum a day, or have one big museum day? Would you try to avoid climbing stairs twice in the same day, or are you up for the challenge? Would you enjoy a viewpoint for sunset, or prefer sunrise? Your answers to those questions will determine what things you do and see each day in Florence, so I can’t recommend that for you. Most attractions in Florence are pretty compactly located, anyway, so planning a route shouldn’t be too bad on the fly!
*You can skip items with an asterisk if you’re not interested. I’ve only listed them since they’re included in the ticket I recommended above. If you want a more-detailed breakdown of the below, check out my full travel guide to Florence things to do (complete with pictures of each attraction!).
- Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo): It’s the third largest church in the world and practically the symbol of Florence itself. Entry is free, but prepare for a massive line at least an hour long.
- Cupola: Bruneschelli’s Dome, named after the architect who designed it, is actually the most impressive part of the entire church. They literally had to invent new tools and architectural systems to create it. Definitely climb up the steps for the view from the top. You’ll have to select a specific time slot, though, when you buy your ticket! Otherwise, you will be turned away and asked to return.
- Campanile di Giotto: Yes you already climbed up the cupola, but there’s another viewpoint nearby! This time, the view is the cupola itself.
- Battistero di San Giovanni: This is the octagonal building right across the main cathedral. The Byzantine-like mosaic inside was actually pretty surprising to find, in contrast to all the typical-Renaissance paintings. Tourists will be snapping pics of the gold doors outside, but those are copies. The real ones are in the Duomo Museum!
- Duomo Museum*: Since you already paid, it might be worth a quick visit. It will help you understand why all this Duomo stuff in Florence is such a big deal!
- Crypt of Santa Reparata*: This is also included in the Duomo combo ticket, which was the only reason I saw it. But once I got there, it was actually cooler than I expected. It’s basically church ruins from 405AD inside the main church. The unfortunate thing about the crypt is that you have to wait in the same line as for the free Duomo entry. So definitely time these two activities together!
- Piazza della Repubblica: One of Florence’s main squares.
- Piazza della Signoria: The best part of this busy square is definitely the Loggia dei Lanzi. It’s basically a free, open-air museum of dramatic sculptures that really should be in one of the museums. (Like really though, I’m super surprised these are just out there!) Also in this square is a copy of the David statue, for those of you who don’t pay to see the real thang.
- Palazzo Vecchio: I didn’t enter except for the free courtyard. But it’s supposed to have a great view of the Duomo.
- Ponte Vecchio: This iconic bridge has become synonymous with Florence itself! It was originally a passageway so the Medicis (a super rich family that basically made Florence….well, Florence) didn’t have to walk with the commoners on their commutes to work from their
homepalace. Since then, shops have been added and create the look it has today. Prepare for some crowds! - Piazzale Michelangelo: The best viewpoint in Florence! It requires an uphill walk and is the furthest out you’ll get from the city center. So make the trek worth it Bring some snacks and hangout for a while like everyone else does.
- Accademia: Unfortunately, the only reason to enter this gallery is for one piece of art. The David.
Don’t at me, art fanatics.You decide if that’s worth it for you, but I have such FOMO that I had to pay €16 and see for myself. Book in advance at the official site for an additional €4 fee. - Uffizi Gallery: Uffizi means “offices” in Italian, and this building actually used to be the Medici’s offices. Nowadays, it’s a world-famous art museum. Its most-famous art piece is the Birth of Venus painting. Entry costs €25, plus €4 for the skip-the-line online booking fee on the official site.
- Vasari Corridor: Okay, so you know that iconic bridge I mentioned a few lines up? And the passageway inside? Well this is that passageway! You can enter it starting from the first floor of the Uffizi Gallery and walk across the Arno River via the inside of the Ponte Vecchio bridge. So cool! Entry to this corridor is purchased in combination with a ticket to the Uffizi for a combined price of €43, plus €4 for the required online booking fee on the official site.
- San Lorenzo Market: This is Florence’s most-famous market. Stop by here to shop leather and eat in the indoor food stalls.
- Santa Croce: I didn’t enter this church, since admission was not free. But I do think it’s in a picturesque area and warrants passing by.
