Italy is one of the world’s top tourist destinations, and from the minute you set foot there, you’ll understand why. Many of the world’s greatest works of art and architecture are Italian; this lives on today through Italy’s preeminence in design and fashion as well. While spending 10 days in Italy is not enough, it will give you a taste of how beautiful the country is.
Indeed, it’s hard to step anywhere in Italy without realizing that there are centuries (if not more) of history beneath your feet. By taking the time to explore the relics and preserved parts of each place you visit, you’ll come to appreciate how much Italy has influenced the rest of the world.
Read on to learn some basic travel information about Italy, plus an in-depth guide to spending 10 days in Italy.
In this itinerary for 10 days in Italy, you’ll receive recommendations on what to do in Pisa, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Florence, and Venice. If you have time, you can also buy Milan tour packages to maximize your Italian vacation.
You can arrive through several cities in Italy, but base yourself in Rome. Whether you choose to take a train from another city in Europe or fly from your home city, Rome is the biggest city with the best airport and train services so you’ll have the most options to keep your cost down.
If you choose to fly to Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport, there are flights daily from hundreds of destinations including on low-cost carriers. From there, it’s a 32-minute express train ride into the city itself via Trenitalia.
Depending on how far you’ve flown, you may either be jetlagged or arrive late in the day, so take it easy this first day. You’ll need your energy for the rest of this 10-day itinerary throughout Italy!
Buongiorno! A day of exploring the Roman capital city awaits! On your first full day in Rome, it’s good to hit all of the major sightseeing spots on your list (so you can come back again if you really love them!).
Depending on where you choose to stay in the city, you can walk everywhere. Otherwise, the Metropolitana (Rome Metro) has three lines that connect the major parts of the city.
Start your day at the Roman Forum and Colosseum. These are two of Rome’s most popular attractions, and there are always crowds; if you can get in before the day is too hot or crowded, you’ll enjoy them more.
Pro-tip: Buy a S.U.P.E.R. ticket at the Forum, and start there. The S.U.P.E.R. ticket (€18/$21) gets you access to the Roman Forum, Colosseum, and seven other attractions around the city.
Also, lines at the Colosseum are always long, but the Roman Forum typically has shorter lines, so let’s cut down time wasted! Another option is to snag a Roma Pass – it helps you skip lines and cut admission costs at historic attractions across the city.
Spend 1-2 hours exploring the stunning ruins of the Roman Forum. Be sure to visit the Tempio di Romolo (Temple of Romulus, admission included in your S.U.P.E.R. ticket). Rome is named after Romulus, one of two brothers who Roman mythology states founded the city.
When you’ve seen enough, cross the Piazza di Santa Francesca Romana to the Colosseum. You can easily spend 1-2 hours here as well, so these two will take up the whole morning, depending on how long you choose to explore.
After lunch, you can explore the rest of the city:
Whatever you choose to do with the day, you’ll see some amazing history, art, and architecture.
Did you know that within Rome, there’s an entirely different country? Visit the Vatican and you will be in a sovereign nation! Whether you’re religious or not, it’s hard to fail to admire the beautiful architecture, and the Vatican Museums are a must-see for any art lovers.
Start the day with a tour of the Vatican Museums. The earlier you can get into the museum, the fewer crowds you’ll encounter as you work through the seemingly endless halls and galleries and eventually in the stunning Sistine Chapel. The museums can easily take 3-4 hours depending on how quickly you walk through.
After the Vatican Museum, you may want to step out of the Vatican to grab lunch – and then head back inside to St. Peter’s Basilica. Admission is free, but you can expect to stand in long lines to get in. There are also crowds at various points throughout the massive cathedral. If you have time and want to climb, you can also visit the dome of the Basilica and get an amazing view!
Expect to spend 1-2 hours in St. Peter’s, depending on your interest in the subject. This is a long day on your feet, so the only other thing to do is dinner at your own discretion.
By day 4, you might be feeling a bit worn out after two days of hard touring and sightseeing. Now that you’re beginning to feel a bit more like a local, you can choose to wander at will through some of Rome’s lesser-known spots.
Here are a few sightseeing spots to consider visiting today:
End the day by catching a high-speed train south from Rome to Naples, where you’ll be staying the next few days.
Rise early to explore Naples; you might be surprised at how different it feels in this part of Italy. Naples is considered part of southern Italy and has a bit more rough-and-tumble straight-out-of-The Godfather feel.
Start the day in Naples with a sfogliatelle – a crumbly pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese and famous in this part of the country. Pair with an espresso, and you’ll begin to feel like a real Italian!
Since you’re primarily here for seeing the sights, here are some to add to your list:
Personally, if you want to see it all quickly, book a seat on a hop-on/hop-off tour bus. It was a quick way to get around the city – including up the hills – to see the sights. No matter which activities you choose, opt for lunch at any local restaurant. Don’t forget to enjoy gelato at some point too!
For dinner, line up at La Pizzeria da Michele. This tiny pizzeria is famous both for its appearance in Eat. Pray. Love., and for its authentic Neapolitan pizza. If you’re traveling solo, you may be seated with another solo diner, but that’s part of the fun!
The easiest way to see Pompeii is by booking a guided tour. Since you’ll need to take a long train ride in the afternoon, opt for a half-day tour instead of the full day options. This one on Get Your Guide is priced at about $100.
