Italy 10 Day Itinerary

Italy has so much to offer & it feels almost impossible to put together the perfect Italy itinerary, because you could spend 100 days there and not see everything worth seeing! But, since that’s not really an option for most of us I decided to take a stab at putting together my classic ten day Italy itinerary!

10 days gives you enough time to see a lot of the highlights of the country, while also having some down time to enjoy without having to run around like crazy the whole time to see everything there is to see!

My main recommendations for a ten day trip would be Venice, Florence (with optional day trips to Tuscany & Cinque Terre) Rome (with an optional trip to Pompeii) and the Amalfi Coast! Keep reading below for details on getting around, how long to spend in each place, and more! This itinerary can be done without renting a car, which is another reason I love it!

If you have less time, you can also find my 7 days in Italy and 5 days in Italy itineraries.

Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!

Day 1: Venice

Venice is such a unique city, and for me, it’s a must see on a trip to Italy, especially if you’ve never been before. I recommend starting in Venice (which is located in the Northeast part of Italy) and then making your way South during the remainder of your trip. Venice is a smaller city that can be seen and experienced in a shorter time frame than some other Italian cities, which is why I recommend just one day in Venice!

Not that it isn’t worth spending more time there, but with there being so much to see in Italy I think one day in Venice is enough to see everything you’d want to see and get a feel of the place.

Getting There

Venice is accessible via plane or Italy’s extensive train system. Venice Marco Polo Airport is an international airport and about a 20 minute drive from downtown Venice. The main train station, Venezia Santa Lucia, is located right in the heart of Venice.

Where to Stay

Venice is made up of mostly small winding paths and bridges that cross the many canals. This can make it tricky to navigate, especially with luggage, as you cannot simply hop in a taxi to get to your hotel. I recommend staying at a hotel is easy-ish walking distance to the main train station (especially depending on how much luggage you have) L/

uckily, this puts you right on the Grand Canal, giving you tons of great hotel options and those picturesque Venice views! I recommend CHC BW Continental or Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal, but you can find tons of hotel options across budgets in that area. Also, staying along the main canal makes it easier to find your way back to your hotel after a day or exploring (and some wine) the winding streets can lead to getting lost easily!

What to Do

My personal favorite part of Venice is getting lost wandering through the dreamy streets. There are endless photo opportunities of little bridges spanning the various canals. I really think Venice is meant to be wandered, as opposed to having a structured itinerary with lists of things to see. But you’ll certainly want to explore:

• Piazza San Marco & the Basilica di San Marco, which is the main square of Venice.
• The infamous Rialto Bridge, which is one of the many bridges spanning the Grand Canal is also a can’t miss, but you’ll almost inevitably stumble across it during your exploring!
• A gondola tour is certainly the quintessential Venice experience, but they are very pricy. But the public Venice ferry system is also a cheaper option if you just want to get out on the canals!
• Grab a rooftop drink at bar at Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal for the best sunset views

Day 2: Florence

I say this a lot on here, but Florence is undoubtedly one of my favorite cities in the world, so take my advice with a slight grain of salt! But Florence is an absolute must see on your Italy trip. It’s a walkable, stunning city with tons to offer for any tourist, but it’s also small enough to see the highlights in a short time if that’s all you have! One of the best parts of Florence is how conveniently it’s located for day trips to places like Tuscany & Cinque Terre.

I recommend spending three nights in Florence, and dedicating a day and a half (or so) to exploring some of the great spots accessible to Florence. This means you don’t need to drag your luggage with you on these day trips and you don’t need to check in and out of multiple hotels! Below is an overview of my Florence suggestions, but check out my full Florence travel guide for more suggestions!

Getting There

The main train station in Florence, Santa Maria Novella, is conveniently located in the heart of Florence. There are high speed trains running from all major large cities in Italy many times a day, so you can catch a high speed train from Venice to Florence. Florence also has a small airport, but it’s easier to fly to Italy into one of the major airports, like Rome, Venice or Milan.