- Palazzo Pitti: Normally, palaces are for royalty…but not in Florence! This palace belonged to the Medicis (shocker). I personally have seen way too many European palaces at this point. So I did not pay the €16 entry fee and simply observed from outside. However, I did regret not having arrived earlier in the day than I did, to buy a Boboli Gardens ticket (€10)! You can purchase online in advance from the official site (the same site as for the Uffizi) for an extra €3 fee.
Venice
Beautiful Venice is the perfect last stop for your week in Italy. It’s an insanely beautiful city built on canals, and it’s become famous amongst travelers for the chance to ride a gondola. As beautiful as Venice is, the crowds (especially in summer) can be brutal. Thus, I recommend knocking out all the main attractions at less-crowded hours. Then, spend the middle of the day exploring the rest of the city, where it’s much less crowded, but no less picturesque.
How to Get to Venice from Florence
Take the train from Firenze S. M. Novella to Venezia S. Lucia. For a direct, 2.5 hour Freccia train, expect to pay €26 if purchased a month in advance, but €59 if purchased the day before. If you use the slower trains, priced €26 – €33 and requiring one to two transfers, the travel time jumps to 4+ hours!
Once in Venice, you should get a vaporetto pass. Trust me – you don’t want to be lugging bags up and down those bridges! If you are 29 years-old or under, I highly recommend buying the Rolling Venice Pass. If only I had known about it earlier…! It costs €6, but in order to buy it, you must also purchase (at least) an unlimited three-day vaporetto pass, which is €27. With the pass, you also get discounts on many attractions, like a €12 – €15 discount on entry into the Doge’s Palace! The one-day transport pass alone costs €25, and the two-day pass costs €35, so you can see that getting the Rolling Pass quickly pays for itself. You can purchase these passes online or in person once in Venice.
What to Do in Venice (Two Days)
Venice is pretty small and easy to walk compared to Rome or Florence, so you should have no trouble “seeing everything” with two days in Venice. You’ll also be able to fit in a half-day trip to the Instagram-famous island of Burano. If you want a more detailed walkthrough (plus photographs of each of the below!), skim through my guide for the best things to do in Venice.
Day One
- Piazza San Marco: Venice’s main square is where a lot of the city’s (tourist) action is. Firstly, there’s the Basilica San Marco. It’s €3 to enter (shoulders and knees covered!), but there can be a very long line most hours of the day, so be careful what time you go. I went in the middle of the day when I saw it was shorter, and was in and out in 10 minutes! If you’d rather not risk it, you can book your time slot online during high season for an additional €3 more. Large bags are not allowed inside, but there’s luggage storage nearby that the basilica will tell you to use. Across from the basilica is the Campanile (the bell tower). You can take the elevator up it for €10 if purchasing in person, or pay a €2 booking fee to reserve online in advance. If you want to skip the line, it’s the same website as the Basilica. There’s also the Doge’s Palace. Entry is €25 if booked over 30 days prior (or €30 otherwise), but only €13 with the 29-year-old Venice Rolling Card I mentioned above. See the official site for more deets.
- Bridge of Sighs: Walk around the Doge’s Palace, making a left turn around the corner along the water. From the first bridge, you’ll spot the famous Bridge of Sighs from the left. It’s named so because it connects the prisons to the palace, and prisoners sighed while taking one last look over Venice as they walked through the bridge to their dooms.
- Rialto Bridge: If you haven’t figured out by now, Venice has a lot of cool bridges!
- Accademia Bridge: This was my favorite bridge, because it has such an amazing view.
Day Two
- Take a half-day trip to Burano and Murano: I wrote an in-depth guide on how to visit the islands from Venice, plus what each island is all about.
- Fondaco dei Tedeschi: This shopping center has free rooftop views of Venice, but you need to book in advance. It’s located right at the edge of the Rialto Bridge on Calle del Fontego.
- The Grand Canal: The iconic way to float around Venice is on a Gondola. This will set you back €80 per gondola (six people max) in the daytime, or €100 sunset and later. Prices are fixed, so check current gondola prices, and don’t let anyone overcharge you. If on a budget, you can instead just ride the vaporetto between San Marco and the train station. This will be “free,” since the vaporetto pass necessary for the Burano and Murano half-day trip is still valid!
