The Best of Italy: Ultimate Ten Day Italy Itinerary

Once you’ve decided to travel to Italy (great choice, by the way!), your next big decision is how many days to spend in Italy. Of course, as much time as possible would be great. But ten days in Italy is the perfect amount of time to see everything “big.” What’s everything big? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This ten day Italy itinerary will efficiently guide you through Rome, Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Milan.

Now, I know that sounds like a lot. But I truly believe I’ve curated the perfect ten day Italy itinerary to maximize sightseeing and minimize stress.

I do have to warn you, though. This two week Italy itinerary is detailed. Like, how-the-hell-do-you-have-time-to-write-all-this detailed. And that is 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: get ready for a long article! (About a 17 minute read.) You might definitely 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!

Pssst! I highly recommend reading my itinerary for fourteen days in Italy and considering tacking on four more days to your Italy vacation! With those extra days, you can enjoy Positano and the rest of the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii. Or, if you’re thinking ten days in Italy is too much (how?!), then my one week in Italy itinerary will be perfect instead.

Overview

Ten Day Italy Itinerary Summary

Let’s start off with an overview of this epic trip, so you have an idea for what to expect. (Or, you can jump straight to the actual itinerary.)

Days	City	Overnight In
Days 1 – 3	Rome	Rome
Days 4 – 5	Florence	Florence
Days 6 – 7	Pisa & Cinque Terre	Cinque Terre
Day 8	Milan	Milan
Days 9 – 10	Venice	Venice

Pssst! Be sure to check out my hotel and hostel guide to match this itinerary’s stops!

Best Time of Year to Visit Italy

The absolute best time to visit Italy is definitely the shoulder seasons of April – May and September – October. This lets you see everything in comfortable weather, but you can avoid the extreme crowds (And heat! And prices!) of the summer. If you plan to swim, aim for September – October, so that the water has had all summer to get warm. And just a heads up, while we’re on the topic of weather – Venice is prone to flooding during rain!

Should You Travel Italy by Car or Train?

One of my favorite things about Italy is how wonderfully easy it is to travel Italy without a car. I actually believe trains are the best way to travel in Italy. This is especially true for your first time in the country. So, this ten day Italy itinerary is completely car-free, relying solely on trains and water taxis.

One very 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. The fines are low-key high-key ridiculous.) How do you validate your train ticket in Italy? Simply stick the 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 train) before the price gets too high closer to the actual date. If you are taking regional trains (which work fine for shorter distances), just buy them at the station on the day of, to allow flexibility in case plans change.

In this itinerary, I include all the details and prices for each time you’ll use public transport to move around. I’ve got you covered!

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. Just look up flights and see which direction is cheaper. Also, at the very end of this page, I have a section on how to adjust this itinerary if you need to. And if you have any questions, I’m pretty good at responding to my comment section down at the very bottom of this page. Ready?!

Rome

As the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome. It’s the current capital of Italy and the former epicenter of the Roman Empire. As you’d expect, there’s a lot to see in Rome! Try to ignore the street vendors with no regard for personal space selling selfie sticks and whizzing gadgets, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with Rome as I have.

How to Get to Rome

Rome is the starting point of your trip, so you’ll need to fly into it. It has two airports, so be careful you fly into the correct one. The main international airport in Rome is Fiumicino (FCO). To get from FCO airport to the city center, you have two options.

• Option 1: Take the train. Follow signs in FCO airport to the train platform. Then, ride the 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 Roma Termini train station! Do not accept or ask help from anyone except official train station employees, and wear your backpack facing your front.
• Option 2: Take a taxi. Taxis into central Rome from FCO airport are a fixed fare of €55. Make sure you get into an official taxi at the taxi pickup line. They should accept credit and debit cards, and you can double check this as well as the taxi 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 that you can check out here. One is Terravision, which offers a €6.50 ticket. The ride takes 45 minutes.

Rome’s other airport is Ciampino (CIA). This airport is actually slightly closer to central Rome. However, it is smaller and only used for budget airline flights within Europe, like EasyJet and RyanAir. 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 from CIA airport into central Rome.

• Option 1: Take a bus to just outside Roma Termini train station. There are multiple options you have for this bus. These include the SITBusShuttle for €6 one-way, or Terravision for €6.50 if purchased online. This ride takes 40 minutes.
• Option 2: Take a taxi. Taxis into central Rome from CIA airport 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 25 minutes.

