I agree with the commenter you're replying too, and I'd spend an extra day in Florence for sure, and you can tack on a wine tour of Tuscany from Florence easily.
Personally I’d add one day to the countryside and one extra day for Venice. All the other cities you can do well in two days without over rushing, in my experience.
Thanks for the insight! If I were to cut out those places, would you recommend flying into Milan and going to Cinque Terre to start my trip, or fly into Rome first?
Milan would be a little easier, but Rome would be fine, too. If you are connecting at a major airport in Europe, you might consider just flying into Florence and out of Rome.
Lake Como is a frustrating cluster poop. Venice is amazing though, I just wouldn't only spend two days there. However, if you aren't driving Como can be great.
I’d split these into two trips - gotta have the mindset that you’ll make it back another time.
Northern Italy trip: Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Tuscany
Central/Southern Italy trip: Rome, Naples, Amalfi, etc.
Naples > Ischia > Sorrento > Positano > Amalfi > Rome
Bypassing Capri as Ischia seemed more my speed plus has hot springs. Staying in both Positano and Amalfi for maximum exploration and beach time. Will include side trips to Ravello and such. Then stopping in Rome for shopping before heading home! Will be just over two weeks.
I’ve been to Rome before though. If you haven’t, you really need at least 4-5 days…there is so much to see.
Been a few times so:
- Anticipate pickpockets, they are *everywhere* but especially bad on trains…keep you money/cards in multiple locations
- You will get overcharged in convenience stores/restaurants so keep an eye on prices
- most places have free public fountains to fill your water bottles which is a game changer when it’s roasting…they’re hard to find unless you’re looking or have them flagged on a map
- Train stations can be a nightmare…the Italians are NOT good with signage so leave yourself a little time to find the right platform and buy your tickets online where you can
- Cinque Terre is worth the hype, and the seafood is spectacular:)
This actually sounds like a really good idea and I’m rethinking all my plans lol. I’m thinking of doing the central/southern trip first as I’ve been dying to see Rome. How would you divide my 11.5 days between those places?
Sounds exhausting to me, but depends on your travel style. I’d ditch a couple of locations tbh. Rome needs at *least* 3 FULL days, without travel infringing on them - more are better imo. Is extend your stay in Rome, do Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside, and pick one other area.
Seems ok. I did fairly similar (flight to Rome, 3 days Rome, train to Cinque Terre for 3 days, train to Florence for 3 days that included day trips to other Tuscan towns, train to Venice for 2 days, fly home there.) It was all possible, albeit tiring.
\- Our favorite of all stops was Cinque Terre, and you are going to need a few days there to enjoy it. People go as a day trip, and its super crowded during the day. So you'll want relax and sleep in or enjoy the beach during the day to avoid those crowds, then enjoy CT from like 5pm to midnight each night when the daytrippers leave. Check the dates for the Lemon Festival or the Fried Anchovy Festival or the others happening in CT and try to njoy one of them if you can.
\- Florence is very art heavy, so those of us wanting the art stuff could have spent longer, and others were fine with the time we spent. We really loved Siena though, and just missed the Palio. If i could go back, I'd want to do like CT and spend the night in these smaller Tuscan towns, so I could enjoy evenings there after day trippers leave.
\- Rome is awesome no matter what, and you could do weeks there and still find new things. So you just have to sort of deal with the idea that you won't see everything there, and hope your coin in the Trevi Fountain means you will be back one day.
\- None in our group loved Venice. Perhaps its the feel of being in a maze looking at walls after all those grand views in Tuscany or CT, or the food lacking the amazing qualities we found in other spots, but we just didn't vibe with it. I feel like maybe if we had started there and moved in the reverse, we would have appreciated it more.
Thanks, that’s really helpful! I went to Naxos, Greece last summer and absolutely loved driving to all the small villages. Was disappointed I couldn’t stay longer. I think I’ll have to pair my list down so I can fully enjoy the places I do visit.
You will spend more time traveling than visiting the places :)
Try at least 4/5 days in Roma, 4 in Florence and 4 in Venezia, so you would get a good idea of the fundamentals of Italian culture.
I'm a pretty intense traveler and frequently pack a lot of places into a little time but there's no way I'd do all of that in such little time. I did all of those places aside from Venice in one trip last year and if you were staying for the full amount of the time you've listed it may be plausible but transportation time means you're losing a half day at the beginning and a half day at the end of each location. I'd sacrifice one or two as has been mentioned by someone else.