How to Get Out of Venice
Like all good things, your epic one week in Italy has come to an end! You’ll need to get out of Venice. Venice’s international airport is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). There are a few ways you can get from Venice’s city center to VCE.
- Option 1: By water bus. From any of Venice’s Alilaguna water bus stops at San Marco, Rialto, Fondamenta Nuove, or Guglie, ride the water bus for €15. The ride takes up to 1.25 hours. Purchase tickets onboard the water bus or online. Private water bus rides are also an option.
- Option 2: By bus. From the Venice Piazzale Roma ATVO bus stop, ride the bus for €10. The ride takes 25 minutes. Purchase tickets at the ATVO ticket office in Piazzale Roma, from the automated ticket machine outside that ticket office, or online.
- Option 3: By taxi. The fare for this 30 minute ride from Venice Piazzale Roma is €40. Make sure you get into an official taxi. They should accept card, and you can double check this as well as fare before getting in. You can also purchase online in advance (select “Town > Venice (P.le Roma)” for Venice city center).
Hotel Recommendations to Match this Itinerary
It’s been my most-popular request, and I’ve finally completed it! I’ve created an Italy accommodation guide to match this itinerary. In it, I provide housing options that are perfectly located near each train and/or bus station that I use in this itinerary. That way, you don’t have to spend extra money on cabs but don’t have to drag your bag very far either. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Questions on this One Week Italy Itinerary?
If you’re planning your own trip to Italy soon and want some personalized advice, feel free to book a call with me. I love helping people plan trips – especially for Italy!
Save this Itinerary to Return to Later on Pinterest
I am an amputee, and although I wear a prosthetic, I can not walk a long way or do a lot of steps. How will your itinerary fit with these limitations? Also is Italy mobility scooter friendly?
Hi!
This itinerary as it is definitely involves a lot of walking and climbing steps! So you will have to modify it a bit.
This can look like removing either Florence or Venice and saving one for a return trip, in order to do something like 4 days in Rome and 3 days in either Florence or Venice. This would allow you to move more slowly than what I have laid out here and in general make your time more enjoyable in each city. The way I have it is with the goal of maximizing sightseeing in the minimum amount of time necessary, only because that is how many people need to travel due to limited vacation days, not because it’s the most enjoyable schedule. It’s definitely more enjoyable to fit less sights into a day and thus and be able to enjoy proper sit-down lunches every day rather than quick ones, wake up in the late morning rather than at the crack of dawn in order to beat the line at an attraction or catch the earliest train, etc.
But whether you remove a city or not, I think you will want to remove certain attractions.
For example, the cupola and campanile in Florence don’t have an elevator, and the cupola in the Vatican basilica only has an elevator part way. (But the campanile in Venice has an elevator!)
In Rome, the colosseum combo ticket that I link to with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill is a same-day pass, so that might be too much walking in one day. You might instead want to only enter the colosseum and view the Roman forum from above, or, especially if you add an extra day to two cities, you can look into one of the other combo tickets that allow the entrances to be over two days instead of just one day. The colosseum is obviously the most interesting part. And you can see the Roman forum from above, so you could download a free Rick Steves audio guide and listen to it while looking from above. Palatine Hill is honestly more of a “well, since it’s included in the ticket…!” visit, lol.
You might also want to think about which museums/churches/palaces are most important to you. I for example am not super into paintings, so I always debate whether it’s worth entering some of the “must-see” museums or not. When I go, it’s usually to be able write about it on this site or due to FOMO, lol. I also usually skip palaces at this point, and paid churches too, because I have seen too many to keep justifying the entry price lol. For example, in Florence, the Accademia with The David can be a pretty quick visit, since there is just one main draw. But the Uffizi on the other hand takes a few hours to get through, so if you, like me, aren’t so into paintings, the Uffizi may be worth skipping. Similarly, the only reason most people visit the Vatican museums is to see the Sistine Chapel painting. So you can decide if the entry/crowds are worth seeing just one thing.
So if you skip enough attractions, plus the things with many steps, that may be a way to keep my original route of 3 days Rome, 2 days Florence, 2 days Venice without walking as much.
