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For a first trip, 10 days is the sweet spot: enough for Rome, Florence and Venice without living out of a suitcase. Seven days works well if you commit to two cities, and 14 days lets you add the Amalfi Coast, the Tuscan countryside or Sicily. Here is how each plan lays out, along with when to go and how to get around.
7 days in Italy: two cities, done well
A week sounds like a lot until you subtract the travel days. Flying from the US you typically land the morning after departure, so count on six usable days. Pick two bases and resist adding a third. The classic pairing is Rome (three nights) and Florence (three nights), connected by a high-speed train of roughly 90 minutes. Rome covers the Colosseum, the Forum, the Vatican Museums and evenings in Trastevere; Florence covers the Uffizi, the Duomo climb and a day trip to Siena or a Chianti winery. Prefer coast over art? Swap Florence for Sorrento and use it as a base for Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi drive. Fly into Rome and home from your second city so you never double back.
10 days in Italy: the classic triangle
Ten days is the itinerary most of our callers end up choosing, and for good reason. Rome (three nights), Florence (three nights) and Venice (two nights) sit on one rail line, and the trains between them take under two and a half hours. That leaves a spare night to stretch wherever you fall in love, or to add a Tuscany day trip from Florence. Book the big-ticket sights ahead: the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Uffizi and the Accademia (home of Michelangelo's David) all sell timed tickets that disappear weeks out in high season. Fly into Rome, out of Venice.
14 days in Italy: add a region
Two weeks lets you keep the triangle and add one more area without rushing. The most popular add-on is the Amalfi Coast and Naples: four nights in Sorrento or Positano covering Pompeii, Capri and the coastal towns. Alternatives include four nights split between the Cinque Terre and Lake Como for hikers and scenery seekers, a Tuscan farmhouse stay with a rental car, or a flight down to Sicily for Palermo, Taormina and Mount Etna. With 14 days, consider trimming Venice to two nights and giving the coast the extra time; most travelers find the sea days are the ones they remember.
Getting around: trains first, cars only in the countryside
Italy's high-speed rail is fast, comfortable and runs city center to city center, which beats airport transfers every time. Book intercity trains in advance for the better fare tiers; regional trains are fixed-price and can be bought the same day. Rent a car only for rural Tuscany, Puglia or Sicily, and return it before you enter a big city: historic centers are limited-traffic zones that fine unregistered cars automatically. On the Amalfi Coast, ferries and the local bus are far less stressful than driving the cliff road yourself.
When to go
April through June and September through October give you warm days, open sights and manageable lines. July and August bring real heat, especially in Rome and Florence, and many Italians take their own holidays in August, so some family-run restaurants close. November through March is quiet and often rainy, but Rome and Florence are pleasant in the cool, museum lines vanish and hotel value is strong. Venice can flood at high tide in late fall; it is part of the experience, not a reason to skip it.
Passports and entry
US citizens need a passport valid for at least three months beyond their planned departure from the Schengen area, and short tourist stays are generally visa-free. A pre-trip travel authorization for Europe may apply, so ask us about current requirements when you book.
How Fond Travels can help
We package flights from the US with hotels in each city and the rail tickets in between, so your multi-city Italy trip arrives as one itinerary instead of a dozen confirmations. Browse our Italy vacation packages for starting points, or see all our Europe packages if you are combining Italy with another country. Call for current pricing on your dates.
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