10 Day Italy Itinerary: Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice

We’ve been travelling in Italy for over thirty years, and by this point I’ve lost count of the trips. I got married in Venice (more on that later), which probably tells you how the country got under my skin. So when people ask us for a suggested Italy itinerary, we have a lot of opinions.

This 10 day Italy itinerary is designed for first-time visitors who want to see the highlights without burning out. It covers three cities and one quieter detour, connected by high-speed trains: Rome, Florence, an overnight in Cinque Terre, and Venice. No flights, no car rental, no stressful logistics. You buy a train ticket, sit down, and a couple of hours later you’re in a different world.

We’ve tested this route ourselves across multiple trips and refined it over the years. Every recommendation below comes from personal experience, from the restaurants to the tours to the hotels we’ve actually slept in. Where we haven’t been somewhere personally, we’ll tell you.

As well as the day-by-day itinerary, you’ll find a quick verdict for first-time planners, practical advice on getting between cities, a worked Cinque Terre branch decision, our hotel picks for each base, what we’d do differently if we were planning the trip from scratch today, and a long FAQ section at the bottom.

 

The 10 Day Italy Itinerary at a Glance

If you’re trying to make a quick decision and don’t want to read 7,000 words first, here’s the short version.

This itinerary is for a first-time visit to Italy, built around four train-connected bases: three nights in Rome, three nights in Florence, one overnight in Manarola in the Cinque Terre, and two nights in Venice. Total: ten days and nights, no internal flights, no hire car. Best for travellers who want the iconic Italy (Colosseum, David, the Grand Canal) plus one slower coastal day to break up the cities.

The fourth stop is the one that takes the most thought. Milan, Bologna, and the Cinque Terre are the three options we’ve all spent time in across years of Italy trips. For a first visit we’d pick the Cinque Terre: it’s quieter, more visually distinct from the other three cities, and the overnight in Manarola once the day-trippers leave is the kind of experience you’ll talk about for years.

If you’d rather see Tuscany than the Cinque Terre, the swap is easy and we’ve written the alternative below. Both routes work. We just prefer the coast.

 

Planning Your 10-Day Italy Trip

 

Is 10 Days Enough for Italy?

No, not really. Italy is enormous and varied, and you could spend a month in Tuscany alone without getting bored. But 10 days is enough to have a brilliant first trip, see some of the country’s most famous cities, eat extremely well, and come home with a list of places you want to return to.

The key is accepting what you can’t fit in. You won’t see the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, the Dolomites AND the main cities in 10 days. Trying to cram it all in means you spend half your trip on trains and the other half speed-walking through museums. We’ve made that mistake, and it’s no fun.

 

Why Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice?

For a first visit to Italy, we think Rome, Florence, and Venice are non-negotiable. Rome has 2,000 years of history you can walk through. Florence is where the Renaissance happened, and the art collections prove it. Venice is unlike anywhere else on Earth.

The fourth stop is where the choice opens up. Milan and Bologna are both obvious additions and both have merits, and we’ve spent time in each. On a 10-day trip we keep coming back to the same conclusion though: the Cinque Terre wins for variety. Three days in Rome, three in Florence, and two in Venice gives you a lot of cathedrals, museums, and historic centres. A coastal night in Manarola breaks the rhythm in a way another inland city doesn’t.

The villages are at their best after the day-tour groups leave around 5pm. Staying overnight gives you a quiet evening, a sunrise the cruise crowd never sees, and a morning hike before the next wave arrives. We’ll walk through the logistics below.

 

What If I Want a Different Route?

This itinerary works well as written, but suit your interests. A few alternatives worth considering:

If you want Tuscany instead of Cinque Terre, the swap is easy. Drop the Cinque Terre overnight, base in Florence the whole time, and do a Tuscany day trip on Day 7 (Siena and San Gimignano are the classic pairing). The day-trip alternative is written into the Day 7 section below.

If you want to add Bologna or Milan, Bologna is Italy’s food capital and an easy add (40 minutes from Florence by train, 90 minutes to Venice). Milan gives you the Duomo, the Last Supper, and world-class shopping. Either swap drops the Cinque Terre overnight. See our guides to things to do in Milan and our 2-day Milan itinerary if you go this route.

If you want southern Italy, swap Cinque Terre and a day in Florence for Naples and a day trip to the Amalfi Coast or Pompeii. Naples to Venice is a long train day, so adjust accordingly.

If you want to go deeper rather than wider, drop a city entirely and spend 4-5 days in Rome with 5-6 days in Florence plus Tuscany day trips. A perfectly good 10-day trip if you’d rather know two places well than four places passably.
The only thing we’d say is: three days in Rome is the minimum. You can flex everything else, but don’t shortchange Rome. There’s too much to see.

 

Best Time to Visit Italy

Our favourite times to visit are April to May and September to October. The weather is warm enough for comfortable sightseeing without the fierce heat of summer, and the queues at major attractions are shorter.

July and August are peak season. It gets very hot (easily 35°C+ in Rome), everything is crowded, and prices are at their highest. If you’re visiting in summer, you really do need to book skip-the-line tickets well in advance for the Colosseum, Vatican, and Uffizi, and plan your sightseeing for mornings and evenings rather than the middle of the day.

Winter (November to February) is quieter and cheaper. It can be chilly, but cities like Rome and Florence are perfectly pleasant for sightseeing in a jacket. Venice can be magical in winter fog, though you may encounter acqua alta (high water) flooding in the low-lying areas. One caveat: the Cinque Terre overnight detour doesn’t really work in winter. Many village restaurants close, the boat services stop running, and the Sentiero Azzurro trail is often shut after rain. If you’re visiting between November and March, use that day in Florence instead.

 

Getting Between Cities

For this itinerary, take the train. Italy’s high-speed rail network is excellent, and the trains are comfortable, reliable, and reasonably priced if you book in advance. We’ve taken the train in Italy many times and it’s always been a good experience.

Approximate journey times on high-speed services:

• Rome to Florence: 90 minutes
• Florence to La Spezia (the Cinque Terre gateway): around 2.5 hours, usually with one change at Pisa
• La Spezia to Manarola: 8 minutes on the Cinque Terre Express local train
• La Spezia to Venice: around 5 hours direct, usually with one change at Milano Centrale

You can check times and book tickets in advance online here. The high-speed services are operated by Trenitalia (their fast trains are called Le Frecce) and Italo. Both are comfortable and include reclining seats, free WiFi, and power sockets.

A note on pricing: high-speed train fares in Italy are dynamic, like budget airline tickets. Booking 2-4 weeks in advance is typically half the walk-up price for the same train. Buying at the station on the day is the expensive way to do it.

You don’t need a car for this itinerary. Parking in Italian cities is expensive and difficult, many historic centres are pedestrian-only or restricted to residents, and the trains are faster anyway.

The only reason to rent a car on this itinerary is if you take the Tuscany alternative on Day 7 and want to drive yourself rather than join an organised tour. If you do, you can compare prices on Discover Cars here.