Things to Do in Rome (Three Days)

Sure, you can “see” Rome in a day or two if all you want to do is literally see attractions from the outside. But personally, I don’t think that’s the best way to actually experience a place. So for Rome, I highly recommend a minimum of three days (including the day you arrive). Take it easy on day one, since it’s the day your flight lands. 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 in the order I have it below will be 30 min (2km or 1.25 miles). I recommend starting at whichever end is closer to you and your accommodation.

• Scalina Spagna: Also known as the Spanish Steps, this gorgeous staircase gets busy at night as a bustling hang-out spot.
• Trevi Fountain: This beauty is Rome’s largest and most-famous fountain. Expect major crowds, and know you will need some patience to get your perfect pic!
• Pantheon: It was transformed into a church in 609 AD, though it was built in 120AD as a Roman (pagan) temple for all gods. Everyone still calls it the Pantheon, which means “honor all Gods” in Greek. It’s €5 to enter. For an additional €2, you can book in advance online from the official site.
• Piazza Navona: This square is as popular as it is beautiful! Touristy cafes line the edges of the piazza, which has 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. In the past, you could only observe it from above. But now you can enter! Tickets will set you back €7 in person or €8 if you book online at the official site.

Day Two

• Colosseum: Though it is now in ruins, back in its prime, this huge thing sat 50,000 guests and even had retractable shades. Tickets are €18 for this plus the next two sites which you can purchase online from the official site. But, unless you plan to be the first ones at the door, I highly recommend purchasing skip-the-line tickets. These price quotes are the highest prices, but those 25 years and younger get discounts!
• Roman Forum: These ruins used to be numerous important government buildings during the ancient Roman Empire. It’s amazing walking around them, seeing how huge the ruins are, and wondering how life must have been back then – almost 2000 years ago!
• Palatine Hill: This is where all the cool kids lived during the Roman Empire – the aristocrats and emperors and all that jazz.
• Arch of Constantine: This arc is the largest surviving one of its kind. It was built in 302 AD and is right outside the Colosseum.
• Via dei Fori Imeriali: This street – especially at dusk – is my favorite part of Rome! You can look down below to the Roman Forum from one side and explore other incredible ruins on the other. It connects the Colosseum to the next attraction below.
• Vittoriano: This white, marble building almost doesn’t fit in with its ancient surroundings.  But I love it, nevertheless. It is a memorial to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the united Italy as we know it today.

Day Three

• Vatican City: Technically, this area is its own country! It’s the smallest in the world, ruled by the Catholic Pope. There are three main things to see in Vatican City: St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Museums. St. Peter’s Basilica is free to enter, but the dress code is very strict. Remember to cover your shoulders and knees! (This goes for all genders and ages.) There is a slow moving crowd to enter, but I felt it moved quickly enough back when I went (in August). You can book in advance online for €7 if you would like to select a date and time in advance, plus get a digital audio guide. From inside the basilica, you can climb up to the dome for iconic views. To the right of the entrance, there should be a “Cupola” sign. Follow that sign until you get to the ticket office. There, you can purchase a ticket to either climb the whole way for €8 or one to take an elevator partway up for €10. You can also 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. You’ll pay €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, during which 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 you a whole morning.
• Castel Sant’Angelo: Emperor Hadrian originally commissioned this as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Since then, it has been used as a fortress, castle, and currently a museum. I didn’t enter, so I can’t recommend entering, but I think enjoying this castle’s exterior and bridge over the river is worth it alone!
• Wander: Explore on your own! Get lost! You’ve crossed off all the “can’t miss” things off your list, but who wants their trip to be just a to-do list? If you just rush around Rome ticking off attractions, I’m not sure you’ll like the city. But exploring it’s less-crowded streets, strolling along the river, sitting at a random restaurant – these are the things that will leave you loving Rome.

Florence

When you think of Florence, you probably think of art, and maybe leather handbags, too. While it is the birthplace of the European Renaissance, it’s also just a really beautiful Tuscan city. There are so many things to do in Florence, but I think two days in Florence is the perfect amount of time for a first visit or ten day visit to Italy.

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.

Things to Do in Florence (Two Days)

Many travelers recommend the Firenze Card since it covers a lot of attractions in Florence. But for two days in Florence (or even three days in Florence), I believe the card is not worth it. Instead, I recommend purchasing the Brunelleschi Pass. This 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 if bought on the official website.