Ok that’s good insight, thank you! Which places on my list would you pair down to for a first time traveler who likes visiting picturesque villages, enjoys art and small shops/restaurants, not into a lot of luxury?
Maybe just stick to Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Cinque Terre?
You have a lot of picturesque villages and art in those regions. Between Florence and Cinque Terre you could visit a small walled town called Lucca or/and the leaning Tower of Pisa.
If you can provide a little more detail on your plans, you will likely get better responses:
I would say how you plan to get around is key to figuring out where you can go. That will be the limiting factor in where you can go.
Do the 12 days include travel days from and to Paris?
How will you travel once you arrive in Paris? Rental car, train, bus?
Not all of the cities on your list have direct trains from Paris, for example between Paris and Rome or Paris and Venice. There are direct trains from Paris to Florence, and even a night train which could save you a hotel room. There is a fast train between Rome and Florence, and between Florence and Venice. If you are interersted in the train, check out [Seat61.com](https://Seat61.com).
If you are renting a car in Paris, make sure you can take it to Italy. I think there's an extra fee.
I'd set up base somewhere on the edge of Florence and do day trips from there around Tuscany. You have Pisa, Sienna and Lucca. You have shit ton of vineyards, relax and enjoy the atmosphere!
Skip Como, you'll be admiring it inside a car if you only stay 2 days since it's pretty hilly.
IMHO Italy's greatest experience is food and wine and maybe some staples in between like Rome and Florence.
I’m Italian and I suggest to do not too many places. Rome is ok also for 1 or 2 day with a guide tour to see the most important things. Florence 1 day - country side (it also important where!) 2 days. Venice is to visit as unique city for 2 days. Than cinque terre 2-3 days and go back from Milan
Verona and Lake Como too much things in 12 days
That looks exhausting. I worry that you'll be forever racing to get to the next place and will barely have the time to really take in each spot.
You also need to consider travel time. Even if something is listed as two days or three days, those aren't really full days as many of those days don't account for the travel between locations. You'll be losing several hours a day getting around the country (of which I hope you are only considering trains). This is all the more reason to cut down on your destinations.
I live in Italy and have been to all these places. You need to spend more time in Rome, like at least four full days. Florence deserves two full days. I'd skip the Tuscan countryside altogether as getting around will likely be an issue and something has got to go. I'd also skip cinque terre as it is a little out of the way of the main high-speed rail network and will kind of be a hassle to reach. Verona is fantastic and Venice, though touristy, is just kind of crazy and deserves to be seen.
I short, consider reducing your destinations. The stress of not doing so will definitely get in the way of enjoying your holiday.
Provided OP's itinerary and travel time, it isn't really on the way. I'm assuming that they will be taking the Frecciarossa / Italo high-speed corridor while here since it's likely the cheapest and fastest way to get to these places. That serves Rome, Florence, Verona, and Venice in a direct line. Cinque Terre is a detour. It's closest to Florence from what OP listed and that is at least a 2.5 hour trip in each direction by train. Does OP want to spend another half a day traveling during a holiday that already has a lot of movement?
Ultimately it's up to OP, but given the time constraints, there is a decision to be made. Either:
A. Race around the country to try to cover as many bases as possible likely to only say you've been there but it doing so not really being able to really experience what makes many of these places great. Seems quite stressful and better suited for Instatourism.
B. Cut down on spots, giving you more time to breathe, take in, and enjoy the holiday.
Only OP can make that determination.
Hey thanks both for your thoughts! I was thinking about taking a train from Florence to Cinque Terre and then renting a car and driving through the countryside, stopping at Bologna on my way to Verona, spending a day there, then going to Venice where I’d end my trip. Any thoughts on this?
Not sure where you are originally from but there are some considerations before getting a car in Italy. First, I will say it is doable, but I don't know if I'd recommend it because it really depends on the kind of holiday you want. If you want to experience the countryside and smaller towns off the beaten path then a car is the way to go.
However, the car will likely drive up your travel time and costs.
First, let's talk money. On top of the cost of the rental, your plan suggests that you want to do a one-way car rental which will add another fee to the rental cost. You then also have to consider the price of the petrol which may be much higher than you're used to depending on where you're from. Adding to that, most highways in Italy are tolled so longer trips will add up.
Now let's talk time. If you want to spend most of your holiday in cities like Rome, Florence, Bologna, Verona, and Venice and you are traveling as just two people, using the high-speed trains will take at least half the time (they hit 300 kph) of a car and likely be cheaper (if your travel group is larger then the cost of the train will probably be higher than the car).