Where to Stay

Florence is a a fairly small city, so no matter which area you choose to stay in you’ll be less than a 20 minute walk from almost any other area of the city. There are a ton of hotel options in addition to hundreds of rental properties, so finding your ideal location and price point should be possible. I’ve stayed in Florence mostly on longer term trips so I’ve opted for VRBO’s most of the time, but I’ve also stayed at a few hotels and have included recommendations in my favorite areas, the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Oltrarno, below.

Piazza del Duomo:

The Duomo is the center of Florence, towering over the city. You can catch glimpses of the massive dome from many different streets and areas of the city. If you want to be right in the heart of the action, staying in Piazza del Duomo is a great option. A few hotels I’d recommend: Granduomo for the views, Hotel Cerretani for a more modern hotel, Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo for a charming Renaissance vibe or Guest House Bel Duomo if you’re looking for a lower price with an unbeatable location! VRBO also has tons of options near the Duomo!

Oltrarno:

Now that I’ve spent a significant amount of time in Florence, the Oltrarno (literally meaning “other side of the river”) is my favorite neighborhood. It right across the Ponte Vecchio, and is still close to the Duomo & train station, but I find that it has a bit more of an authentic feel. And some of my favorite restaurants, and spots in Florence are in the Oltrarno area of Florence.

My top recommendations would be Hotel Pitti Palace Al Ponte Vecchio (that terrace view alone is enough of a selling point) Hotel La Scaletta is also a nice option and a bit cheaper with an amazing rooftop. If you’re looking to splurge 10/10 recommend would recommend Hotel Lungarno. There are fewer hotels on this side of the river, but there are plenty of VRBO options

Ponte Vecchio:

The Ponte Vecchio is my favorite thing in Florence. I never knew I’d be so enchanted by a bridge! But it is absolutely stunning at all times of day. It’s a great place to stay to be right by the Arno and easily cross the river, but also still really close to the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio! The hotels in this area tend to be a bit on the pricy side, but the view and location are unbeatable! Some great options are Hotel Hermitage, Hotel Continentale & Hotel degli Orafi.

What to do in Florence

I’d recommend spending your first day exploring the city. I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best things to do in Florence, but it would be a lot to squeeze into one day. My top recommendations are climbing the Bell Tower or the Duomo, Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset, wandering across the Ponte Vecchio, & checking out Michelangelo’s, The David at Galleria Academia

Duomo:

The Duomo consists of four parts – the cathedral, the main church the duomo sits on top of, Brunelleschi’s infamous Duomo ,the dome you can take a tour of, the Baptistery, a standalone building next to the cathedral, and Giotto’s Bell Tower. You can visit all four of these, or pick which ones you’d like to see. The Cathedral is free and does not require a ticket – be warned the lines get long. 

The other three require a ticket for entry and you’ll need to select a time. Depending on what you want to do there are multiple ticket options. Personally, I don’t think you need to climb the Dome and the Bell Tower, but that is an option. If you’re choosing between the two – I think the view from the Bell Tower is better, because you get to see the cityscape as well as the Dome up close, but if you’re interested in seeing the artwork in the dome up close you’ll want to choose that option. There are also skip the line and guided tour options!

Ponte Vecchio:

The Ponte Vecchio (or Old Bridge) is one of the most famous landmarks in Florence. You don’t need tickets or anything, it’s simply somewhere you must see in Florence! As you walk across the bridge it is lined with jewelry shops on either side for those looking to splurge! Also, make sure you check out the views of the Ponte Vecchio from the bridges on either side.