 

10 Day Italy Itinerary

 

Itinerary Summary

• Days 1-3: Rome (3 nights)
• Days 4-6: Florence (3 nights)
• Day 7: Florence to Manarola, Cinque Terre (1 night in Manarola)
• Day 8 morning: Manarola to Venice. Days 8-10: Venice (2 nights)

This is a guide, not a rigid schedule. If you fall in love with Rome and want an extra day there, take it from Florence. If you’d rather a longer Cinque Terre stop, you can do two nights in Manarola at the cost of a day in Venice. The train connections between all four bases run frequently, so adjusting on the fly is easy.

 

Days 1-3: Rome

Rome is the obvious starting point. It has excellent international flight connections, it’s the hub of Italy’s rail network, and there is simply more to see here than in any other city on this itinerary. We’ve visited Rome many times and have never run out of things to do.

Three days gives you enough time to cover the main highlights, eat well, and still have some breathing room. Here’s how we’d structure your time.

 

Day 1: The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and the Historic Centre

Start your first morning at the Colosseum. Built almost 2,000 years ago when the Roman Empire was at its height, this is one of those places that lives up to the hype. Standing inside and looking up at the tiers where 50,000 spectators once sat is a moment that actually does justify the trip.

The Colosseum is one of the most visited attractions in Italy (nearly 15 million visitors in 2024), so plan ahead. Book your timed entry ticket in advance on the official website here. Individual ticket holders enter through the Speron Valadier entrance. The standard ticket now includes access to the Imperial Fora and is valid for 24 hours from your Colosseum time slot.

If your budget allows, we’d recommend taking a guided tour rather than visiting independently. The Colosseum is a complex site with a lot of history, and a good guide brings it to life in a way an audio guide can’t quite match. We recommend this Colosseum tour or this one which includes underground access. Both include the Roman Forum.

Read more in our detailed guide to visiting the Colosseum.

From the Colosseum, the Roman Forum is right next door. This was the political and commercial centre of the Roman Empire, and walking through the ruined temples, arches, and senate buildings is like stepping back in time. Entry is included with your Colosseum ticket. Allow 3-4 hours total for both sites.

For lunch, we can recommend Da Armando al Pantheon, a family-run trattoria that’s been going since 1961. It’s near the Pantheon and carries a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 Michelin Guide (the badge for good food at moderate prices, which is exactly the right note for a working lunch in Rome). Book ahead if you can.

For your afternoon, head into the historic centre. It’s a 10-15 minute walk from the Forum, and this is where you’ll find some of Rome’s most famous landmarks packed into a walkable area.

The Pantheon is the obvious stop. This 2,000-year-old temple has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, and the light streaming through the oculus at the top is spectacular. Entry is €5 (rising to €7 from 1 July 2026 under the Italian Ministry of Culture and Diocese of Rome agreement), free for under-18s, and you’ll need to book a timed entry ticket in advance here.

From there, wander to the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and Piazza Navona. A note on the Trevi: a new €2 fee was introduced in February 2026, but it only applies to the basin area (the stone steps directly in front of the water). The view from above the steps remains free, and the photo most people want to take is from there. If you do want to step down to the basin, the ticket is bookable online or at the entrance, card only, daily 9am to 10pm.

You don’t need a plan for the rest of the afternoon. Walk, get lost in the narrow streets, and stop for a coffee or gelato when the mood strikes. See our guide to the best gelato in Rome and the best cafes in Rome for plenty of options.

If you want a more structured evening, consider a food tour of Trastevere. This is one of Rome’s most characterful neighbourhoods, and eating your way through it with a local guide is a good way to spend a few hours. See our guide to the best food tours in Rome for more options.

 

Day 2: Vatican City

Your second day should be dedicated to Vatican City. Technically a separate country (though you won’t need your passport), this tiny city-state packs in some of the most impressive art collections in the world.

Start with the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. The museums house thousands of artworks spanning centuries, but the highlight for most visitors is Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Expect to spend 2-3 hours just to see the major highlights.

A few important things to know. Vatican Museum tickets have been personalised since August 2024, so you’ll need to provide your full name and a government-issued ID when booking, and bring that ID with you on the day. The best place to get tickets is the official Vatican website, which has the best prices. One trap to avoid: if staff judge that you don’t qualify for a reduced ticket you’ve booked (student, EU youth, and so on), they will charge you the full price on the day on top of the discounted ticket you already paid for. Book the right category up front.

If the official site is sold out (which happens in peak season), Tiqets often has availability from a different ticket pool, though at a slightly higher price.

We’d also recommend considering a guided tour. We took the Pristine Sistine tour, which gets you into the Sistine Chapel before the general public. It’s a premium experience, and it was one of the highlights of all our trips to Rome. You can see all available Vatican tours from TakeWalks here.

From the Vatican Museums, walk around to St. Peter’s Basilica. This is the largest Catholic church in the world (technically it’s in Vatican City, not Italy, which means the Milan Duomo gets to claim the Italian record). Entry to the basilica is free. The queue for security can be very long in peak season.

The Basilica officially has no skip-the-line product. What it does have is a paid timed-entry reservation that includes a digital audio guide and gets you in through a dedicated entrance, separate from the free general-admission queue. The reservation is bookable on their website, and you need to arrive about 20 minutes before your slot for security. If you’d rather not pay, the free queue still works, you just need patience. The other way to bypass it entirely is to take a Vatican Museums tour that exits through the Sistine Chapel passage into the basilica directly.

I’d strongly recommend climbing to the dome. The views across Rome from the top are incredible. There are two options: take the lift partway and walk the rest (320 steps), or walk the entire way (551 steps). On-site tickets are €10 (stairs only) or €15 (with lift). Online tickets are €17/€22 respectively and include audio guides.

For our complete guide to visiting Vatican City, including all the highlights, ticket options, and tips, see our guide to the Vatican.

After the Vatican, the 2,000-year-old Castel Sant’Angelo is a short walk along the Tiber. Originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, it’s been a fortress, a prison, and a papal residence over the centuries. The rooftop terrace has one of the best views in Rome, and it’s a nice contrast to the Vatican’s indoor galleries. Important to know: it’s closed Mondays (open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 7:30pm, last entry 6:30pm), so plan around that if your Day 2 lands on a Monday. You can buy tickets in advance here.

For the rest of your afternoon, explore whatever catches your eye. The Trastevere neighbourhood across the river is great for wandering, with narrow streets, good restaurants, and a less touristy feel than the historic centre. Or visit the Borghese Gallery if you’ve booked tickets in advance (it sells out quickly).

 

Day 3: Flexible Day

Your third day in Rome is deliberately left flexible. By this point you’ll have covered the major landmarks, so this is your day to explore at a more relaxed pace, revisit something you loved, or take a day trip.

Some options for your third day:

Explore more of the city. Rome has dozens of beautiful churches (many free to enter), neighbourhood markets, and quiet piazzas away from the tourist trail. The Aventine Hill has a famous keyhole view of St. Peter’s dome (look up the Knights of Malta keyhole), and the Testaccio neighbourhood is brilliant for food. The Capitoline Museums (official site) are well worth a visit if you enjoy art and archaeology. For photographers: Pincian Hill above Piazza del Popolo and the Janiculum (Gianicolo) terrace above Trastevere are the two viewpoints we keep going back to. The Janiculum at sunset, with the dome of St. Peter’s catching the light, is one of the best free shots in the city.