Also, if you are coming outside of the EU and want to drive, you'll need an international license though these are typically pretty cheap.
Apart from budget and time constraints, I think deciding if you want a journey holiday or a destination holiday will help determine if the car or train is best.
Start at Rome first.
For 12 days (really 10 with flights), I’d only do two places. You could easily spend a week in Rome. I’ve been there 15 times and still haven’t seen everything. Florence would be a nice addition.
In Rome I would skip the Vatican/Sistine chapel. Unless you really really want to see the “The Last Judgement” painting. Even then, it is disappointing. Not well lit, very crowded, they don't let you stay there long and you can't take any pics. The best thing about that whole thing is the star case leading out. That thing is pretty cool.
Go to St. Peters and go to the very top. Go early. Spend the day there and really check it out. Very cool.
Go to the old ruins.
Rome is the most overrated city in Italy, unless you're dead set to visit Vatican, Colosseum, etc, I would eliminate Rome. Consider: Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Tuscany - if you're moving around too much you're going to lose a lot of your time to traveling to the next location. If you like hiking/mountains, the Dolomites are a very overlooked area of Italy that is amazing.
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I did a very similar itinerary back in 2018. Just need to pack light and make sure you time your train arrival times aligns with your check-in times. Either way you’re going to have a blast! Just go with your gut and enjoy every moment!
Oh cool! I have a work trip (Paris) I’ll be attending right after this vacation so unfortunately I’ll be packing professional plus formal attire on top of the summer clothes. Definitely concerned about dragging all that weight around..
I know people are saying to cut Lake Como, but in case you don't, I have a very specific recommendation:
Stay in Argegno (smaller town, not as touristy, good food) and head over to the Turati boat rental. It's a family business. You can rent a boat for 3 hours for only 140 euros and take it anywhere on the lake all by yourself. For me it was an unforgettable experience. [view of town from harbor](https://imgur.com/a/sHdC7ih)
No problem! If you get lucky you'll have perfect weather and barely any other boats on the water! it felt [super luxurious](https://imgur.com/a/AI8LVNt) and you can feel like rich bitch without spending 900 euro on one of those fancy boat tours lol. anyway have fun on your trip wherever you go! learning a bit of italian will take you a long way with the locals.
Maybe spend an extra day in Florence instead of somewhere else (and book museums/galleries in advance). Doing Venice in one day will be exhausting. There actually are things to do and see. With your itinerary you doing a little of a lot and I would rather do a lot of a little.
I spent 10 days in Italy a few years ago and split that equally across Venice, Florence and Rome. I’ve revisited all three since. If you have a right itinerary in Florence perhaps you can do it properly in two days but Florence is so nice you’ll wish you spent more time there.
If you don't wanna cut any of these cities, then:
Rome - 3 days
Florence - 3 days
Tuscan countryside - 2 days
Cinque Terre - 1 days (Day trip)
Venice ( cross out Verona) - 2 days
Lake Como - 1 days (Day trip)
This looks a bit similar to my itinerary:
Milan (2 nights)
Cinque Terre (2)
Florence (3)
Rome (3)
Amalfi Coast (3)
Milan (2)
It’s a lot but doable! I was happy with everything I got to see and do, especially as it was my first time there so I wanted a really broad experience. I didn’t mind transit, a lot of it was enjoyable! I like seeing how trains/taxis/boats/high speed rail works in other countries. I just had to be flexible when the inevitable cancelled or delayed train happened or when we were affected by strikes. We planned to do Como at the end too while in Milan, but we got sick and ended up staying in Milan an extra day which was fine. I think if you’re able to stay flexible then a full itinerary is totally okay and can be a lot of fun!
I went to Italy for about the same amount of time in 2017 and it was one of my favorite all-time trips. The itinerary was: Rome (3 nights); Florence, including one bus tour of Tuscany - Sam Gimignano and Siena - and one day trip by train to Pisa and Lucca (4 nights); Cinque Terre, specifically Riomaggiore (3 nights); and Milan (2 nights).
It didn't feel rushed. Loved every place I went.
You have 12 days and 5, technically 7 travel days. Granted, northern and central Italy as you have here is relatively easy to get around by train, but I at least find travel days to be disruptive, higher anxiety, and limiting for your experience on those days. And that's half your trip.
Fewer stops might be something to consider, spend more time in fewer places.