Michelangelo’s David:

The David really is a can’t miss experience. It’s hard to explain why it’s so impressive when you see it in person, but it really is breathtaking. It’s located in the Galleria del’Academia. I’d definitely recommend you book your tickets in advance, you don’t need to, but the line is always super long for people waiting for tickets. Tickets online through their site are 16 euro, but you get to skip the line by selecting a time. These sell out so definitely get them in advance. If they are sold out you can get tickets on Viator or book a tour to get access

Palazzo Vecchio:

Palazzo Vecchio (or the old Palace) towers over Piazza della Signoria and it’s definitely worth exploring from the outside, even if you don’t buy tickets for the inside. The inside has three separate areas (the tower, the wall and the museum) you can buy individual tickets for each, or a combo ticket if you’d like to do all three. If you decide you’d like tickets beware of really long wait times during peak tourist times. Tickets can be purchases ahead of time on Viator

Watch the Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo:

Piazzale Michelangelo is an absolutely can’t miss Florence spot! It’s a large piazza overlooking the entire city and offers the best sunset spot in Florence. Sit back on the stairs with a bottle of wine (you can buy them at the top) and enjoy the stunning views. It’s free to visit. Be warned there are a lot of stairs, but it’s totally worth the climb! If you’re not up to it you can take a taxi or car to the top as well.

To get there take a “Ponte alle Grazie” bridge (one down from the Ponte Vecchio) across the river into San Niccolo (located on the opposite side of the river from the Duomo) Follow via de San Niccolò to the left to Via S. Miniato through the Porta San Miniato (big stone gate) After you pass through the gates a little way up on your left will be the stairs that lead your to Piazzale Michelangelo. There are signs, so it’s easy to follow + you can usually just follow the crowds!

Grab Dinner at one of Florence’s Many Great Restaurants

Florence has tons of great restaurants, seriously so many that I wrote a full blog post about it. All of the options noted on there are lovely, but grabbing a family style dinner at Il Latini is one of the absolute best ways to experience the food scene in Florence!

Day 3: Day Trip from Florence to Cinque Terre

I’ll preface this by saying it’s a long day trip from Florence. But I love a good jam packed day to see as many things as possible, so if you’re in Florence and want to see Cinque Terre, it’s definitely doable! There are tours you can sign up for, but it’s also easy enough to get there on your own and explore.

If you prefer, you can spend the day in Florence or check out a closer spot – like Pisa, Lucca or Fiesole.

Getting to Cinque Terre from Florence

To get to Cinque Terre Just take the train to La Spezia from Florence! At the La Spezia station make sure you buy your Cinque Terre pass. This will get you unlimited access to the 5 Terre Express, a train that runs every few minutes between La Spezia and each of the five towns of Cinque Terre. It will take about 2 and a half hours to get from Florence to La Spezia.

Explore Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre consists of 5 towns connected by train and, in some cases, by hiking trails. To check the status of which trails are open, check out the Cinque Terre website here. The most popular option is to start in the first town, Riomaggiore, or the last town, Monterosso al Mare. I prefer to start at Riomaggiore & end in Moterosso (the beach is there and it’s a great spot to have a late lunch and drinks before heading back to Florence!

If you don’t have time to stop in all five towns, my recommendation is to make sure you see Vernazza and Corniglia, the most beautiful of the five towns.

See my full blog post on taking a day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence here.

Day 4: Day Trip from Florence to Tuscany

Florence is a great city for exploring Tuscany, and I highly recommend taking some time to explore the countryside. If you’re a wine drinker, I 100% recommend taking a Tuscan wine tour, but if you’re not into wine taking a day trip to Tuscany is still something I highly recommend. The landscapes are stunning and pictures absolutely do not do them justice.

If you want you could also spend a night in Tuscany on your way to the next stop (Rome) and skip the 3rd night in Florence, but many of the towns are easier to reach by car than train, so it would require renting a car for this part of the trip. See my full Tuscany travel guide here.

Tuscan Wine Tour Details:

You can plan your own Tuscan wine tour, but generally this would mean needing to rent a car (the roads are narrow and windy + you’ll be drinking) and you’ll need to research and find wineries on your own. Most of them are small, family run wineries without websites, etc. For this trip I do recommend a guided tour. You’ll learn much more, you don’t need to worry about driving after drinking & the tour guides know the local wineries and in my experience have great recommendations.