Take a day trip. Pompeii is about 2 hours from Rome by train, or you can take a guided day trip which handles the transport. The ancient Roman ruins preserved under volcanic ash are unlike anywhere else you can visit.

Take a food tour or cooking class. Rome’s food scene goes well beyond pasta and pizza. A food tour through Trastevere or the Jewish Quarter is a good way to discover local specialities like supplì (fried rice balls) and carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes).

For more ideas, see our detailed itineraries for a day in Rome, 2 days in Rome, and 3 days in Rome.

 

City Passes for Rome

Rome has several city attraction passes which bundle entry tickets together. For 3 days, we’d point you at the Rome Tourist Card, which includes the Vatican Museums, Colosseum, and a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Another option is the Omnia Rome and Vatican Pass, which includes public transport as well as attraction entry. This is a 3-day pass, so it lines up well with this itinerary.

Whether a pass is worth it depends on what you plan to see. If you’re taking guided tours (which often include entry), a pass may duplicate what you’ve already paid for. Do the maths for your specific plans before buying.

 

Getting Around Rome

Rome’s historic centre is very walkable. Most of the attractions on Days 1 and 2 are within walking distance of each other. For longer distances, Rome has a metro system (Lines A, B, and the new Line C, which opened the Colosseo and Fori Imperiali stations on 16 December 2025), buses, and trams. The Line C extension finally connects the centre’s archaeological core to the rest of the metro network, which makes the Aventine, Trastevere, and the Esquilino noticeably easier to combine.

A single ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 minutes. If you’re planning to use public transport frequently, a multi-day pass may save money. See the ATAC website for current prices and route maps.

 

How to Get from Rome to Florence

The high-speed train from Rome to Florence takes about 90 minutes and runs frequently throughout the day. Trains depart from Roma Termini and arrive at Firenze Santa Maria Novella, both of which are central stations.

We recommend booking 2-4 weeks in advance for the best prices. You can check times and book online here. The high-speed services are operated by Trenitalia (their fast trains are called Le Frecce) and Italo. Both are comfortable and include reclining seats, free WiFi, and power sockets.

If you’re on a tight budget, long-distance coaches are cheaper but take around four hours. You can compare coach options here or check directly with FlixBus.

We’d advise against renting a car for getting between the cities in this itinerary. Once you factor in picking up and dropping off the car, fuel, motorway tolls, and parking (which can be both expensive and difficult), the train is faster, cheaper, and less stressful.

 

Days 4-6: Florence

Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance, and the city wears that history well. The Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi, Michelangelo’s David: the concentration of world-class art and architecture in this relatively small city is staggering.

We’ve allocated three nights here, which gives you Day 4 afternoon (after the morning train from Rome), all of Day 5, and a relaxed Day 6 before the early Day 7 train to Cinque Terre. On one of our trips we spent a full week in Florence and didn’t run out of things to do, so don’t worry about being short on options.

 

Day 4: Arrive in Florence, the Duomo, and Oltrarno Dinner

Take a morning Frecciarossa or Italo from Rome and you’ll be in Florence by midday. Drop your bags at the hotel, grab a quick lunch, and walk to the Duomo. The 13th-century cathedral is free to enter (expect a queue in peak season), and the marble facade rewards a minute or two of standing in the piazza and looking up.

If you’re up for it, climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome for views across the city. There’s a fee, and it’s a lot of steps, but the perspective from the top is unlike anything else in Florence. Booking is required and slots fill quickly in summer; reserve via the Opera del Duomo.

From the Duomo, walk down through Piazza della Repubblica to Piazza della Signoria, the city’s outdoor sculpture gallery. The Loggia dei Lanzi has the original Cellini Perseus and replicas of half a dozen Renaissance heavyweights. Carry on to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous covered bridge lined with jewellery shops.

It’s also worth knowing that the bridge houses the entrance to the Vasari Corridor, a mile-long private walkway built for the Medici family so they could travel between their palaces without having to mix with ordinary citizens. The corridor reopened to the public on 21 December 2024 after a long closure, and it’s now bookable via the Uffizi as a €20 supplement to your standard Uffizi ticket. Slots are limited, so book ahead if you want to walk it. (Yes, building a private elevated corridor across the entire city is easier than walking among the people you rule.)

In the evening, cross the river to the Oltrarno for dinner. We like Trattoria Sostanza on Via del Porcellana 25R (open Monday to Friday lunch and dinner, closed Saturday and Sunday, cash only, two seatings nightly at shared marble tables, book ahead). Sostanza is famous for its butter chicken and Florentine steak, both of which are worth ordering. For something more casual, La Volpe e L’Uva, a small wine bar near the Ponte Vecchio, does excellent cured meats, cheeses, and natural wines and is popular with locals.

 

Day 5: Accademia, Uffizi, and Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo

The big-museum day. Start at the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s David. Tickets are €16 at the door (subject to availability) or €20 online with a €4 reservation fee and a timed slot. Don’t try to just turn up in peak season; book through the official website. From 15 March 2026 there’s also a €26 Accademia and Bargello combined ticket (48-hour validity) if you want a second museum on Day 6.

For lunch, grab a schiacciata sandwich from All’Antico Vinaio. The original is on Via dei Neri 65R near the Uffizi, with additional outlets at numbers 74, 76, and 78 on the same street. There’s usually a queue but it moves fast, and the sandwiches are excellent and cheap. If you’d rather sit down, Trattoria Mario on Via Rosina 2R near the San Lorenzo market is the budget classic: lunch only, Monday to Saturday, no reservations, queues form before opening, and the tagliatelle al ragù is exactly what you’d hope for.

For the afternoon, head to the Uffizi Gallery. I know two art museums in one day sounds like a lot, but the Uffizi is special. You can literally watch art evolve from flat, two-dimensional medieval paintings through to the full complexity of the Renaissance. It’s the kind of place that changes how you see art.

Uffizi pricing for 2026: €25 at the on-site ticket office (walk-up, expect queues), or €29 online (€25 plus a €4 reservation fee) with a timed slot. New from 1 January 2026: a €16 reduced ticket from 4pm entry, which is the easiest way to save money if your Day 5 sightseeing leaves you with a late-afternoon Uffizi window. Tickets are nominative, personal, non-transferable, and non-refundable; entry is free on the first Sunday of each month. Book via the official site in advance.

If you’d prefer a guided experience for the whole museum day, we took this full-day Florence tour with TakeWalks which covered the Accademia, Duomo, and Uffizi with skip-the-line access. A good guide really brings the art to life. You can see all their Florence tours here.

End your day at Piazzale Michelangelo. It’s about a 20-30 minute walk uphill from the city centre, and the sunset view over Florence with the Duomo dominating the skyline is one of those views that stays with you. We’ve shot it on every focal length we own. The light is at its best in the half hour after the sun has dropped below the western hills, when the Duomo holds the colour longer than the rest of the city. If you still have energy after that, the Oltrarno neighbourhood below the piazzale is great for an evening wine.