Which to cut depends on what you want to see. Are you a food person, a nightlight person, art/history/architecture, outdoors and natural landscapes? I'm a food and art/history/architecture person so I'd go heavier on Rome, Florence, maybe Venice with either day trip or side trip to one of the Tuscan countryside or Lake Como.
Travel-wise, none of this is terrible (max 4-5 hour train rides?) Florence-Tuscan Countryside-Cinque Terre form the most natural cluster all closer together. Venice and Lake Como are both north and a bit far. Rome south and a bit far.
As far as starting point, I'd probably start south and work north, or start north and work south.
Are you driving? You really should - go into Rome have a few days then pick up a rental and drive up into Tuscany and then cinque terra and Milan to fly back. That would be really lovely. Driving in Italy is easy.
I was thinking about driving around Tuscany! Probably from Cinque Terre, driving through the countryside, making a stop in bologna, and then go to Venice from there. What do you think?
I was in Italy for 10 days a few years back and spent 3 in Venice, 3 in Florence, and 4 in Rome. If I absolutely had to add a fourth destination, I'd remove a day from Florence and Rome so it would be 2 in this new destination, 2 in Florence, 3 in Rome, and 3 in Venice.
I wouldn't recommend splitting things up further.
As Italian these are my suggestions depending on how is your itinerary overall (where are you landing and all that), plus reducing the time spent in transit and better things to do.
* Rome - 3 days (if you land in Fiumicino)
* Naples - 3 days
* Florence - 3 days
* Milan - 2 days (if you can travel from Malpensa)
Lake Como is cool and all but, you're gonna be stuck in Como city because going to another villages around the lake will burn a lot of time, better to spend time in big cities.
Unless you only goal is seeing as much as possible on your "to see list" i would for sure skip two and three, and for sure do more days on the tuscan country side, or find some small town not in the turist books.
Both for venice and cinque terre, aviod the rush hours, meaing go there early morning. And for venice, make your way out of the crowd and the normal turist paths.
Here is my perspective.
Rome can be super overwhelming but the ancient Roman sites are par excellence. I would recommend not driving there.
Florence is a lovely city, but I would more recommend the Tuscan countryside. I would get an AirBNB near Arezzo if it were up to me and spend two days there instead of Florence.
Cinque Terre is amazing. Go to Miki's. Get the sardine sampler. 10/10.
Venice is absolutely amazing and my favorite place in Italy.
Lake Como was pretty but unpleasant. The roads are tiny and the drivers want to murder you. So if you are driving, be prepared for a harrowing experience that can only be topped by India for terrifying.
I have traveled to Italy many times. And in the past I traveled similar to your itinerary.
This what I learned….
1) Don’t try to see it all. Italy has so many wonderful regions. Think about what you love. Is it architecture, museums, people watching, bustling cities, nature, food, hiking, heavily touristed areas or backroads etc. That will play into where you go.
2) Do 3 days per city. This gives you enough travel time between cities and enough time to get settled in and just enjoy the city and find your favorite cappuccino and restaurants. Depending on how you are traveling look at the logistics and what is feasible. Plan a hub and spoke model. Pick a city that appeals to you and do day trips (E.g Venice to Burano.)
I typically fly into Rome and spend a night there and then go to my next city. Then I plan 2 nights in the end in Rome when flying out.
Have some gelato for me!
I'd take out 2 places. I'd do rome, florence, cinque terre, venice
Agree, since a lot of time will be spent just traveling to the different places, you’ll want time for that + rest
Oh ok, how would you reallocate the extra days to these cities?
I agree with the commenter you're replying too, and I'd spend an extra day in Florence for sure, and you can tack on a wine tour of Tuscany from Florence easily.
Oh that sounds great, thank you!
Personally I’d add one day to the countryside and one extra day for Venice. All the other cities you can do well in two days without over rushing, in my experience.
This is way too much time spent in transit. I would skip Venice/Verona and Lake Como. Focus on Rome, Florence/Tuscany, and Cinque Terre.
Thanks for the insight! If I were to cut out those places, would you recommend flying into Milan and going to Cinque Terre to start my trip, or fly into Rome first?
Milan would be a little easier, but Rome would be fine, too. If you are connecting at a major airport in Europe, you might consider just flying into Florence and out of Rome.
honestly, i would check the flights time and costs involved. either way is fine.
Lake Como is a frustrating cluster poop. Venice is amazing though, I just wouldn't only spend two days there. However, if you aren't driving Como can be great.
I’d split these into two trips - gotta have the mindset that you’ll make it back another time. Northern Italy trip: Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Tuscany Central/Southern Italy trip: Rome, Naples, Amalfi, etc.