Now, for everything 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 decide. Do you prefer to visit one museum a day, or have one big museum day? Do you want to avoid climbing stairs twice in the same day, or are you up for the challenge? Do you like a viewpoint for sunset, or prefer sunrise? These are the factors that will determine what things you do and see each day, so I can’t recommend that for you. Most sights in Florence are rather compactly located, anyways, so planning a route shouldn’t be an issue!

*Items with an asterisk are skip-able if you’re not interested, but I’ve listed them since they’re included in the ticket I recommended above. If you want a more detailed breakdown of the below, plus pictures, check out my full Florence travel guide.

• Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo): This is the third largest church in the world and is the symbol of Florence. Entry is free, but prepare for a massive line at least an hour long.
• Cupola: Bruneschelli’s Dome is actually the most impressive part of the entire Duomo. Architecturally, it was the first of its kind. Climb up the steps for the 360 views over Florence from the top. But you have to select a specific time slot when you buy your ticket! Otherwise, you will be turned away and asked to return. (I saw it happen, and it’s sad.)
• Campanile di Giotto: Yes you already climbed up the cupola, but there’s another viewpoint! This time, the view is the cupola itself.
• Battistero di San Giovanni: This is the building right across the main cathedral. The inside was actually pretty cool! It has Byzantine-like mosaics, in contrast to all the typical-Renaissance paintings. All the tourists snap pics of the gold doors outside, but know that those are just copies. The real doors are in the Duomo Museum!
• Duomo Museum*: Since you get free access with the Duomo combo ticket, it might be worth a quick walk inside here. It will help you understand why all this Duomo stuff in Florence is such a big deal!
• Crypt of Santa Reparata*: This is included in the Duomo combo ticket, which was the only reason I saw it. But once I got there, it was actually much cooler than I anticipated! It’s basically church ruins from 405AD inside the main church. The slightly-annoying thing about visiting 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 the main squares in Florence.
• Piazza della Signoria: This square has sooo much going on! The best part is definitely the Loggia dei Lanzi. It’s basically a free, open-air museum of insane sculptures that really ought to be tucked away in a museum. (Seriously though, I’m so surprised these are just out there in the open!) The square also has a copy of the David statue, for those of you who don’t end up paying to see the real thang.
• Palazzo Vecchio: Apparently, it’s supposed to have a great view of the Duomo. But I didn’t enter, minus the free courtyard.
• Ponte Vecchio: This unique bridge has become synonymous with Florence itself! It used to be a passageway so the Medicis (a super rich family that basically made Florence….well, Florence) didn’t have to walk with the commoners. But since then, shops have been added and create the look it has today. Expect a lot of tourists here.
• Piazzale Michelangelo: This is the best viewpoint in Florence! I recommend trying to time your visit with sunset, but it’s beautiful anytime. (I went three times during my visit….so I would know.) It requires an uphill walk and is the furthest out you’ll get from the city center. So bring some snacks to stay a while and make the trek worth it.
• Accademia: Somewhat annoyingly, the sole reason to enter this gallery (for most of us) is for one piece of art. The David. You decide if that’s worth it for you, but I have such FOMO that I had to pay €16 and see for myself. You can book in advance at the official site for an additional €4 fee.
• Uffizi Gallery: Uffizi actually means “offices” in Italian, and this building used to be the Medici’s offices. But these days, it’s a world-famous museum. The most-famous art piece there 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, remember that iconic bridge I mentioned a few lines up? And the passageway inside of it? Well this is that passageway! You can enter it starting from the first floor of the Uffizi Gallery, crossing the Arno River via the inside of the Ponte Vecchio bridge. So cool! You can purchase entry to this corridor in combination with a ticket to the Uffizi for a total price of €43, plus €4 for the required online booking fee on the official site.
• San Lorenzo Market: You can’t miss Florence’s most-famous market! Here, you can shop leather goods and chow down in the indoor food market.
• Santa Croce: Since admission was not free, I didn’t enter this church. But I think it’s in a picturesque area that justifies passing by!
• Palazzo Pitti: This palace was the Medici family residence. I personally have seen way too many European palaces at this point. So I skipped playing the €16 entry fee and only viewed the palace from the outside. But I did later wish I arrived earlier in the day than I did, to buy a Boboli Gardens ticket (€10)!