The most recent tour I did left Florence in the morning and stopped at two wineries. Both were stunning and the wine was fantastic. You get a tour of both wineries as well as a tasting. These tasting are generous and there is no lack of wine. At the second winery you’ll also have a tradition Tuscan lunch. The food was incredible. We went through Tuscan Wine Tours and I would absolutely recommend them!

Tuscany Options (not wineries)

• San Gimignano is a quintessential Tuscan town. It’s encircled by stone walls built hundreds of years ago. It’s a perfect town for wandering through for a few hours and the views of Tuscany from the edge of the walls is incredible. You can get there from Florence by train & bus, but it was a bit of a pain and I’d probably recommend just taking a bus tour from Florence. I took the train to Poggibonsi and then ended up waiting a long time for the bus to San Gimignano. With all the time spent commuting It probably would have been easier to just take one of the bus tours that stops in San Gimignano, Pisa and Sienna!
• Pisa is close to Florence if you’d like to see the infamous tower! Other than that, there’s not a ton going on in Pisa. Luckily, many of the tours combine a short stop in Pisa with some other classic Tuscan towns, like Siena, Lucca or San Gimignano!
• Siena is famous for it’s signature medieval brick buildings. It’s a great day trip from Florence. There are busses that run between Florence and Siena that take about an hour and a half. Siena is also included on many tours from Florence. It’s a small town so you can explore in a couple of hours!

Days 5-7: Rome

The next stop I’d recommend is Rome, the Italian capitol has so many things to see. It’s much larger in scale than Venice or Florence, and you definitely need a few days in Rome itself to even scratch the surface of all there is to see so I can recommend spending 3 days in Rome.

See my full Rome travel guide here for more info.

Getting There

From Florence (and all other Italian cities) there are high speed trains regularly running to Rome’s main train station, Roma Termini. Rome also has a major international airport, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, the airport is located about 40 minutes outside of the city. There are regular high speed trains running between the airport and the main train station in Rome. The train runs regularly (every 15 minutes during peak hours) and takes around a half an hour. Follow signs for The Leonardo Express when you’re at the airport.

Where to Stay

As I mentioned, Rome is a massive city with tons of options for where to stay. Certain main tourist sites in Rome are located close together to help you decide where to stay, while others are spread across all areas of the city. I recommend choosing the area where you envision spending the most time and finding a hotel near there.

Area 1:The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon & Piazza Navona all sit on the same side of the river, and these neighborhoods are where I generally prefer to stay. These are not all super close, for example, the Colosseum to the Spanish Steps is about a 30 minute walk, but you can easily navigate between all of the these areas on foot if you choose to stay in one of them

I love the area around the Trevi Fountain and most recently stayed at Relais Fontana di Trevi, located just steps from the fountain with a rooftop bar overlooking the Trevi Fountain. It was a great spot and I highly recommend.

On my most recent trip to Rome I stayed at the Navona Queen Rooftop Hotel. This charming hotel has an amazing rooftop bar with sunset views over the Vatican. This place was worth it just for the views!

Area 2: The Vatican is across the Tiber River almost an hour walk from the Colosseum (although there is a subway that can get you there) If you plan on spending more time at the Vatican you can opt to stay on this side of the river. I find I spend much more time in the area noted above, so I’ve never stayed near the Vatican, but there a tons of hotel options!

Area 3: Trastevere If you’re looking for a more authentic an Roman experience & to stay somewhere a bit removed from the more touristy areas of Rome. Trastevere has some great options. Just keep in mind you’ll need to travel a bit farther to get to some of the main landmarks!

What to Do in Rome Day 1:

Explore Ancient Rome

The Colosseum & Roman Forum are two of the most iconic things to see in Rome and are located next to each other. You’ll need to buy a ticket ahead of time (they do sell out) The ticket will get you into the Roman Forum & Palantine Hill as well. Tickets can be purchased here.