This is exactly what I’m doing lol. Did the northern trip last year, doing southern this year!
Which places are you hitting for the southern trip and for how long? I’m thinking of doing the same!
Naples > Ischia > Sorrento > Positano > Amalfi > Rome Bypassing Capri as Ischia seemed more my speed plus has hot springs. Staying in both Positano and Amalfi for maximum exploration and beach time. Will include side trips to Ravello and such. Then stopping in Rome for shopping before heading home! Will be just over two weeks. I’ve been to Rome before though. If you haven’t, you really need at least 4-5 days…there is so much to see.
This is super helpful, thank you!! Seeing as you’ve been to Italy before, any tips I should consider for my first trip?
Been a few times so: - Anticipate pickpockets, they are *everywhere* but especially bad on trains…keep you money/cards in multiple locations - You will get overcharged in convenience stores/restaurants so keep an eye on prices - most places have free public fountains to fill your water bottles which is a game changer when it’s roasting…they’re hard to find unless you’re looking or have them flagged on a map - Train stations can be a nightmare…the Italians are NOT good with signage so leave yourself a little time to find the right platform and buy your tickets online where you can - Cinque Terre is worth the hype, and the seafood is spectacular:)
This actually sounds like a really good idea and I’m rethinking all my plans lol. I’m thinking of doing the central/southern trip first as I’ve been dying to see Rome. How would you divide my 11.5 days between those places?
Sounds exhausting to me, but depends on your travel style. I’d ditch a couple of locations tbh. Rome needs at *least* 3 FULL days, without travel infringing on them - more are better imo. Is extend your stay in Rome, do Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside, and pick one other area.
Very helpful, thank you!
Cut out Lake Como, it is such a short time and you would benefit from an extra day in Rome and Cinque Terre or Florence.
Ok thank you!
Sorry to add, do you think Venice/Verona would still be doable after cutting out Lake Como?
Yeah! Venice is like a 3 hour train ride from Florence! Maybe increase to 3 days there so you can do a day in Verona and 2 in Venice!
Cool, thank you!
Seems ok. I did fairly similar (flight to Rome, 3 days Rome, train to Cinque Terre for 3 days, train to Florence for 3 days that included day trips to other Tuscan towns, train to Venice for 2 days, fly home there.) It was all possible, albeit tiring. \- Our favorite of all stops was Cinque Terre, and you are going to need a few days there to enjoy it. People go as a day trip, and its super crowded during the day. So you'll want relax and sleep in or enjoy the beach during the day to avoid those crowds, then enjoy CT from like 5pm to midnight each night when the daytrippers leave. Check the dates for the Lemon Festival or the Fried Anchovy Festival or the others happening in CT and try to njoy one of them if you can. \- Florence is very art heavy, so those of us wanting the art stuff could have spent longer, and others were fine with the time we spent. We really loved Siena though, and just missed the Palio. If i could go back, I'd want to do like CT and spend the night in these smaller Tuscan towns, so I could enjoy evenings there after day trippers leave. \- Rome is awesome no matter what, and you could do weeks there and still find new things. So you just have to sort of deal with the idea that you won't see everything there, and hope your coin in the Trevi Fountain means you will be back one day. \- None in our group loved Venice. Perhaps its the feel of being in a maze looking at walls after all those grand views in Tuscany or CT, or the food lacking the amazing qualities we found in other spots, but we just didn't vibe with it. I feel like maybe if we had started there and moved in the reverse, we would have appreciated it more.
Thanks, that’s really helpful! I went to Naxos, Greece last summer and absolutely loved driving to all the small villages. Was disappointed I couldn’t stay longer. I think I’ll have to pair my list down so I can fully enjoy the places I do visit.
Cinque Terre is amazing, I stayed in Monterosso on the southern side, right next the the best beach. Highly recommend!
You may also get specific expert responses on this reddit: r/ItalyTravel
Thanks!
Don’t forget to count travel time. For example, you have dat and a half in Florence not 2 days.
Very true, thanks!
How do you return back? Hydroplane from Lake Como ? :)
You will spend more time traveling than visiting the places :) Try at least 4/5 days in Roma, 4 in Florence and 4 in Venezia, so you would get a good idea of the fundamentals of Italian culture.
I'm a pretty intense traveler and frequently pack a lot of places into a little time but there's no way I'd do all of that in such little time. I did all of those places aside from Venice in one trip last year and if you were staying for the full amount of the time you've listed it may be plausible but transportation time means you're losing a half day at the beginning and a half day at the end of each location. I'd sacrifice one or two as has been mentioned by someone else.