 

Day 6: Oltrarno, Mercato Centrale, and an Easy Afternoon

Day 6 is your slow Florence day. The big museums are behind you, the early Day 7 train to Manarola is ahead, and this is the day to wander.

Spend the morning in the Oltrarno, across the river. The artisan workshops on Via Maggio and Via Santo Spirito are the kind of place you can still watch a leather-worker or a frame-gilder doing what they do, with no entrance fee and no obligation to buy. Walk up to Piazza Santo Spirito for the church and the morning market, then drop into Mercato Centrale for lunch from the upstairs food hall (the Tuscan stand for ribollita, the pasta stand for fresh pici).

If you skipped the Vasari Corridor on Day 4 and want to do it today, the timed slot is bookable as a €20 supplement to a fresh Uffizi visit. Otherwise, the Pitti Palace across the river is the obvious afternoon, with the Boboli Gardens behind it for a quiet hour outdoors.

In the late afternoon, pack for the Cinque Terre. You only need an overnight bag (your main luggage can stay at the Florence hotel if they’re happy to hold it, which most are; otherwise the Florence Santa Maria Novella station has left luggage). Eat early at one of the trattorias you didn’t get to on Days 4 or 5, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. Day 7 starts early.

For more on Florence, see our detailed guide to visiting Florence and Tuscany in two days.

 

Day 7: Florence to Manarola, Cinque Terre Overnight

This is the day the itinerary breaks the rhythm of cities and museums. The Cinque Terre is five small fishing villages strung along a stretch of Ligurian coast: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. They were largely cut off from the world until the railway arrived in 1874, which is why they still feel like a different country to the rest of Italy.

The way most 10-day itineraries handle the Cinque Terre is as a long day trip from Florence: out on the early train, run the village circuit, back to Florence by evening. We did it that way the first time, and we’re not going to do it that way again. The villages turn over at 5pm when the day-tour buses leave and the cruise tenders return to La Spezia. The quiet evening, the sunrise without the camera tripod queue, the morning when the harbour is just fishermen and the espresso machine: that’s what you stay overnight for.

We stayed in Manarola in August 2022, at Arpaiu, three nights into a longer Italy trip. We did the full open sections of the Sentiero Azzurro end to end, walked the headland above the village for the classic Manarola composition, and ate dinner at a table that watched the lights come on along the cliff face. It is one of the few villages we’ve been to where the day-trip experience and the overnight experience really are different trips.

Here’s how to do the overnight on a 10-day Italy plan.

 

The Morning Train from Florence

Take an early train from Firenze Santa Maria Novella. The fastest route is Firenze SMN to La Spezia Centrale, usually with one change at Pisa Centrale; total journey around 2.5 hours. Book in advance for the best fare. From La Spezia, switch onto the Cinque Terre Express, the local shuttle train that links La Spezia, Levanto, and all five villages. Manarola is 8 minutes from La Spezia.

The Cinque Terre Express runs as part of the Cinque Terre Train Card (more on that below), which is the all-day pass you want. Buy it from any station ticket machine when you arrive at La Spezia; you don’t need to pre-book online.

You’ll be in Manarola by late morning. Drop your bag at the hotel and pick up lunch from Take-Away Pasta in the centre of the village. The name is exactly what it sounds like, the pasta is made fresh that morning, and the boxes travel well down to the harbour rocks. Eat with your feet over the water.

 

Afternoon in Manarola: The Walk to Riomaggiore (Via dell’Amore)

For your afternoon, the Via dell’Amore (Riomaggiore to Manarola, the easiest section of the Sentiero Azzurro) is the best introduction. It’s a short, paved, level walk along the cliff between the two villages and the only section that’s open year-round. The Manarola end is right by the train station; the Riomaggiore end drops you straight into the harbour. Allow 30-45 minutes for the walk one way, longer if you stop for the views. There’s now a ticket required to access this section (it forms part of the Cinque Terre Card); the ticket office is by the trail entrance at the Manarola station.

After the walk, take the train one stop back to Manarola and find a perch on the rocks above the harbour. The classic Manarola composition (the one you’ve seen on Pinterest) is from the headland trail that climbs above the cemetery; follow the signs for the Punta Bonfiglio walk. Late afternoon light onto the village from the sea side is unbelievable. We’ve shot it on every visit and the photo gets better as the day-trippers leave and the harbour starts to empty.

 

Evening: Why You Stayed Overnight

Around 5pm, the day starts to change. The boats stop running the cruise tenders back to La Spezia. The last day-tour bus leaves Riomaggiore. The villages exhale.

For pre-dinner drinks, head to Nessun Dorma on the path above the harbour. Bruschetta plates, a Cinque Terre spritz, and the postcard view of the village clinging to the cliff. There’s usually a queue at golden hour. It’s worth it.

For dinner itself, we’ve eaten well at Trattoria dal Billy (book ahead, it’s on the upper terrace and the climb is rewarded by the view at sunset). Order the anchovies (acciughe) and whatever pasta the kitchen is making with the day’s catch. Local Cinque Terre DOC white wines come from the terraces above the village (the sweet dessert version is Sciacchetrà, a passito worth ordering as a finisher); ask the waiter what they’re pouring.

Walk back to the hotel in the dark. The villages light up against the cliff and you’ll hear what you couldn’t hear in the day: water on the rocks, kitchens being closed up, occasional church bells. That’s the bit we stay overnight for.

 

Cinque Terre Train Card and the Sentiero Azzurro

A few practical notes for the overnight.

Cinque Terre Train Card 2026. The Cinque Terre Train Card includes unlimited Cinque Terre Express travel between La Spezia and Levanto, access to the paid Sentiero Azzurro sections, the park shuttle buses, and WiFi. Pricing for 2026 is demand-banded: €22 for an adult one-day card in the Green Zone (weekdays in March, April, May, and October), €29.50 in the Yellow Zone (June, September, and some weekends), and €35 in the Red Zone (July and August, all weekends, all holidays). Pricing is valid 14 March to 2 November 2026. Buy it at any village station ticket machine on arrival. The old flat-rate €18.50 day pass no longer exists; budget accordingly if you’re travelling in peak season.

Sentiero Azzurro trail status. The Blue Trail links the villages along the coast and is the classic Cinque Terre hike. Current status as of May 2026: Riomaggiore to Manarola (Via dell’Amore) is open. Corniglia to Vernazza is open. Vernazza to Monterosso is open. The Manarola to Corniglia section has been closed since landslide damage, with only the first 300 metres from the Manarola side currently accessible; full reopening is currently projected for 2029. Trail status can change after heavy rain, so check the park’s official trail-closures page before you go.

If you’d rather not hike at all, the ferry service runs along the coast between Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, and Riomaggiore (it skips Corniglia, which sits above the train line on a cliff). It’s slower than the train but the views from the water are the ones that don’t appear on most postcards.

 

Day 8 Morning: Manarola to Venice

Get up for sunrise. From Manarola, the early light hits the headland and the village face before the trains start running, and you’ll have the harbour rocks essentially to yourself. Walk the Punta Bonfiglio path again for the morning version of the previous afternoon’s photo.