Pisa

Is there anything more synonymous with Italy than the image of the leaning tower of Pisa? It’s hilarious how such a famous Italian landmark is from the most random of Italian cities! Conveniently, Pisa is a the transfer station on the train ride route between Florence and the Cinque Terre. So you lose basically no time making a couple-hour stop to get out of the station, snap your funny photographs, and get back on your way to Cinque Terre.

How to Get to Pisa from Florence

Take a regional train from Firenze S. M. Novella train station to Pisa Centrale train station. This is an hour ride and costs €10. Once at the train station, head to the luggage storage in the station, and drop off your things for €5 per bag. Check out the storage website.

Things to Do in Pisa (Half Day)

Because this ten day Italy itinerary is so jam packed, I recommend you head straight to the leaning tower, snap your pics, and then return back to the train. The walk* is about 30 minutes each way, plus I anticipate you’ll spend about 20 – 30 minutes getting that perfect leaning picture. So allow 1.5 – 2 hours for your stop in Pisa. The reason I recommend this is so that you can have as much time as possible in Cinque Terre.

But, if you want more than just a photo op, there actually are a good amount of things to do in Pisa.

• Climb the leaning tower: It’ll cost you €20 and you’ll need to choose a time-slot! I didn’t do this, but the line looked very long.
• Go inside the Duomo: Though this is free, you still need to get a ticket, and time slots do book out. Do this at the building with all the signs, right by the leaning tower.
• Visit the Baptistery: I didn’t enter, but pictures instead look so pretty! This alone will set you back €8, or you can pay €11 or €27 for a two or three-monument combo, respectively. See the official website to understand!
• Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina: I admit I know nothing about this church, but I think it looks super beautiful. It’s easy to walk by it by using Ponte Solferino bridge on the way back to the train from the leaning tower.

Also, Pisa is just a super pretty Tuscan city! So there’s absolutely nothing wrong with sticking around and actually seeing the city of Pisa. You can just budget extra time to walk around the city before hopping back on the train. Maybe even stop for lunch!

* If you don’t want to walk, you then can take a bus, like bus 1+ from right outside the station. It’s about a 15 minute ride to the leaning tower. You can also grab a cab.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre actually means the “five lands” in Italian. These five lands of Cinque Terre are the villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. My only recommendation on which village to choose for your stay is not choosing Corniglia as a base. This is simply since there is a 350+ step staircase from its train station to the actual village! (Psst: Check out my guide on cheaper Cinque Terre bases.)

How to Get to Cinque Terre from Pisa

Take a regional train from Pisa Centrale train station to your preferred Cinque Terre village of choice. All journeys will require a train transfer at La Spezia Centrale station. You might consider using La Spezia as your base, since it might be cheaper, saves some train hassle, and is included in the Cinque Terre Rail Pass (more on the pass later on – don’t worry!). Train times and prices are below.

• Pisa to La Spezia: 75 minutes and €8.40
• Pisa to Riomaggiore (the southernmost village): 1.5 – 2 hours, because it requires a transfer at La Spezia, and €9.45
• Pisa to Monterosso (the northernmost village): 1.5 – 2 hours, because it requires a transfer at La Spezia, and €10.25.

Things to Do in Cinque Terre (One & a Half Days)

The best things to do in Cinque Terre are visit all of the villages and hike between them. Sadly, much of the trail is susceptible to landslides, so parts of it can become close while they fix it up. So always check here for updates on the trail status before your trip.

To hike the main Cinque Terre trail, you’ll need to pay (except during winter, when there’s apparently no one checking). For this ten day Italy itinerary, purchase the Via dell’Amore + 2-day Train Card. Depending on what date you purchase for, prices are €44 – €69*. This allows you unlimited access to the paid trails and unlimited train travel between Levanto and La Spezia. It also grants you free public toilet usage in the villages and free WiFi at the train stations between Levanto and La Spezia. You can buy the card in person at any train station or information desk, or online. Tickets can sell out, so buy in advance!

* If walking the Via dell’Amore is not worth it for you, consider just purchasing the two-day Cinque Terre Trail and Train Card. It costs €34 – €59 (so €10 less). You get all the other perks – just not entry to the Via dell’Amore. You can purchase this ticket on your mobile phone for an additional €1.22. The prices I am quoting are for mid-March to early November, since, as I said up top, I don’t recommend this ten day Italy itinerary outside that range.

Aside from hiking, there is no real to-do list of attractions for each village. You just stroll around at your leisure, swim when you feel like it, and enjoy the beauty of Cinque Terre! If you want to get off the beaten path (literally), Check out the free Cinque Terre hikes you can do instead of the paid ones. The views are better, too, in my opinion!