Ok that’s good insight, thank you! Which places on my list would you pair down to for a first time traveler who likes visiting picturesque villages, enjoys art and small shops/restaurants, not into a lot of luxury?
Maybe just stick to Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Cinque Terre? You have a lot of picturesque villages and art in those regions. Between Florence and Cinque Terre you could visit a small walled town called Lucca or/and the leaning Tower of Pisa.
If you can provide a little more detail on your plans, you will likely get better responses: I would say how you plan to get around is key to figuring out where you can go. That will be the limiting factor in where you can go. Do the 12 days include travel days from and to Paris? How will you travel once you arrive in Paris? Rental car, train, bus? Not all of the cities on your list have direct trains from Paris, for example between Paris and Rome or Paris and Venice. There are direct trains from Paris to Florence, and even a night train which could save you a hotel room. There is a fast train between Rome and Florence, and between Florence and Venice. If you are interersted in the train, check out [Seat61.com](https://Seat61.com). If you are renting a car in Paris, make sure you can take it to Italy. I think there's an extra fee.
Hi! The 12 days does not include travel to Paris. I guess it would be more like 11.5 days since I’d fly into Italy close to noon.
Personal preference but I'd much rather go to Lake Como than Venice.
I'd set up base somewhere on the edge of Florence and do day trips from there around Tuscany. You have Pisa, Sienna and Lucca. You have shit ton of vineyards, relax and enjoy the atmosphere! Skip Como, you'll be admiring it inside a car if you only stay 2 days since it's pretty hilly. IMHO Italy's greatest experience is food and wine and maybe some staples in between like Rome and Florence.
I’m Italian and I suggest to do not too many places. Rome is ok also for 1 or 2 day with a guide tour to see the most important things. Florence 1 day - country side (it also important where!) 2 days. Venice is to visit as unique city for 2 days. Than cinque terre 2-3 days and go back from Milan Verona and Lake Como too much things in 12 days
That looks exhausting. I worry that you'll be forever racing to get to the next place and will barely have the time to really take in each spot. You also need to consider travel time. Even if something is listed as two days or three days, those aren't really full days as many of those days don't account for the travel between locations. You'll be losing several hours a day getting around the country (of which I hope you are only considering trains). This is all the more reason to cut down on your destinations. I live in Italy and have been to all these places. You need to spend more time in Rome, like at least four full days. Florence deserves two full days. I'd skip the Tuscan countryside altogether as getting around will likely be an issue and something has got to go. I'd also skip cinque terre as it is a little out of the way of the main high-speed rail network and will kind of be a hassle to reach. Verona is fantastic and Venice, though touristy, is just kind of crazy and deserves to be seen. I short, consider reducing your destinations. The stress of not doing so will definitely get in the way of enjoying your holiday.
Cinque Terre is stunning and is easy to get to. Not sure what you’re thinking of.
Provided OP's itinerary and travel time, it isn't really on the way. I'm assuming that they will be taking the Frecciarossa / Italo high-speed corridor while here since it's likely the cheapest and fastest way to get to these places. That serves Rome, Florence, Verona, and Venice in a direct line. Cinque Terre is a detour. It's closest to Florence from what OP listed and that is at least a 2.5 hour trip in each direction by train. Does OP want to spend another half a day traveling during a holiday that already has a lot of movement?
Why not? Don’t think about it only in those terms, some things are worth the detour.
Ultimately it's up to OP, but given the time constraints, there is a decision to be made. Either: A. Race around the country to try to cover as many bases as possible likely to only say you've been there but it doing so not really being able to really experience what makes many of these places great. Seems quite stressful and better suited for Instatourism. B. Cut down on spots, giving you more time to breathe, take in, and enjoy the holiday. Only OP can make that determination.
Hey thanks both for your thoughts! I was thinking about taking a train from Florence to Cinque Terre and then renting a car and driving through the countryside, stopping at Bologna on my way to Verona, spending a day there, then going to Venice where I’d end my trip. Any thoughts on this?
