The perfect Italian itinerary to get the most out of your dream trip to the land of art, history, wine, and pasta! With lots of wonderful cities and villages in Italy, you can’t possibly see them all in 1 trip. Whether you have 7, 10, 14, or 18 nights this ‘Perfect Italian Itinerary’ will help you get the most out of your time! My sister and I have visited 43 cities and villages in Italy, we agree that these destinations shouldn’t be missed.
This is not a city guide; we are often asked “How many nights do I need in X city?”, “I’m going to Italy and I’m going to X city, where should I go from there?”, or “I’m going to Italy, what cities should I not miss?” This itinerary will help you plan which cities to include in your Perfect Italian Itinerary and how long to stay there, it does not include travel time to and from Italy.
Skip To A Section: The Perfect Italian Itinerary By Number Of Nights
7 Nights In Italy:
In our opinion, Rome and Florence are a must! If you only have 7 nights we recommend 4 in Rome and 3 in Florence.
- Fly into Leonardo da Vinci Airport and take the Da Vinci Express to the main train station in Rome (Termini). Or you may be able to fly into Ciampino airport. Once you arrive you can take the Ciampino Airlink for less than $5. The Ciampino Airlink is a pass for a bus to the train station in Ciampino and then the train to the main train station in Rome
- Take a train to Florence.
- There is an airport in Florence that you can use to fly home. (Depending on your destination, you might find a better price by taking the train to another city and flying home from Bologna, Pisa, Milan, or Venice).
Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome Italy
If you would like some direction on what to see, do, and eat in Florence, we’ve created guides to help you with exactly that in Florence and Rome! More guides to other Italian cities are forthcoming, please check back for updates. You can also join our email list by scrolling to the top of the page. You are also welcome to email us if you have any specific questions about Rome – [email protected].
10 Nights In Italy:
If you’re lucky enough to get 10 nights in Italy you’ll have some wiggle room for more leisure time or exploring another city. While all roads lead to Rome, we think you should also go ‘where there are no roads.’ Add Venice to your itinerary. Why? Because Venice is a majestic city that is unlike any other city in the world, it’s something you should experience at least once.
- Rome for 4 nights. Fly into Leonardo da Vinci Airport or Ciampino Airport. After Rome, take the train to Florence (this is a great way to see some of the Italian countryside).
- Florence for 3 or 4 nights. Take the train to Venice next.
- Venice for 2-4 nights. By now, you’ve seen some of the countryside and even a few bigger cities as you’ve traveled from Rome in the south to Venice in the far north. Take the Vaporetti to the airport (San Marco) to fly home, or to your next destination.
Canal in Venice, Italy
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14 Nights In Italy:
Wow 2 whole weeks in Italy, what are you going to do with yourself? I mean, you might forget how to do anything aside from enjoy la dolce vita! Now you’ve got time to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ in Milan, take a gondola ride in Venice, admire Michelangelo’s ‘David,’ and stroll through the ancient forum in Rome after exploring the Coliseum!
- Milan for 3 nights. Fly into Malpensa, Linate, or Bergamo. From Malpensa take the Malpensa Express (train) to Milan. From Bergamo you will need to take a bus, shuttle, or taxi to get to Milan. From Linate, you can take the subway or hire a taxi (Linate is the only Airport that is actually in Milan). From Milan, you can take the train to Venice.
- Venice for 3 nights. From Venice, you can take the train to Florence.
- Florence for 4 nights then catch your final train to Rome.
- Rome for 4 nights. Fly out of Leonardo da Vinci Airport or Ciampino Airport.
Duomo in Milan Italy
18 Nights In Italy:
18 nights in Italy might make you forget that you don’t actually live in Italy!
You can stick to the above itinerary and just spend a little more time in each city. Or, if you are ambitious and want to see as much of Italy as possible, then you can make it to at least 15 cities or towns, especially if you’re willing to stay only 1 or 2 nights in some places. Here’s how to do it.
View From the Ferry Of Chiesa Santissima Trinià in Argegno On Lake Como
- Milan for 2 nights. Fly into Malpensa, Bergamo, or Linate Airport.
- Como for 2 nights, on Lake Como (take the ferry to see Bellagio). Alternatively, you could go to Verona for 2 nights on your way to Venice.
- Venice for 3 nights or stay on the island of Lido. Staying in Lido allows you to see another town in Italy, score! The Vaporetti (water bus) 5.2 line will have you to the S. Zaccaria stop on Venice in less than 15 minutes. Lido, a vacation spot for locals, hosts the annual Venice Film Festival. Or for a less expensive alternative to staying in Venice, consider Padua and taking a day trip (or two) to Venice.
- Florence for 4 nights. Visit 5 villages in 1 day by taking a day trip to the Cinque Terre, you could even hike between some of them! Spend a day wine tasting in the Chianti and visit a couple of small borghi/villages that produce excellent wine. Alternatively, if you aren’t into coastal views, hiking, or wine then you can go to Pisa and see The Leaning Tower.
- Sorrento for 3 nights. Spend one day taking the bus to Positano or Amalfi, or you could take the ferry to Capri.
- Rome for 3 nights. Fly home from Leonardo da Vinci Airport or Ciampino Airport.
*For a trip like this we book multi-way air travel instead of round trip. We flew into Milan, booked train tickets to get from city to city, and then flew home from Rome.
We want you to have the most amazing trip to Italy. We’ve created free guides to help you in Florence, Padua, Rome, and Lucca. More guides and itineraries are on the way, so please check back for updates or join our email list to be notified when they are published. You are also welcome to email us directly if you have any questions.
If you’re still not sure which destination to go to, you can drool over our travel inspiration photos, but proceed with caution as the pictures are likely to make you want to book a flight now!
-XO, The Twins
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Contact us by email at [email protected]
Need help planning your trip to Italy?
Custom Travel Planning Services – Learn more about the services that we offer. Leverage our expertise and let us craft the perfect itinerary, tailored to your unique desires.
10 steps to turn travel dreams into a reality – Planning a dream trip takes time and money. Focus on spreading out the spending so you don’t pay for the whole trip at once.
Travel Resources Page – websites, apps, and products we frequently use to plan and enjoy a trip.
Essential Guide to Flight Booking Like a Pro – Your Essential Guide for tips on how to tackle the monumental task of booking a flight.
Ciao Bella! Navigating Italy by Train: Tips for Train Travel in Italy – A complete guide to planning, booking, and traveling by train in Italy. This also includes tips for navigating Italian train stations.
Best Travel Luggage – a review and recommendation of our favorite luggage.
City Travel Guides – Not sure where to go or what to do? These guides will help you get the most out of your trip.
Travel Inspiration – Proceed with caution, pictures are likely to make you want to book a flight now!
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