Breakfast at the hotel, pack up, and aim for a mid-morning Cinque Terre Express back to La Spezia (around 10am works well). From La Spezia, the high-speed train to Venice goes via Milano Centrale, total journey around 5 hours. Book this leg in advance because the Milan to Venice fares jump on the day. You’ll arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia (the station on the island in the lagoon, not Mestre on the mainland) in the early afternoon.

One important thing to know about Venice: the historical centre is mostly pedestrian. Cars and buses can only get as far as Piazzale Roma. From the Santa Lucia train station, which is right on the Grand Canal, you’ll either walk or take a water bus (vaporetto) to your hotel. Plan for this when booking accommodation and check how to reach your hotel from the station.

 

Day 7 Alternative: Swap Cinque Terre for a Tuscany Day Trip

If you’d rather see Tuscany than the Cinque Terre, drop the overnight and base yourself in Florence for the full three nights. Take a day trip from Florence on Day 7 (instead of starting your Day 7 with the early train to Manarola), then continue on to Venice on Day 8 morning as planned.

The Tuscany options:

• We did a full-day Tuscany tour from Florence with TakeWalks which included wine tasting, time in Siena and San Gimignano, and lunch at a Chianti vineyard. The vineyard lunch was excellent, and we thought the tour was good value.
• A day trip combining Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano with lunch.
• A half-day Chianti wine tour with food and wine tasting if you want a shorter excursion.
• A day trip to the Cinque Terre from Florence as the compromise option, though we’d still take the overnight if you can.

With the Tuscany variant, Day 8 becomes a straight Florence to Venice morning train (~2 hours), and you get more Venice time on the other end. Both versions of the itinerary work. Pick the one that matches what you want to remember the trip for.

 

Days 8-10: Venice

Venice. I’ve been visiting this city since I was 15, when I came with my parents and got caught in a thunderstorm in St. Mark’s Square. Years later, Jess and I came back and held our wedding ceremony in that same square, this time in glorious sunshine, properly dressed up and with friends and family around us. The legal part of getting married we did elsewhere; the St. Mark’s ceremony was the one we wanted to remember.

Venice divides opinion. Some people think it’s an overcrowded tourist trap. We think it’s worth seeing, but you have to know how to do it. The key is getting off the main tourist drag. The standard route from the train station to St. Mark’s Square follows the same path everyone else walks. Step off that route and into the maze of alleyways, and you’ll discover a different city. You’re surrounded by water, so you can’t get lost for long.

 

Venice Access Fee

Venice charges a fee for day visitors on busy dates. For 2026, enforcement runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 3 April through 26 July, plus 6 April, the full week of 27 April, and the full week of 1 June, between 8:30am and 4pm on enforcement days.

The fee is €5 if you register by the fourth-last day before your visit, or €10 for late registration (within three days of the day of access).

If you’re staying overnight in a hotel, B&B, or apartment in Venice, you’re exempt because you already pay a tourist tax through your accommodation. However, the exemption is not automatic. You need to pre-register on the official site to demonstrate the exemption and receive a free QR code; many overnight visitors miss this step and get caught. Check the specific dates and register on the official Venice access fee website.

 

Day 8 Afternoon: Arrive Venice, St. Mark’s Square, and Cannaregio for Dinner

You’ll arrive at Santa Lucia from La Spezia in the early afternoon. Vaporetto to your hotel, drop bags, and start at Piazza San Marco. This is the heart of Venice, surrounded by the Basilica di San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, and the Campanile bell tower.

The Basilica is free to enter, though there’s usually a queue in summer. You can skip it by paying €3 on the official website for a skip-the-line ticket. The golden mosaics inside are worth the wait either way. The Pala d’Oro behind the altar (a Byzantine altar screen made of gold and a few thousand precious stones) is the highlight; a separate small ticket gets you behind the rail to see it close.

If you’re up for the Campanile, do it now. It’s the most recognisable tower in Venice, and from the top you can see the red rooftops stretching to the lagoon and the outlying islands in the distance. The Day 8 afternoon view is good; the Day 10 morning version is better for photographers wanting the soft early light over the water.

The Doge’s Palace is where Venice’s rulers governed for centuries. The interior rooms are as over-the-top as a thousand years of Venetian power could make them, and the building now works as a museum that walks you through all of it. 2026 pricing: €30 standard, or €25 if booked online at least 30 days in advance, both via visitmuve.it. If you can stretch to it, the Secret Itineraries tour (€32 full, €20 reduced, English slots at 10:00, 11:30, and 13:00) is the best version: you get a guided route through the Doge’s private apartments, the prison cells under the lead roof, and the room where Casanova was held before his famous escape. Book ahead; the tour has a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 25 people. If you’d rather a bundle, the Venice Pass includes the Doge’s Palace, an audio guide, and a shared gondola ride.

Don’t miss the Bridge of Sighs as you come out.

For more on visiting these attractions, see our guide to visiting St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.

For dinner, head to Cannaregio. The northern sestiere away from the St. Mark’s tourist flow is where Venetians actually eat. A bacaro crawl (small bars serving cicchetti, the Venetian small plates) along the Fondamenta dei Ormesini is the way to do it. Order spritz (the local one is the bitter, ruby-red Select; not the orange Aperol the tour groups drink), point at the cicchetti you want, and move to the next bar when you’re done. We’ve done this route on every Venice trip and it’s never disappointed.

 

Day 9: The Islands and the Grand Canal

Take a boat out to Murano and Burano. This is what we do when we take friends to Venice for multiple days, and it’s a highlight every time.

Murano is famous for its glass-making. Watching the glassmakers sculpt molten glass into intricate shapes is mesmerising, and you can pick up small souvenirs at reasonable prices. The Glass Museum (Museo del Vetro) is worth an hour if you want the history; otherwise, walk the canals and stop at the workshops that catch your eye.

Burano is known for its colourful houses and lace-making tradition. The painted houses reflected in the canals are absurdly photogenic, and the pace is much slower and quieter than Venice itself. It’s a lovely contrast to the busy main island. The single best photo on Burano is from the wooden footbridge over the main canal looking back at the row of pink, yellow, and blue houses; aim to be there in the hour before sunset when the colours hold.

You can visit both islands independently using the public water buses (vaporetti), which run regularly from Venice. The Line 12 from Fondamente Nove goes direct to Burano, calling at Murano on the way; allow about 45 minutes each way. Or if you’d prefer a guided experience, this boat tour from TakeWalks visits both islands and includes wine tasting.

In the afternoon, work your way back through Venice on the Grand Canal. The Line 1 vaporetto does the full length for the price of a single ticket and is the cheapest gondola substitute you’ll find. Get off at the Ponte dell’Accademia for the classic shot up the canal toward the Salute church.

At some point during your time in Venice, you’ll want to go on the water properly. A private gondola ride is the classic option. Last time we checked, it was €90 for a 30-minute private ride during the day and €110 for a 35-minute ride in the evening. These prices are set by the city and aren’t negotiable, so don’t try to haggle.

If you’d prefer something cheaper, you can book a shared gondola ride.

 

Day 10: Last Morning in Venice and Departure

Your last morning in Venice depends on your flight time. Three half-day options worth considering.