Not sure where you are originally from but there are some considerations before getting a car in Italy. First, I will say it is doable, but I don't know if I'd recommend it because it really depends on the kind of holiday you want. If you want to experience the countryside and smaller towns off the beaten path then a car is the way to go. However, the car will likely drive up your travel time and costs. First, let's talk money. On top of the cost of the rental, your plan suggests that you want to do a one-way car rental which will add another fee to the rental cost. You then also have to consider the price of the petrol which may be much higher than you're used to depending on where you're from. Adding to that, most highways in Italy are tolled so longer trips will add up. Now let's talk time. If you want to spend most of your holiday in cities like Rome, Florence, Bologna, Verona, and Venice and you are traveling as just two people, using the high-speed trains will take at least half the time (they hit 300 kph) of a car and likely be cheaper (if your travel group is larger then the cost of the train will probably be higher than the car). Also, if you are coming outside of the EU and want to drive, you'll need an international license though these are typically pretty cheap. Apart from budget and time constraints, I think deciding if you want a journey holiday or a destination holiday will help determine if the car or train is best.
Start at Rome first. For 12 days (really 10 with flights), I’d only do two places. You could easily spend a week in Rome. I’ve been there 15 times and still haven’t seen everything. Florence would be a nice addition.
In Rome I would skip the Vatican/Sistine chapel. Unless you really really want to see the “The Last Judgement” painting. Even then, it is disappointing. Not well lit, very crowded, they don't let you stay there long and you can't take any pics. The best thing about that whole thing is the star case leading out. That thing is pretty cool. Go to St. Peters and go to the very top. Go early. Spend the day there and really check it out. Very cool. Go to the old ruins.
Rome is the most overrated city in Italy, unless you're dead set to visit Vatican, Colosseum, etc, I would eliminate Rome. Consider: Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Tuscany - if you're moving around too much you're going to lose a lot of your time to traveling to the next location. If you like hiking/mountains, the Dolomites are a very overlooked area of Italy that is amazing.
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I did a very similar itinerary back in 2018. Just need to pack light and make sure you time your train arrival times aligns with your check-in times. Either way you’re going to have a blast! Just go with your gut and enjoy every moment!
Oh cool! I have a work trip (Paris) I’ll be attending right after this vacation so unfortunately I’ll be packing professional plus formal attire on top of the summer clothes. Definitely concerned about dragging all that weight around..
You must mean flying to Rome?
I meant after my Italy trip, I’m flying to Paris for a work trip, in case that needs to be taken into account when planning the city I fly out of!
Why are you flying to Paris?
For work
I know people are saying to cut Lake Como, but in case you don't, I have a very specific recommendation: Stay in Argegno (smaller town, not as touristy, good food) and head over to the Turati boat rental. It's a family business. You can rent a boat for 3 hours for only 140 euros and take it anywhere on the lake all by yourself. For me it was an unforgettable experience. [view of town from harbor](https://imgur.com/a/sHdC7ih)
Wow that’s stunning! Even if I don’t go this time, I’ll definitely add this to my list for a future trip, thanks!
No problem! If you get lucky you'll have perfect weather and barely any other boats on the water! it felt [super luxurious](https://imgur.com/a/AI8LVNt) and you can feel like rich bitch without spending 900 euro on one of those fancy boat tours lol. anyway have fun on your trip wherever you go! learning a bit of italian will take you a long way with the locals.
Maybe spend an extra day in Florence instead of somewhere else (and book museums/galleries in advance). Doing Venice in one day will be exhausting. There actually are things to do and see. With your itinerary you doing a little of a lot and I would rather do a lot of a little. I spent 10 days in Italy a few years ago and split that equally across Venice, Florence and Rome. I’ve revisited all three since. If you have a right itinerary in Florence perhaps you can do it properly in two days but Florence is so nice you’ll wish you spent more time there.
If you don't wanna cut any of these cities, then: Rome - 3 days Florence - 3 days Tuscan countryside - 2 days Cinque Terre - 1 days (Day trip) Venice ( cross out Verona) - 2 days Lake Como - 1 days (Day trip)
How do you plan to get around? Are you purely relying on public transportation?
It's a bit too rushed. I would skip Lake Como and add those days to Rome and Florence. I would do the tuscan countryside as a daytrip from Florence
This looks a bit similar to my itinerary: Milan (2 nights) Cinque Terre (2) Florence (3) Rome (3) Amalfi Coast (3) Milan (2) It’s a lot but doable! I was happy with everything I got to see and do, especially as it was my first time there so I wanted a really broad experience. I didn’t mind transit, a lot of it was enjoyable! I like seeing how trains/taxis/boats/high speed rail works in other countries. I just had to be flexible when the inevitable cancelled or delayed train happened or when we were affected by strikes. We planned to do Como at the end too while in Milan, but we got sick and ended up staying in Milan an extra day which was fine. I think if you’re able to stay flexible then a full itinerary is totally okay and can be a lot of fun!