Lastly, I of course cannot speak from personal experience, but from what I observe, I wouldn’t say Italy is super mobility scooter friendly. I would unfortunately say it’s actually hardly luggage friendly. There are a lot of cobble stones in these historical centers, and Venice has a million tiny bridges (some bigger ones have ramps, the smaller/normal ones don’t). So in Venice, you’ll definitely want to use the water taxi system. It’s pretty compact, so between that and using the water taxis, I hope that should be ok. In Rome and Florence, one suggestion could be the hop on hop off buses, to move between some of the further spots without having to pay for a cab each time. I have seen others using mobility scooters, though, so it’s not that it’s impossible, especially if you have others with you, but I just have to imagine the cobblestones are annoying.
The train stations do have elevators, but I would give yourself extra time to use them, because I’ve sometimes had to take a some minutes to locate the elevator for a platform.
That’s everything off the top of my head! I hope that’s been of some help!
– Em
Thank you so much for the info and the rapid response.
You’re welcome!
Loved this detailed one-week Italy itinerary! It’s making me so excited to plan my trip. Thankfully, getting an Italy visa from the UK has been quite straightforward — just need to apply early and have all documents in place. Can’t wait to follow some of these suggestions and explore beautiful Italy!
Thanks, Susi!
Also, this itinerary is perfect. But I cannot find a company with this itinerary and guided tour. If you have some suggestions, they would be appreciated.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for the kind feedback on the itinerary!
I haven’t looked at or used tour companies for Italy, so I don’t know of one that provides something similar to this. I created this itinerary after several visits to Italy myself, as a “what I would have done in retrospect” first itinerary, so that others could plan and book their own trips based on it. That’s why it has all the links to the train website and attractions’ websites to book everything yourself, the name of the train stations and the order/day to see the attractions, etc. If you want, instead of booking the attractions directly, you could hire a local guide for each day or certain days? And then you would just have the trains and hotels to book yourself?
Sorry to not be of more help!
– Em
Do you know a tour guide that has this itinerary seven days Italy?
Hi! What a perfect itinerary for Italy!
My husband and I are traveling in mid April from Dubai. We have total 13 nights covering 3 nights Amsterdam, 3 nights Paris and remaining in Italy. My concern is- how to cover Italy in 7nights? What is the best way to reach from Paris? And which city to start first? We have flight back to home from Bologna. Your suggestion will be very valuable for us.
Hi Rafiya,
Thanks for the kind feedback! Your trip sounds like it will be lovely!
If it were me, I would do something like: flying into Venice from Paris. Spend 2 nights in Venice. Then, take the fast train to Rome and stay 2-3 nights. To visit Rome only 2 days, just take my “day 1” Rome and tack it onto the end of my “day 3” Rome instead of the “wander” part. Then take the fast train to Florence and stay 1-2 nights. You could also fly into Rome, then go to Venice, then Florence, if the flight from Paris is better into Rome than Venice. But flying into Venice saves you about 1 hour of total train time for the trip, so that’s why I suggested that first.
Then, the final evening, take the train the Bologna just to sleep, because I personally try to be in the same city as my airport, for peace of mind. You can leave your luggage at your Florence hotel reception (or locker storage somewhere if not), then sightsee all day before picking up bags and taking the train that evening. But if your flight from Bologna is not too early, you could also just take the train from Florence to Bologna Centrale station the day of (which is around 40 min) and then Marconi Express from Bologna Centrale to the Bologna airport (around 10 min).
Hope that helps!!
– Em
Thank you so much! It’s really helpful. We are trying to add lake como also in our trip. Do u think, will it be a good idea?
Hi Rafiya,
You’re welcome!
You won’t be able to fit everything on this one week itinerary plus Lake Como. For those without time to spend the night on Lake Como, I recommend a day trip from Milan to Lake Como. But that requires at least 1 but ideally 2 nights in Milan, in order to have one full day in Lake Como. So that will require removing either Rome, Venice, or Florence.
Alternatively, you could remove 1 night from 2 of the 3 primary stops. For example, visiting Venice as a day trip from either Florence or Milan, plus removing one day from Florence or Rome. But at that point, you really will be rushing through and spending a lot of time on trains rather than taking in each location. Because this 7 day itinerary as I have it is already the bare minimum amount of time in each spot.
Hope that helps!