For sunrise photography, the Campanile on Piazza San Marco is the obvious viewpoint, but the San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower across the water gives you the postcard view back over the basin to the Doge’s Palace. Shorter queues and the better photograph.

For a last walk and atmosphere, the Rialto Market is on the right bank of the Grand Canal by the Rialto Bridge and closes by lunchtime (the fish stalls close around 1pm). Even if you’re not buying, the produce stalls and the atmosphere are reason enough.

For one last museum, choose between the Accademia (Renaissance Venetian painting from Bellini, Titian, and Tintoretto), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (20th-century art in a beautiful palazzo on the Grand Canal), or the Punta della Dogana (contemporary art and views down the Grand Canal at the same time).
Getting to Marco Polo Airport (VCE): the Alilaguna ferry from San Marco is the scenic option. The Blue line is €18 single (€32 return) and takes about 1h15. The Red and Orange lines are the same price but slightly different routes; Blue is the most common. If you’re tight on time or carrying heavy bags, a water taxi from your hotel is around €140-160 for up to four people and takes about 30 minutes. Allow at least two hours pre-flight including the boat transfer.

For more ideas on Venice, see our detailed guide to spending two days in Venice and a day in Venice.

And that’s the itinerary. Below you’ll find a map, our hotel picks for each base, what we’d do differently if we were planning this trip from scratch today, practical tips, and a long FAQ.

 

10 Day Italy Itinerary Map

To help you visualise this itinerary, here’s a map of the route covering Rome, Florence, Manarola, and Venice. You can also see it on Google Maps here.

Where to Stay on This Italy Itinerary

Rather than listing dozens of hotels, here are four suggestions per base across a range of budgets, from hostel up to splurge. All are centrally located and well reviewed. We’d suggest staying close to the train station in each city for convenience, though any central location will work well.

 

Rome

• Budget. The RomeHello. A well-reviewed hostel just moments from Termini Station, with dormitory and private room options. Great value.
• Mid-range. Hotel Valentino Palace. A 3-star hotel about 150 yards from Termini Station. Comfortable rooms and helpful staff.
• Upper mid. Gioberti Art Hotel. An excellent-value 4-star hotel right next to Termini Station. Well rated and consistently good.
• Splurge. NH Collection Palazzo Cinquecento. A 5-star a few steps from the train station. A treat if your budget allows.

See all accommodation in Rome on Booking.com.

 

Florence

• Budget. Hostel Archi Rossi. A popular hostel near the train station with private and shared rooms, free breakfast, and good reviews.
• Mid-range. Room Mate Luca. A well-reviewed 4-star hotel in a 19th-century building, 10 minutes walk from the Duomo. Good value for a 4-star.
• Upper mid. Solo Experience Hotel. Overlooking the Basilica of San Lorenzo with excellent reviews and breakfast included.
• Splurge. Hotel Lungarno. A 5-star 100 yards from Ponte Vecchio on the banks of the Arno. A splurge, but what a location.

See all accommodation in Florence on Booking.com.

 

Cinque Terre (Manarola)

• Our pick. Arpaiu, Manarola. Where we stayed in August 2022. A small B&B in the upper village, family-run, with sea-facing rooms and the most generous breakfast in the village.
• Mid-range with a view. La Torretta Lodge. Manarola’s design-led option, near the church at the top of the village. Adults-only, well rated, the rooftop terrace is the kind of view people fly across the world for.
• Vernazza alternative. La Casa di Giada, Vernazza. If you’d rather base in Vernazza than Manarola, this is a well-reviewed apartment option a few minutes from the harbour.
• Monterosso alternative. Hotel La Spiaggia, Monterosso. The only Cinque Terre village with a proper sandy beach, so Monterosso is the right base if you want some swimming time. Well-reviewed family-run hotel a couple of minutes from the beach.

See all accommodation in Manarola on Booking.com.

 

Venice

• Budget. B&B Bloom Settimo Cielo. A highly rated B&B with individually designed rooms, en-suite facilities, and a rooftop terrace. 10 minutes from St. Mark’s Square.
• Our pick. Leon Bianco on the Grand Canal. This is where we stayed for our wedding ceremony in Venice. The Grand Canal views are wonderful, and it’s great value for the location.
• Upper mid. Ruzzini Palace Hotel. A well-reviewed 4-star hotel in a central location, 10 minutes walk from the Rialto Bridge.
• Splurge. Hotel Saturnia & International. A 4-star hotel just moments from St. Mark’s Square in a turn-of-the-century building. En-suite rooms, terrace, and an on-site restaurant.

See all accommodation in Venice on Booking.com.

 

What We’ve Learned After Thirty Years of Italy Trips

We’ve made nearly every mistake there is to make on an Italy itinerary, often more than once. Here’s what we’d plan differently if we were doing this trip again for the first time, in the hope it saves you the same lessons.

Book the Vatican and the Colosseum first, then build the trip around them. These two have the smallest windows of available slots and the longest queues if you don’t book. Lock those time slots in before you book anything else (hotels, train tickets, restaurants), and let the rest of the itinerary flow around them.

The afternoon Vatican slot is the trap. The Vatican Museums get progressively more crowded across the day as cruise groups and morning bus tours converge. We took a 2pm slot on our second trip and barely saw the ceiling for the heat and the heads. Now we book the first morning slot or, when we want the empty Sistine experience, the early-access guided tour.

Don’t try to do the Cinque Terre as a day trip from Florence. The villages on a day trip are the loud, busy, day-tourist version of themselves. The overnight version is a different place. If you can’t fit the overnight, just save the Cinque Terre for a future trip and use that day in Florence.

Pace your eating. Three full meals a day plus an aperitivo, in Italy, every day for ten days, will defeat you. We’ve learned to eat one proper meal a day (usually dinner) and graze for the others. A schiacciata from All’Antico Vinaio for lunch, a granita and a brioche for breakfast in Sicily, a few cicchetti in Venice with a spritz: it’s plenty.

Pack the right shoes. Italian historic centres are mostly cobblestone, and the Cinque Terre adds gravel and rough stone paths. You will walk 20,000+ steps a day on this itinerary. Comfortable, broken-in shoes are non-negotiable; we’ve watched too many people limp through Day 6 in new sandals.

The wedding-day light over St. Mark’s is still the best we’ve ever seen. If there’s a thread that connects thirty years of Italy trips for us, it’s that Venice is the city we keep coming back to. The reasons change (the architecture, the photography, the friends, eventually the wedding) but the city itself keeps holding up. The first time we visited together as a couple we treated it as one of the world’s overrated cities and tried to do it in a day. We came back the next year for three days. We’ve come back almost every year since. If Venice doesn’t grab you on a 10-day Italy trip, give it another chance on a slower one.

 

Tips for Visiting Italy

 

Opening Times and Advance Booking

Many of Italy’s most popular attractions operate timed entry systems. The Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Uffizi, and Accademia Gallery all require (or very strongly recommend) advance booking. Check opening days carefully too: the Vatican is closed most Sundays, many state museums close on Mondays, and Castel Sant’Angelo is closed every Monday.