Day One (Half Day)

Riomaggiore and Manarola: After arriving in Cinque Terre from Pisa, I recommend spending the remainder of this day relaxing and hanging out in both Riomaggiore and Manarola. Start at Riomaggiore. After you feel like you’ve explored enough, head out on the Via dell’Amore towards Manarola. This path is a little over half a mile (a little under one kilometer). I recommend timing your visit to Manarola with sunset, to get that cliché Instagram view. That café you see everyone take their pics at? It’s called Nessun Dorma.

Day Two

Hike Monterosso to Vernazza to Corniglia: Visit the last three villages, and get some hiking in! You can complete the hike either direction you please. I definitely recommend hiking wearing your swimsuit underneath, because there is nothing you’ll want to do more after a hike than jump into that sea!

Milan

You probably know Milan as the fashion capital of Italy… and maybe nothing else! Many visitors aren’t enthused by Milan, and I do not think Milan is worth visiting with just one week in Italy. But you’ve got ten days in Italy, so I think it makes sense to include on your itinerary. After all, Milan is home to the world-famous Last Supper painting and the iconic Duomo. In my opinion, it makes a perfect, not-too-hectic second-to-last stop on your epic tour di Italia.

How to Get to Milan from Cinque Terre

Take a train from La Spezia Centrale to Milano Centrale. I recommend taking the direct, 3.5 hour InterCity train. Expect to pay around €22 if you book a month out, around €24 if you book two weeks out, and around €29 the day of.

Things to Do in Milan (One Day)

• See the Last Supper: Book this as soon as you can! Tickets to enjoy Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece are available on the official site about three months in advance. They cost €15, plus a €2 online fee, and allow you a 15-minute viewing of the famous painting in the Santa Maria delle Grazie church. Tickets are free on the first Sunday of every month, so all you would pay is the online booking fee. Sadly, official tickets tend to get booked up on the first day they’re available by Milan tour operators. So if you don’t get a ticket yourself, the only other way is to book a guided tour. These run for around €40 and above.
• Go to the Roof of the Duomo: Entrance to the roof costs €14 on foot or €16 by elevator, but €20 and €25 respectively if you include entry into the church itself. You can get these tickets in advance on the official site. And remember to be dressed modestly to be able to enter!
• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: This iconic and historic shopping center sits to the left of the Duomo. It’s simply way too glamorous not to walk through!
• Navigli Lombardi: Stroll around this super cute area of canals during the evening, or perhaps even enjoy dinner here!
• Starbucks Reserve Roastery: I’m not even a coffee lover, but I just had to pop my head into the first Starbucks in Italy. The bougiest Starbucks I’ve ever been in, for sure!

Venice

Venice is more than just a place for cliche gondola rides. It’s honestly so beautiful, it’s unreal. But it is crowded beyond belief, particularly in the summer! I recommend you knock out all the tourist sights at less-crowded hours. That way, you can spend the middle of the day exploring the rest of Venice, where it’s much, much less crowded, but just as beautiful.

How to Get to Venice from Milan

Take a train from Milano Centrale to Venezia Santa Lucia. I recommend taking the direct, 2.5 hour Frecciarosssa train if you can book it a month ahead, when it’s around €29 for the morning train. If you buy closer to your departure date, it’ll be €52. In that case, the regional train (the type that costs the same no matter when you buy it) is €22, and the transfer in Verona only adds an hour more to your journey. So it’s worth considering if you’re on a budget!

Once in Venice, you’ll want 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. I wish I knew about it earlier! It costs €6, but in order to buy it, you must also purchase (at minimum) an unlimited three-day vaporetto pass for €27. With the pass, you also get discounts on many attractions, like a €12 – €15 discount on entrance to the Doge’s Palace! The one-day transport pass on its own costs €25, and the two-day pass costs €35, so getting the Rolling Pass quickly pays for itself. You can buy these passes online or in person once in Venice.

Things to Do in Venice (Two Days)

You should take a reasonably-timed morning train from Milan so that you can get to Venice in the late morning. Add some time for navigating the canals to locate your accommodation, and you basically have a little under two days in Venice. (If that sounds like too little, you can remove the Burano and Murano day trip from day two of this Venice itinerary.) If you want a more detailed guide to Venice, plus photographs of each of the below bullet points, check out my article on the best things to do in Venice.