The guide takes you through the sites and city of Pompeii, explaining the history, geology, and current archaeological work in the area. Having a guide is a great way to make sure you get the full experience and understanding of Pompeii.
Tours to Pompeii typically depart from and return to Naples, so enjoy lunch in Naples after your tour, then catch a northbound train to Florence. The three-hour train ride is perfect for a nap or watching the Italian countryside flash by. Either way, it makes this a half-resting day before you arrive in Florence for the evening.
For dinner, seek out delicious Tuscan food such as Florentine steak to share with the table over red wine. Some good suggestions include Mamma Gina near the Ponte Vecchio and Trattoria Marione in the center of town.
After a few days in Rome, it’s a welcome pace to wake up in Florence – the center jewel in the crown of Tuscany.
Start the day by climbing Giotto’s Campanile (Bell Tower), attached to the Duomo. You can watch the mists burn off looking out over the Tuscan countryside and take some amazing pictures from this vantage point. Then, line up and enter the Duomo itself; the stunning art and architecture are worth it even if you are not a religious person. Expect to spend 1-3 hours at the Duomo.
As lunch approaches, make your way to the famous Ponti Vecchio. It’s hard to get a good view of the bridge while crossing, but cross the bridge and admire the shops that line the street. For lunch, seek out Il Panino del Chianti, a hole-in-the-wall sandwich and wine shop recommended by my Italian friend Stefano. You can order a panini made and get a glass or bottle of wine, then sit down to rest your feet.
After lunch, make your way to the Ponte Santa Trinita (St. Trinity Bridge) where you can get a good view of the Ponte Vecchio and snap all the pics your heart desires.
Spend the afternoon in Florence’s art museums:
Both of these could take a full day if you let them, so choose one for today (you can visit the other tomorrow) and research in advance to figure out exactly which works you want to see.
In the early evening afternoon, make your way to the Boboli Gardens across the River Arno. These sprawling gardens offer a beautiful view of Florence as the sun starts to go down.
Start the day early by catching a bus from Florence to Pisa; you’ll spend the morning briefly exploring this other Tuscan city’s most famous site.
From the Pisa bus stop, you’ll need to catch a city bus to the Piazza del Duomo. From there you can see the Leaning Tower of Pisa with your own eyes! Yes, it leans. Yes, everyone takes funny photos with it.
At the Piazza del Duomo, you can also tour the Cattedrale di Pisa (Cathedral) and Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry). It’s easy to spend 2-3 hours here, and you can grab lunch at a nearby restaurant before catching the buses back to Florence.
Note: The restaurants on the Piazza del Duomo will be touristy, so consider going a bit off the plaza. Restaurants like the Osteria dei Cavalieri and Trattoria Da Stelio are a 10-15 minute walk, but you can pass the Museums of Pathology and Anatomy and the University of Pisa Botanical Gardens on the way.
Back in Florence, spend the afternoon exploring the museum you didn’t visit yesterday. Catch a late afternoon or evening train from Florence to Venice.
Venice is the final stop on this tour of our “greatest hits of Italy.” With the realities of over-tourism and rising sea levels, Venice is also at risk: more than anywhere else in this itinerary, you need to be a responsible, respectful traveler when you visit.
Venice comprises 117 small islands and isles, connected by bridges and canals. The city has increasingly complicated and expensive tourism rules, and it’s important to understand them before you arrive. In particular, no rolling bags are allowed on Venice’s cobbled streets, and many tourist attractions have strict limits on visitors each day.
Some of the top attractions in Venice include:
Here are some travel tips for Venice, too:
In terms of how to spend your time, spend the morning at the sights, then escape the crowds after lunch. Take a mid-afternoon gelato break, and tuck into dinner at a local (read: NOT an international chain) restaurant.
Before you know it, your 10 days in Italy is already over. On your last day, you can spend the morning exploring before heading to the airport. You may want to fly from Venice directly home or back to Rome if your round-trip ticket is based in Rome. Be aware that it’s a 3-hour, 45-minute train ride from Venice to Rome, so plan that into your timing to get to the airport for your flight.
Only have a weekend or week for your trip to Italy?
If you can only make it a three-day trip, plan a city break in one city. For example, it’s easy to do a three-day city break in Rome. You can hit the ground running on Day 1, squeeze the Vatican into a half-day, and complete everything recommended on Days 1-4 into a 3-day plan.
If you only have seven days in Italy, you can choose to drop Naples from this itinerary, or skip Venice. This will cut three days off the itinerary.
Milan is the one other city you might want to visit on your first trip to Italy. Add 2-3 days to the itinerary if you want to visit Milan too, because it’ll be hard to really see any of the cities if you try to visit five cities in 10 days. You can either add in Milan between visiting Florence and Venice or tack Milan onto the end of this itinerary after Venice.
To be honest, the more cities you want to visit, the more time you need. If you only have 10 days in Italy, don’t try to fit more than four cities into the itinerary. Add on 2-3 days (including a half-day of travel) for every additional city you want to visit.
Have you been to Italy? What other recommendations can you add?
Text by Valerie Stimac Bailey. Photos by Aleah Taboclaon (unless otherwise stated).
2 Comments. Leave new
Another possibility to visit the Colosseum is with an Archaeologist guide.
your article is very helpful. Are the countries of Pisa, Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice safe for women traveling, especially for Asian people like me?