– Em
Hello dear, I find your explanation very helpful. We are planning 8 nights 9 days trip to Italy. Starting from Milan -1 night, Venice-2 nights, Florence-2 nights and Rome 3 nights. Will cover Naples’s in day trip. We are first timer in Italy and are planning to do it ourselves. We intend to cover some historical sites. Should we engage with guides or can we do it ourselves? Your guidance will be helpful
Aditya,
Glad to know this is helpful!
You can definitely do your Italy trip without guides, unless you like the information/leading that a guide does.
I have done guides for specific attractions (like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pompeii) and audio guides for other attractions (Uffizi Gallery). I have also used “free walking tour” guides (not in Italy, but in other European countries), where the tour is “free” but you tip what you think it is worth at the end. So if it fits your travel style, you can use a guide in part or in full, but it’s not necessary.
Hope that helps!
– Em
Thankyou for your response and valuable feedback.
You’re welcome!
Thank you SO much for this one week break down. I’m going for 12 days and so hoping to add in Amalfi coast, Tuscany
and another place perhaps Naples or Como or Capri (not sure). Can you please send some tips and suggestions for these places as well as you did above? Again, grateful for your advice and information !
Hi Saavita,
I’m glad to know this was helpful!
You can check out my Italy itinerary for 14 days to see how to fit in Capri and the Amalfi Coast. If you remove Cinque Terre and Milan, that will save you 3 days from that 14, bringing it down to 11. You can also base yourself out of Naples in stead of Sorrento, if you want. And then only spend 1 day in for example Positano as a day trip from Naples (via ferry would probably be most comfortable) so that you can spend 1 full day in Naples.
With the remaining 1 day, you can follow my guide for a day trip to Lake Como from Milan.
So something like: Rome (3 nights, 2-2.5 full days minimum) > Naples/Sorrento (3 – 4 nights) > Florence, which is a city in Tuscany (1-2 nights, but 2 full days minimum) > Venice (2 nights) > Milan (1-2 night, just to have one full day to day trip to Lake Como).
Like I mentioned in the line above, Florence is in Tuscany. If what you meant by adding in “Tuscany” was adding in a more rural part, you might consider removing a night from elsewhere to add it to Florence and thus do a day trip into a more rural part of Tuscany.
Hope that helps!
– Em
Thank you so much for all this information.
Am planning to visit Europe with my son in August. We have 28 days planning to visit 5 countries (Hungary, Germany, ltaly, France and Spain ) its our first .
Please advise if the 28days will be enough for 5 countries.
Thanks Ruth
Hi Ruth,
That sounds like a nice trip!
You can definitely get a good flavor of those countries with 28 days, but it depends on how much you want to see in each.
For example, if you only visit the 3 cities in this 7 day Italy itinerary and the 5 cities in something like my Spain 10 day itinerary, that brings you to 17 days. So that leaves you with 11 days for the other 3 countries.
I would suggest 3 days for Paris with one of those being a day trip to Versailles. That brings the tally up to 20 days. I’m not sure if you need to see other parts of France on this trip. If not, that leaves you with 8 days for Germany and Hungary.
Hope that helps!
– Em
Thank you so much for all of these information and ideas. I’m planning to travel with my two daughters end of this year and this is so useful. Thank you sooooo much
Hi Madiha,
Thanks for letting me know that this was useful!! 🙂 Enjoy your trip with your daughters!
– Em
Hi! Im planning to visit Italy for the first time for my bday.. however, it is in July- do you absolutely advise to not go during this time? I would appreciate your honest opinion and maybe I can save this trip for another time 🙂 and maybe help steer me into a couple other places worth visiting in Europe in July? Also, we only have 6 days of actual exploration +2 days for flying. Thanks so much! i love this itinerary!!
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for the kind feedback on the itinerary!
I don’t absolutely advise against doing this itinerary in high season. I just advise avoiding it if you can. And if you can’t, like I said in the post, just come mentally prepared for the crowds.
I went in August on my first visit to Rome, just after visiting Paris the same month, and I enjoyed both in spite of the high season crowds. (It was also my first time being a real tourist in Europe though, so I had nothing to compare the crowds to. Nowadays, my tolerance is a quite a bit less, lol. But I also have flexibility to travel in the shoulder seasons nowadays, whereas back then, I didn’t.)