Day One

• Piazza San Marco: This is the main square and epicenter of the (tourist) action. Firstly, there’s the Basilica San Marco. It’s €3 to enter, but be careful what time you go to avoid a long line. 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 €6 instead of €3. Large bags are not allowed inside, but there’s a free luggage storage 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 you want to skip the line, it’s the same website as the basilica, and the price becomes €12. There’s also the Doge’s Palace. Entry is €30 (or €25 if purchased at least 30 days prior!), but only €15 (or €13) with the 29-year-old Venice Rolling Card I mentioned above. See the official site for more deets.
• Bridge of Sighs: This famous bridge is named so because it connects the Doge’s Palace to the prisons. Legend has it, prisoners sighed while taking one last look over beautiful Venice as they walked through the bridge to their dooms.
• Rialto Bridge: If you haven’t figured it out by now, Venice has a lot of famous bridges!
• Accademia Bridge: Hands down, my favorite bridge in Venice because of its amazing view.

Day Two

• Take a half-day trip to Burano and Murano: To be frank, I did find this a wee bit overrated. But maybe I’m just salty because I got bad weather? I have a detailed travel guide on how to visit the islands from Venice, as well as what each island is all about.
• Fondaco dei Tedeschi: This shopping center has a unique rooftop view of Venice and the Grand Canal. Though it’s free, you’ll need to book in advance (I recommend at least a day or two prior to get your ideal time slot). It’s located right at the edge of the Rialto Bridge on Calle del Fontego.
• The Grand Canal: The obvious way to ride the Grand Canal is on a Gondola. This costs €80 per gondola (with six people max) in the daytime, or €100 sunset and later. Prices are fixed, so check current gondola prices, and do not let anyone overcharge you. If you’re traveling Venice on a budget, I’ve got you covered! Instead of the gondola, you can ride the vaporetto between San Marco and the train station. This will be “free,” since the vaporetto pass for the Burano and Murano day trip you took earlier is still valid! I reeeeally recommend timing this during sunset. It’s so pretty (and a lot less hectic).

How to Get Out of Venice

Phew – that was a lot. After ten days in Italy, your epic vacation 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 couple of ways you can get to VCE airport from Venice’s city center.

• Option 1: By bus. From the Venice Piazzale Roma ATVO bus stop, take the bus for €10. The ride lasts about 25 minutes. Purchase tickets at the ATVO ticket office in Piazzale Roma, from the automated ticket machine outside that ticket office, or online.
• Option 2: 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 3: By taxi. The fare for this 20 minute ride from Venice Piazzale Roma is around €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!

Adjustments to this Ten Day Italy Itinerary:

• Starting in Venice instead of in Rome: You can absolutely do this itinerary in the opposite order as I have listed. I just personally would want to start in Rome.
• Flying in or out of Milan instead of Venice: Venice and Milan can easily be reversed in the itinerary, in case you find a good Milan flight. In that case, I would suggest switching the order of the itinerary to be Rome > Cinque Terre > Florence > Venice > Milan (or the reverse). This is because taking the train between Venice and the Cinque Terre instead of Milan and the Cinque Terre would add about 1.5 hours to the train journey, due to a recent change in the journey duration. It also requires two connections, whereas traveling between Rome and Cinque Terre does not require any.
• Visiting Siena instead of Milan: If you already know you have no interest in Milan, consider replacing that day with adding an extra night in Florence. From there, you can make an easy day trip into Siena (or any other town in Tuscany!).
• Skipping Milan if it seems too hectic: Does five cities in ten days sound like too much checking in and out of hotels for you? If so, I don’t blame you. It might be more enjoyable to save Milan for a return trip to Italy. Use the extra day as another day in either the Cinque Terre, or add an extra night in Florence for the Siena day trip I mention above. Again, I would recommend to change the order of the itinerary to avoid taking the train between Cinque Terre and Venice, like I explain in bullet point #2 of this list.
• Day-tripping into Cinque Terre instead of spending two nights: If you want to allocate some days away from Cinque Terre in order to add them elsewhere, but don’t want to forego seeing Cinque Terre entirely, then consider taking a day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence. I explain how to in complete detail in the linked guide. This would mean skipping the stop in Pisa, though!

Any Questions on This Ten Day Italy Itinerary?

I know that was a lot! If you’re planning your own trip to Italy soon and want some personalized advice, drop a comment below with your questions. I love playing travel agent for people!

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