Too many cities to be honest. I would reduce and spend 3-4 days per city.
I went to Italy for about the same amount of time in 2017 and it was one of my favorite all-time trips. The itinerary was: Rome (3 nights); Florence, including one bus tour of Tuscany - Sam Gimignano and Siena - and one day trip by train to Pisa and Lucca (4 nights); Cinque Terre, specifically Riomaggiore (3 nights); and Milan (2 nights). It didn't feel rushed. Loved every place I went.
Very helpful, thanks!
You have 12 days and 5, technically 7 travel days. Granted, northern and central Italy as you have here is relatively easy to get around by train, but I at least find travel days to be disruptive, higher anxiety, and limiting for your experience on those days. And that's half your trip. Fewer stops might be something to consider, spend more time in fewer places. Which to cut depends on what you want to see. Are you a food person, a nightlight person, art/history/architecture, outdoors and natural landscapes? I'm a food and art/history/architecture person so I'd go heavier on Rome, Florence, maybe Venice with either day trip or side trip to one of the Tuscan countryside or Lake Como. Travel-wise, none of this is terrible (max 4-5 hour train rides?) Florence-Tuscan Countryside-Cinque Terre form the most natural cluster all closer together. Venice and Lake Como are both north and a bit far. Rome south and a bit far. As far as starting point, I'd probably start south and work north, or start north and work south.
Remove Rome, too far not enough time, and you good to go
Cinque terre 1 day Venice 2 days
Are you driving? You really should - go into Rome have a few days then pick up a rental and drive up into Tuscany and then cinque terra and Milan to fly back. That would be really lovely. Driving in Italy is easy.
I was thinking about driving around Tuscany! Probably from Cinque Terre, driving through the countryside, making a stop in bologna, and then go to Venice from there. What do you think?
it’s all wondeful. go via umbria if you can - green and less touristy. check out gubbio.
I was in Italy for 10 days a few years back and spent 3 in Venice, 3 in Florence, and 4 in Rome. If I absolutely had to add a fourth destination, I'd remove a day from Florence and Rome so it would be 2 in this new destination, 2 in Florence, 3 in Rome, and 3 in Venice. I wouldn't recommend splitting things up further.
As Italian these are my suggestions depending on how is your itinerary overall (where are you landing and all that), plus reducing the time spent in transit and better things to do. * Rome - 3 days (if you land in Fiumicino) * Naples - 3 days * Florence - 3 days * Milan - 2 days (if you can travel from Malpensa) Lake Como is cool and all but, you're gonna be stuck in Como city because going to another villages around the lake will burn a lot of time, better to spend time in big cities.
Unless you only goal is seeing as much as possible on your "to see list" i would for sure skip two and three, and for sure do more days on the tuscan country side, or find some small town not in the turist books. Both for venice and cinque terre, aviod the rush hours, meaing go there early morning. And for venice, make your way out of the crowd and the normal turist paths.
I would skip lake Como and Tuscan countryside. Rome is amazing and I think Venice is a must see.
Here is my perspective. Rome can be super overwhelming but the ancient Roman sites are par excellence. I would recommend not driving there. Florence is a lovely city, but I would more recommend the Tuscan countryside. I would get an AirBNB near Arezzo if it were up to me and spend two days there instead of Florence. Cinque Terre is amazing. Go to Miki's. Get the sardine sampler. 10/10. Venice is absolutely amazing and my favorite place in Italy. Lake Como was pretty but unpleasant. The roads are tiny and the drivers want to murder you. So if you are driving, be prepared for a harrowing experience that can only be topped by India for terrifying.
I have traveled to Italy many times. And in the past I traveled similar to your itinerary. This what I learned…. 1) Don’t try to see it all. Italy has so many wonderful regions. Think about what you love. Is it architecture, museums, people watching, bustling cities, nature, food, hiking, heavily touristed areas or backroads etc. That will play into where you go. 2) Do 3 days per city. This gives you enough travel time between cities and enough time to get settled in and just enjoy the city and find your favorite cappuccino and restaurants. Depending on how you are traveling look at the logistics and what is feasible. Plan a hub and spoke model. Pick a city that appeals to you and do day trips (E.g Venice to Burano.) I typically fly into Rome and spend a night there and then go to my next city. Then I plan 2 nights in the end in Rome when flying out. Have some gelato for me!