 

Safety

In our many visits to Italy we’ve never had any safety problems. Just be aware that pickpocketing can be an issue in crowded tourist areas, particularly around major attractions and on public transport (Roma Termini, the routes around the Vatican, and the vaporetti from the Venice train station are the classic hot spots). Keep valuables concealed, don’t carry large amounts of cash, and use official taxis.

 

Power

Italy uses 220v electricity with 2-pin European-style plugs. Travellers from the UK and US will need a travel adapter. US visitors should also check that their devices support 220v (most modern chargers and laptops do, but older appliances like hair dryers may not). If you don’t have one yet, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter is what we’ve been carrying for years.

 

Currency

Italy uses the Euro. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but we’d suggest having some cash on you for smaller shops, bakeries, market stalls, and cash-only restaurants (Trattoria Sostanza in Florence is the obvious one on this itinerary). ATMs are widely available.

 

Internet and Staying Connected

WiFi is widely available in hotels, cafes, and on trains. If you want mobile data while you’re out and about, we’d recommend getting an eSIM before you travel. We use Airalo, which lets you buy a data plan for Italy (or all of Europe) and activate it on your phone without needing to swap physical SIM cards. It’s much easier than buying a local SIM at the airport.

 

Drinking Water

Tap water in Italy is safe to drink unless posted otherwise. You can also drink from the public fountains you’ll see in many cities (particularly Rome, which has hundreds of them). Carry a reusable water bottle and refill it as you go.

 

What to Wear

Many of Italy’s attractions are churches and holy sites with dress codes. You’ll need clothing that covers your knees and shoulders to enter St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Duomo in Florence, and most other churches. This can be tricky in summer when you want to wear shorts and tank tops, so keep a lightweight scarf or cardigan in your bag. See Jess’s guides to the best travel wraps and travel scarves for ideas. For shoes: comfortable, broken-in walking shoes are essential. The cobblestones in Florence and the gravel paths above Manarola will punish anything else.

 

Further Reading

We’ve visited Italy many times and have written extensively about the country. Here are some posts that should help you plan your trip:

• Rome: 1 day in Rome | 2 days in Rome | 3 days in Rome | Colosseum guide | Vatican guide | Best gelato in Rome | Best food tours in Rome | Best cafes in Rome | Borghese Gallery
• Florence: 2 days in Florence and Tuscany | Pitti Palace | Vasari Corridor
• Venice: A day in Venice | St. Mark’s and the Doge’s Palace | Two days in Venice
• Milan: Things to do in Milan | 2 days in Milan
• Southern Italy: Visiting Pompeii
• Europe: 2-week Europe itinerary | Tips for visiting European cities in summer
• Guidebooks: We recommend the Rick Steves Italy guide for practical planning information.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is 10 days enough for Italy?

10 days is enough for a great first trip, but not enough to see everything. You’ll have time to visit 3 major cities, take one slower coastal or countryside detour, and still have breathing room. The key is accepting what you can’t fit in rather than trying to rush through too many destinations. We’d suggest focusing on Rome, Florence, and Venice as the spine, then adding one shorter stop (Cinque Terre, Bologna, or Milan).

 

Do I need a car for 10 days in Italy?

No, not for this itinerary. Italy’s high-speed train network connects all the cities on this route, and the journeys are fast (the longest is the La Spezia to Venice transit on Day 8 at around 5 hours). Within each city, you can get around on foot and by public transport. A car would be more of a hassle than a help, given the expense of tolls and city parking and the restrictions in pedestrian-only historic centres.

 

How much does 10 days in Italy cost?

Costs vary a lot depending on your travel style. As a rough guide, budget travellers staying in hostels and eating cheaply could manage on €80-100 per person per day. Mid-range travellers in 3-star hotels eating at trattorias are looking at €150-250 per person per day. Add train tickets between cities (roughly €30-60 per leg if booked in advance), attraction entry fees, and tours on top of that. Italy isn’t a cheap destination, but good food is available at every price point.

 

What is the best time of year to visit Italy?

April to May and September to October are our favourite times. The weather is warm and pleasant, the crowds are smaller than summer, and prices are more reasonable. July and August are hot and crowded, especially in Rome and Florence. Winter is quieter and cheaper, but some attractions have reduced hours and the Cinque Terre overnight on Day 7 doesn’t really work outside of the March-November season.

 

Should I book train tickets in advance in Italy?

Yes, for the high-speed trains between cities. Booking 2-4 weeks in advance is usually about half the walk-up price and guarantees you a seat on the specific train you want. You can book up to several months ahead. The local Cinque Terre Express train between La Spezia and Manarola is fine to buy on the day from a station ticket machine (it’s part of the Cinque Terre Card).

 

Is the Venice entry fee required for overnight visitors?

No, but you still need to register. If you’re staying overnight in a hotel, B&B, or apartment in Venice, you’re exempt from the access fee because you already pay a tourist tax through your accommodation. The exemption is not automatic: you need to pre-register on the official site to demonstrate the exemption and receive a free QR code. The fee only applies to day visitors on specific dates in spring and early summer. Check the official site for the exact dates and to register.

 

Is Cinque Terre worth visiting on a 10-day Italy itinerary?

Yes, if you stay overnight. The villages are at their best after the day-tour buses leave around 5pm and before they arrive again the next morning. A long day trip from Florence is the worst version of the Cinque Terre experience. If you can’t fit an overnight, we’d suggest saving the Cinque Terre for a future trip rather than rushing it.

A note for first-timers: Cinque Terre is also pronounced “Cheen-kweh Teh-rreh” (Italian for “five lands”), so you’ll know what people are saying when you book.

 

Which Cinque Terre village should I stay in?

We’ve stayed in Manarola and prefer it: it’s small, has the classic photo composition, and is central to the other four. Vernazza is the prettiest from the harbour and has good restaurants. Monterosso is the largest and the only one with a proper sandy beach. Corniglia is the quietest (it’s the only village not directly on the water, perched on a cliff above the train station) and is the right pick if you want minimal crowds at the cost of harbour views. Riomaggiore is the easiest if you arrive late by train.

 

How much is the Cinque Terre Train Card for 2026?

The Cinque Terre Train Card is demand-banded for 2026: €22 for an adult one-day card in the Green Zone (weekdays in March, April, May, October), €29.50 in the Yellow Zone (June, September, and some weekends), and €35 in the Red Zone (July, August, all weekends, all holidays). It covers unlimited Cinque Terre Express train travel, access to the paid Sentiero Azzurro trails, the park shuttle buses, and WiFi. Valid 14 March to 2 November 2026. Buy at any village station ticket machine on arrival.

 

Is the Sentiero Azzurro hiking trail open?

Partially, as of May 2026. Riomaggiore to Manarola (the Via dell’Amore) is open. Corniglia to Vernazza is open. Vernazza to Monterosso is open. The Manarola to Corniglia section has been closed long-term due to landslide damage, with reopening currently projected for 2029. Trail status changes after heavy rain, so check the park’s trail-closures page before you go.

 

Do I need a ticket for the Trevi Fountain?

Only if you want to step down to the basin area, the stone steps directly in front of the water. A new €2 fee was introduced in February 2026 for basin access; the view from above the steps (which is where most photos are taken) remains free. Tickets are bookable online, at Civic Museums, Tourist Infopoints, or at the entrance, card only, daily 9am to 10pm. Free for Rome residents, under-5s, and persons with disabilities plus carers.