That being said, this year is Jubilee, which I don’t know a lot about but seems like is going to bring even more crowds than the norm to Rome. So I think that tolerance for crowds is going to have to be a lot higher this summer in particular. You will definitely enjoy this itinerary more in shoulder season of next year if you are able and willing to do that. But whether or not you will NOT enjoy it this July is going to come down to your personal tolerance for crowds and whether you’re a glass half empty or half full type of personal when you travel lol.
As for alternatives, every place in Europe is going to be at its peak tourism in July, so in order to lessen the impact of crowds, you’ll have to go to less-visited countries and/or less-visited parts of countries.
Have you considered Portugal? Six days could be a good amount of time there (2 days Lisbon + 1 day trip to Sintra, 2 days Porto, 1 day elsewhere). And its weather should be a lot milder than the spots on this Italy itinerary.
Northern Spain could also be nice, especially if you are willing to rent a car, starting at San Sebastián and ending on the Atlantic just above Portugal or visa versa.
Croatia is stunning, but my experience with the walled old town of Dubrovnik in May was on par with Rome in August, so since you are trying to avoid crowds, I’m a little hesitant to fully recommend Croatia.
Hope some of those ideas help! Feel free to respond back. 🙂
– Em
Thank you so much for this!! I really appreciate the advice 🙂 this is going to be my first time in Europe and honestly i am just excited to go anywhere but i really am grateful for the recommendations. And yes! I was actually debating between Italy, Spain, or Portugal. I saw your Spain itinerary as well, but I also saw that you advise against July travels due to really hot summers. But Northern Spain would be nice and then we can try to go again to Barcelona/Madrid another time 🙂 thank you so much! I wish we had longer than 6 days but this definitely helps us!
Hi Merilyn,
You’re welcome – I’m glad to know it helped!! You’ll have a lovely time whatever you decide!
– Em
Hi, were planning a 10/11 day trip to Italy this coming June. I loved reading your blog to get a better idea of everything such as logistics, costs, etc. I would love your input on this schedule that we have.
Arrive to Venice from the US. Spend 1-1.5 days there. Just see the museums and historical landmarks/bridges from the outside and do a gondala ride.
Then head to Florence. Thinking to spend 2.5-3 days there. 1-1.5 days for Florence things (again see everything from the outside-skipping out on a trip to Pissa) and do a pizza/pasta cooking class and then 1/2 day to the country/hill top area of Tuscany for a vespa tour.
From Florence we would go to Rome for 2.5-3 days. Rome is where we would go inside most landmarks and either do a self guided tour via audio or an actual tour. Probably do the Colasseum, Forum, Pantheon in 1 day, then Vatican City the other day. We would squeeze in Trevi Fountain, Trastavere, and Spanish steps on either of the above days.
Then from Rome we’re thinking to go to Naples. Maybe spend half a day there or 1 night. Unsure what to do there.
From Naples we would head towards the Amalfi Coast. Train ride then ferry? Not sure if we stay a night in Amafi since I head it is expensive but do a day trip to Amalfiinstead and see the major things? And go back to Naples to fly home back to the US.
I wold like your input on that order to traveling or if you would suggest anything different. It would get us really close to 10.5 days. Naples to Amalfi is where we are getting confused, especially the actual travel journey of it. We’re not swimmers so Amalfi is more for the view, and maybe dip our toes in the water.
Can you also recommend an cheese/oil tasting events we can book in either city?
Also what are the logistics for carrying luggage around if we can’t check into hotels right away?
We also don’t drink wine so if you have any recommendations for non alcholic drinks to try to places to go for that let us know
We’re also looking into the option of doing it all in reverse so Naples –> Amalfi –> Rome –> FLorence/Tuscany –> Venice
Would we plan on using the train as main travel besides the ferry or bus ride from Naples to Amalfi and back to Naples
Hi Sonum,
From what you’ve said, I’d suggest something like:
Venice (2 nights) > train to Florence (3 nights) > train to Rome (3 nights) > train to Naples (2 nights) OR the exact reverse
I haven’t properly visited Naples yet myself. I’ve just stopped in it twice while passing through, so I can’t personally suggest much. But there does seem to be plenty to see on the day of your first night there.