If you’re interested in the history and understanding what you’re looing at (particularly in the Roman Forum) I recommend taking a guided tour, which will cover all three areas. The ancient ruins of the Forum are impressive, but without a guide it’s hard to know what you’re looking at, plus they offer tons of great insight in the Colosseum as well. Tours can be found here (and include the cost of admission) I recommend skipping some of the upgrade options, like adding additional areas of the Colosseum, speaking from personal experience, the main entry tickets get you the best views.

While you’re in the area of the Colosseum, you can check out the Arch of Constantine, which sits right next to the Colosseum, and the Altar of the Fatherland, dedicated to the fist King to unify Italy.

Splurge on a Dinner with a Colosseum View

I Aroma is a Michelin starred restaurant (read: pricy) BUT if you want Colosseum views this is the absolute best (and really one of the only) options around. The views are unmatched, and the food is unreal. If you’re looking to splurge for a view, this is my top recommendation. Reservations are a must!

What to Do in Rome Day 2:

Explore the Vatican

I recommend exploring the Vatican on a different day than the day you spend in Ancient Rome. It’s a lot to try and see in one day and the two are not close by! The Vatican consists of several things worth seeing, like, St. Peter’s Square, St Peter’s Basilica, The Sistine Chapel (which is a part of the Vatican Museum complex) Entrance to the Basilica is free, but you should beware that the lines will be long almost no matter which time of year you go!

There are many tour options that offer guided tours + skip-the-line access to the Basilica, the Sistine Chapel & the Vatican Museums – I highly recommend this option to save you time and enhance your overall experience! Even if you don’t choose a guided tour, tickets are required for the Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museum, these can be purchased as a combo or individually.

Wander Trastevere

After spending your morning at the Vatican, I recommend exploring the Trastevere, one of Rome’s most famous neighborhoods, that also sits on the same side of the river as the Vatican. There’s not a lot of touristy type destinations to see here, it’s just a great place to experience more authentic Roman culture. I recommend exploring and having dinner over here! Nannarella is one of my favorite restaurants in Italy and is located in this neighborhood!

Trevi Fountain at Night

For dinner & the night head to the Trevi Fountain area. Agrodolce is an amazing restaurant in this area that is often flooded by overly touristy restaurants. After dinner, head to the Trevi Fountain, which is way more stunning at night.

It’s always super crowded, but if you want to get some better views try one of the two rooftop bars overlooking the fountain –

• Roof Garden at Hotel Relais Fontana Di Trevi is one of my favorite rooftop bars in Rome. This small, open air bar is quaint and offers partially obstructed (but still stunning) views of the Trevi Fountain, my favorite monument in Rome. This hotel bar is open to the public, so you don’t have to be a guest of the hotel. Only a few tables have views, but they do a good job letting people move from back tables up to the front if you’re patient!
• The rooftop at the Hotel Fontana. This small, enclosed bar offers unobstructed views of the fountain (although the glass makes pictures tough, and the general vibe of the Roof Garden at Hotel Relais Fontana Di Trevi is preferable in my opinion, even if the views are more obstructed) It’s 20 euro per person to visit the bar, and it includes one drink, so the price is a bit steep, but it really is one of the best ways to see the entire fountain!

What to Do in Rome Day 3: Explore the rest of Rome

Ancient Rome & the Vatican are two of the best areas to see in Rome, and each take a decent amount of time to properly explore. I recommend using your third day to see some of the other best sights of Rome, but also to enjoy a bit more of a leisurely pace as the’y don’t require tickets or planning ahead of time’re qucker to explore.

The Pantheon and Castelo di Sant’Angelo are great spots – you’ll need tickets for both:

•  Pantheon – the former Roman Temple turned Catholic Church is best known for its large domed ceiling with an impressive oculus. The oculus is meant to be a representation of the connection between the temple and the gods above. As of July 2023 you’ll have to pay 5 Euro to enter the Pantheon, which had historically been free. You can buy tickets online here, you’ll need to create an account to do this. You can also take your chances and buy in person, but Rome is crazy busy, so definitely bucket a large amount of time if you’re taking this approach, and don’t be surprised if tickets are sold out!
• Castelo Sant’Angelo has the best 360 views of Rome from the roof. Although I found the inside of the castle itself a bit underwhelming, the rooftop views across all of Rome are wildly impressive. The castle is the Mausoleum of Hadrian. You’ll want to buy tickets ahead of time, so you don’t have to wait in line when you arrive.