 

Is St. Peter’s Basilica free to enter?

Yes. Entry to the basilica itself is free; you just need to wait in the security queue, which can be long in peak season. The basilica officially has no skip-the-line product. What it does have is a paid timed-entry reservation with a digital audio guide that gets you in through a dedicated entrance, bookable on the basilica’s website. The dome climb and the Treasury Museum are separate ticketed extras.

 

Do Vatican Museum tickets require ID?

Yes, since August 2024. All tickets must be issued in the buyer’s name, names of all participants are required at booking, and government-issued ID must be shown at entry. If staff judge that a visitor doesn’t qualify for a reduced ticket (student, EU youth), the full price is charged on the day on top of the discounted ticket already purchased. Book the right category up front.

 

How much is the Uffizi in 2026?

€25 at the on-site ticket office (walk-up, subject to queues) or €29 online with a €4 reservation fee and a timed slot. From 1 January 2026 there’s a new €16 reduced ticket for entries from 4pm, useful if your afternoon Florence sightseeing leaves a late-day Uffizi window. Tickets are personal, non-transferable, and non-refundable. Free first Sunday of each month. Book via the official site.

 

How much is the Accademia (David) in 2026?

€16 at the door (subject to availability) or €20 online with a €4 reservation fee. A €26 Accademia and Bargello combined ticket (48-hour validity) launched on 15 March 2026, and a €38 six-museum pass (Accademia, Bargello, Medici Chapels, Palazzo Davanzati, Orsanmichele, Casa Martelli, 72 hours) is also available. Free first Sunday of each month plus 25 April, 2 June, and 4 November 2026; 8 March is free for women.

 

How much is the Doge’s Palace in Venice?

€30 standard, €25 if booked online at least 30 days in advance. The Secret Itineraries tour (which is the one we’d recommend) is €32 full or €20 reduced, with English-language slots at 10:00, 11:30, and 13:00. Tour duration about 1h15, minimum 2 and maximum 25 people. Book via visitmuve.it.

 

How much is the Pantheon entry fee?

€5 currently, rising to €7 from 1 July 2026 under an agreement between the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Diocese of Rome. Free for under-18s, persons with disabilities, and Rome residents. €2 reduced for 18-25 year olds. Booking a timed entry slot is required.

 

Is the Vasari Corridor in Florence open?

Yes. The corridor reopened on 21 December 2024 after a long closure and is now bookable as a €20 supplement to a standard Uffizi ticket. Slots are limited; book ahead via the Uffizi’s official booking site.

 

Castel Sant’Angelo opening hours?

Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 7:30pm, last entry 6:30pm. Closed every Monday. Also closed 25 December, 1 January, and a small handful of additional dates listed on the CoopCulture site. If your Rome itinerary lands a Vatican day on a Monday and you want to include Castel Sant’Angelo, switch the order.

 

Is there a Pope at the moment, and when can I see him?

Pope Leo XIV (elected May 2025) is the current Pope. He holds a public General Audience on Wednesdays at 10am in St. Peter’s Square (or in the Paul VI Audience Hall in winter). Tickets are free but need to be requested in advance via the Prefecture of the Papal Household. The Angelus blessing from his apartment window is on Sundays at 12:00.

 

Best Rome to Florence train?

Frecciarossa (Trenitalia) or Italo. Both are high-speed services, both take around 90 minutes Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, both are comfortable, and both are competitively priced if you book 2-4 weeks ahead. Pick on price for your specific date.

 

Best Florence to Cinque Terre train?

Firenze Santa Maria Novella to La Spezia Centrale, usually with one change at Pisa Centrale, total around 2.5 hours. Then change at La Spezia onto the Cinque Terre Express local train for the 8-minute hop to Manarola. The full route is bookable through Trainline or Trenitalia.

 

How do I get from Manarola to Venice?

Cinque Terre Express from Manarola to La Spezia Centrale (8 minutes), then a high-speed train La Spezia to Venezia Santa Lucia via Milano Centrale (around 5 hours total including the Milan change). Book the La Spezia to Venice leg in advance; fares jump on the day. Alternatively, La Spezia to Florence then Florence to Venice is roughly the same total time and gives you a single change instead of two.

 

How much is the Alilaguna ferry from San Marco to Marco Polo Airport?

€18 single, €32 return for the Blue line, includes 1 heavy bag plus 1 hand luggage. Journey time about 1h15 for the Blue line. The Red and Orange lines are the same price but slightly different routes; Blue is the most common San Marco-VCE service. Allow at least two hours pre-flight including the boat transfer.

 

Where should I eat in Rome?

Da Armando al Pantheon (Bib Gourmand 2026, family-run since 1961, near the Pantheon, book ahead) for a sit-down Roman lunch. The Trastevere food scene for an evening; a guided food tour is the easy way to find the best spots. The Testaccio neighbourhood is the food locals’ Rome.

 

Where should I eat in Florence?

All’Antico Vinaio on Via dei Neri (the original is at number 65R, with additional outlets at 74, 76, and 78 on the same street) for a schiacciata sandwich lunch. Trattoria Mario on Via Rosina 2R (lunch only Monday to Saturday, no reservations, queues form before opening) for the classic Florentine working-lunch trattoria. Trattoria Sostanza on Via del Porcellana 25R (open Monday to Friday lunch and dinner, closed Saturday and Sunday, cash only, two seatings nightly) for the butter chicken and the Florentine steak. Mercato Centrale upstairs food hall for a fast lunch with options.

 

Where should I eat in Venice?

Cannaregio is the answer. The bacaro crawl along the Fondamenta dei Ormesini is the way to eat in Venice (small bars serving cicchetti, the local small plates), and it’s where you’ll be away from the tourist menus around St. Mark’s. Avoid the restaurants with menus in five languages and pictures of the dishes.

 

Can I do this itinerary with kids?

Yes, with adjustments. We’d skip the long Day 8 La Spezia to Venice train (which is a lot for young children) and either replace the Cinque Terre overnight with the Tuscany alternative or split the trip differently. A Manarola overnight followed by a Florence return and a separate Florence to Venice train the next morning is more manageable for families, though it adds a day.

 

What should I pack for 10 days in Italy?

Comfortable broken-in walking shoes (non-negotiable), a light scarf or wrap for church entry, a reusable water bottle, a European travel adapter, sun protection in summer, a light layer for evenings (even in summer; Venice can cool surprisingly quickly), and one smart-casual outfit for a nicer dinner if you book one.

 

How early should I book accommodation?

For April-May or September-October travel, 3-4 months ahead. For July-August, 5-6 months ahead. Florence and Venice fill up fastest, and Manarola only has a few dozen rooms in total across the village, so the Cinque Terre overnight needs the longest lead time.

 

Can I see the Last Supper on this itinerary?

No, the Last Supper is in Milan, which isn’t on this itinerary. If you want to see it, you’ll need to swap one of the bases for Milan or extend the trip to two weeks. Tickets for the Last Supper (Cenacolo Vinciano) need to be booked months in advance.