On day two, you have two options to day trip to Positano (the main star in the Amalfi Coast) from Naples. You can take a ferry from Naples to Positano if the times work out for how many hours you’d like to be there. I don’t think the summer schedules are up yet. Or you can take land transport. I detail how to get to Sorrento from Naples by train in the “how to get to Sorrento from Pompeii” section of my two week Italy itinerary. Then just below that section, I detail “how to get to the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento.”
Hotels usually let you drop luggage off at reception if you arrive before the room is ready. You can skim comments in the reviews to double-check.
I don’t have personal recs for tours but GetYourGuide is one popular site to book things like that in advance. I also don’t drink, but I usually just order water lol.
Hope that helps! Sounds like it will be a lovely trip.
– Em
Hello. I find your blog so helpful and detailed which helps so much when trying to squeeze in multiple cities while not missing out. I am going to Italy in September for 6 full days. I am leaning into flying in/out of Rome. I am most interested in the Amalfi Coast. Is it possible to add Florence and/or Venice in there?
Hi Lorena,
I’m glad to know this has been helpful! Squeezing in as much as possible without missing out is exactly my goal with my itineraries. 🙂
With just 6 days, I would actually say you only have time for Rome and the Amalfi Coast, if those are your two priorities. I believe 3-4 days is the minimum amount of time necessary to see the main spots in the Amalfi Coast area and make the effort of getting there worth it (I detail how in my two week Italy itinerary, which you’ve maybe already seen). So that plus another 2-3 days in Rome brings you to 6 days.
If you want to just do a rushed day trip tour to Positano from Rome, then you could also add in a rushed one night in Florence and one night in Venice before heading back down to Rome. So something like Rome (3 nights: 2 days Rome and 1 day Positano group tour) > Florence (1 night) > Venice (1 night) > Rome (1 night before flight). But if you can return to Italy in the future, and prefer to “see everything” in a city rather than rush through, then I’d recommend saving Florence and Venice for a future north Italy trip and sticking to just Rome and the Amalfi Coast for this trip.
Hope that helps!
– Em
Hi Em! We are a family of 5 traveling to Italy for the 1st time in early April. We have 8 glorious days and we land and leave from Milan. Should we follow this itinerary but backwards? Or do you recommend a different itinerary? We definitely want to hit Venice, Florence and Rome as well. We are most likely training it from city to city. Could you also recommend an alternate itinerary that includes Sicily and Amalfi?
Hi Janice,
Sounds like a nice time to visit Italy!
From what you’ve said, I’d follow this same itinerary that I have here for 7 days, but start in Milan with that 1 extra day. So Milan (1 or 2 nights) > Venice (2 nights) > Florence (2 nights) > Rome (2 or 3 nights) > fast train back to Milan for flight home. If you need to free up more time to fit in the transport, you can squish my day1 Rome with my day3 Rome plan and/or remove the Burano/Murano day trip I suggest from Venice.
As you can see, that’s already pretty packed! So adding the Amalfi Coast would require cutting out at least 2 – 4 nights from Venice, Florence, and Rome. If I absolutely had to suggest something, I’d say that you could try Milan (1 day) > fly to Naples > transfer to Sorrento (2-3 nights – day trips to Positano, Capri, and/or Amalfi each day) > train to Rome (2-3 nights) > train to Florence OR Venice (1-2 nights) > train to Milan for flight.
Doing Sicily justice will be difficult if flying in and out of Milan with just 8 days. You might have seen on the map that Milan is very high north, just below Switzerland, and Sicily is the furthest south possible, just above Africa. So it’d require another two domestic flights. But, again, if I absolutely had to suggest something, I’d say that you could try Milan (1 day) > fly to Palermo or Catania (3-4 nights in the area of your choosing) > flight to Florence (2 nights) > train to Venice (1-2 nights) > train to Milan for flight. That way, you could save Rome to combine with the Amalfi Coast on a future trip.
Hope that helps!
– Em
Thanks Em! I actually meant if you could give me a 2nd separate itinerary from Milan to Sicily and/or Amalfi and any other cities you think we could squeeze in in our time frame.
Hi Janice,
I’m not sure I understand what you mean by itinerary from Milan to Sicily. Do you want to travel between the two over land only and then fly back to Milan from Sicily on the last day to get home? Or do you mean an itinerary including only Milan and Sicily, and maybe Amalfi Coast if possible?
– Em