For the afternoon/evening try some of my other favorite spots:The Spanish Steps (a bottle of wine here around sunset is a great way to spend a late afternoon!) Piazza Navona (a great place to grab drinks or dinner – see the best restaurants in that area here.

Days 8-10 Amalfi Coast & Pompeii

The Amalfi Coast is a great way to end your Italian trip. By this point you’re probably ready for a little less non-stop sightseeing and a little more relaxation. The Amalfi Coast is the perfect for that, plus it still offers plenty to see!

There are several towns on the Amalfi Coast, but I absolutely recommend staying in Positano for the quintessential Amalfi Coast experience. There are also some great day trip options, including Pompeii, stopping at Pompeii & storing your luggage on the way to Positano is a great way to plan it!

Getting There

From Rome you’ll want to take the train to Naples to get to the Amalfi Coast. Once you’re in Naples you have several options, many people opt to rent a private car, especially if you’re going to Positano or Amalfi, but this options is pricy! You can also add a stop in Pompeii and your driver will wait for you or give you a tour. This is definitely the best way if you can swing the cost!

Otherwise, there is the Circumvesuviana train, which runs between Naples and Sorrento every 30 minutes that is a cheaper option. The train also stops in Pompeii, if you’re interested in making a detour, you can also store your luggage at Pompeii while your explore. These trains are cheaper, but they can get very crowded if you plan on having a lot of luggage you may have difficulty getting on a train!

From Sorrento you can take busses to Positano or Amalfi. I personally had no problems with these busses being on schedule, but I have read reviews stating otherwise! This is definitely a budget and less convenient option, as Positano is still about an hour bus ride from Sorrento, so if you’re looking for convenience, I’d take a private car!

Where to Stay

As I said, I definitely recommend staying in Positano. It’s a small town with tons of hotel options! The last time i stayed there I stayed at the Casa Guadagno, the room offered a stunning balcony with views of the ocean and the houses cascading down towards the Mediterranean! It’s a lot of stairs up from the beach, but the views were worth it!

What to Do in the Amalfi Coast Day 1:

Visit Pompeii on Your Way to Positano

I’m a bit of a history buff, so for me Pompeii was a can’t miss spot. It’s located about halfway between Naples and Sorrento. To make your trip as efficient as possible, I’d recommend stopping at Pompeii on your way to the Amalfi Coast, but if you’d prefer, you can take a day trip back to Pompeii from the Amalfi Coast using the same Circumvesuviana train I mentioned before! For details on how to stop on the way see the section above!

Or feel freee to skip Pompeii entirely and head straight to the coast!

You’ll need to purchase a ticket to enter Pompeii. There are also guided tour options, or headsets that can be rented so an audio tour can be played at each stop through Pompeii. I found the headset audio tours useful and interesting! Pompeii is huge and you could easily spend hours wandering around. It’s really too much to see in a few hours, so I recommend hitting the must-see spots and then continuing on to Positano!

Day 9: Day Trip to Capri from Positano

You can absolutely choose to just spend your last two days enjoying the beach in Positano and wandering through the charming streets. But if you’re up for one more half-day trip you can head to the small island of Capri! You can take one of the ferries or take a private/semi private tour! Once on Capri you can just wander and explore by foot, rent a moped, or take a boat tour to the Infamous Blue Grotto! Capri is only about 30 minutes via ferry from Positano, so this can be a short half-day trip!

Day 10: Relax & Enjoy your last day in Italy!

Enjoy the beach, grab a sunset drink with the best view at Bar Franco & enjoy your last day in Italy.

For more recommendations, check out my full Amalfi Coast travel guide here!