The Perfect 10 Day Italy Itinerary

January 25, 2019

Italy, Itineraries

The perfect 10 days in Italy to see the sights, experience the culture, and enjoy the delicious cuisine!

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When planning a trip to Italy, I knew there would be more to see than days I had to spend there. It was important to me to spend the right amount of time in each city and I think I nailed it! This 10 day itinerary was about seeing the highlights while also enjoying the experience and taking in the culture.

If, like me, you have limited time available to be traveling, the one piece of advice I have for you when planning a trip to Italy is: do not try to see and do everything.It is for your own good that you give that idea up right now.

My usual pace for travel includes spending half of each day doing some type of sightseeing or guided tour, the other half of the day I like to leave open for exploration and relaxation. This is the way I have found the most enjoyment in my travels. If I have tried to plan more into my days, I felt that when I came back I needed another vacation from that vacation because I was just as stressed (if not more) than when I left.

Italy is beautiful, it is unique, and there is so much to enjoy. Take a page from their book and slow down. Drink the wine, enjoy long five course dinners, and walk everywhere you can. It will be life-changing!

Best Time Of Year To Visit Italy

If you are wondering about the best time of year to visit Italy, I would say there isn’t ever a bad time to go! As far as my trip, I chose to aim for early October. When I visited I felt it was a great time of year because it offered mild but still warm weather. Tourist sites were active but not packed and crowded, which was a pleasant surprise. When comparing pricing, I also thought October had much better and more reasonable prices for hotels and airfare.

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Getting To Italy

If you’re considering a trip to Italy, the first thing on your mind is probably the cost of the flight/s to get there. I know it is for me!

If you’re anything like me, you also probably want to find the very best deal for your flight. That means doing my research.

I highly recommend starting your search with Skyscanner. It is what I personally use and it is an excellent tool for finding great deals on flights.

I start by searching for flights by inputting my destination location, in this case: Rome, Italy. The next thing I click is “flexible dates” so I can see the cheapest days within my preferred month or months.

If I am not ready to buy right then, I click “Get Price Alerts” and will receive notifications when prices change. It really does help me compare dates and prices seamlessly.

You can try it for yourself here:

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Traveling Between Cities in Italy

In Italy, traveling between cities is easy! There are two main train stations in Rome. You will make your way to one of them, go to a counter and purchase your ticket. You can also purchase them ahead if you prefer, but you will need to remember to print them off before leaving home and to carry them with you. The benefit of taking the high speed trains is that the time between cities is short so you can maximize your sightseeing on the same day!

Click Here To Discover Europe by Train with Eurail!

Examples of my train ride times between cities:

Rome to Florence: 1 hour 22 minutes
Florence to Venice: 2 hours 5 minutes
Venice to Rome: 3 hours 40 minutes

Rome: Days 1-4

Rome is where I started. This was for a few reasons, the first being when searching for flights, Rome was the least expensive option for flying in and out. The second was because there was so much to see and I wanted to start off with my busiest tour days early in the trip.

When selecting a hotel in Rome, I went with somewhere that offered close proximity to many sights so walking everywhere would be an option. My hotel choice checked all the boxes. Close to the jaw-dropping pantheon and within walking distance to pretty much everything in the city, I fell in love with the beautiful, boutique hotel named Albergo del Senato.

Day 1: Arrived, Checked into the hotel, Explored the city

Day 2: Tour of the Vatican City

Day 3: Colosseum, Pantheon, and Forum Walking Tour

Day 4: Saw the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and went back to the Forum

Wondering where I ate while in Rome? Check out my guide to Allergy-Friendly Eating in Rome, Italy!

Florence: Days 5-7

Traveling in Italy is wonderful because each city very much has it’s own feeling and unique characteristics. In my opinion, Florence is an absolutely spectacular city. I was captivated by the rich culture, the beauty of everything from the buildings to the landscape, and the ease of getting around on foot. During the day the streets were busy and bustling, at night they were calm and peaceful.

I selected another boutique hotel, Hotel Davanzati, for my stay in Florence. Just blocks from the Duomo, Uffizi, and train station, the location was a winner! The only catch with this hotel is a long set of stairs you must take up and down from the street but if you’re physically able to walk around Florence, you most likely wont have an issue!

Day 5: Arrive in Florence, Check into the hotel, Tour of the Duomo

Day 6: Hop-on-hop-off Bus Tour of the City

Day 7: Tour of the Uffizi

Wondering where I ate while in Florence? Check out my guide to Allergy-Friendly Eating in Florence, Italy!

Venice: Days 8-10

Venice holds a very special place in my heart. It is a place unlike any other you will ever visit. It’s beautiful in ways you feel inside your soul, something that words fail to accurately describe. The magic of Venice is something I hope everyone can experience at least once in their lifetime.

Getting around Venice is a very unique experience as well. From the train station, you will most likely have to take a water bus.

Be prepared to be patient, depending which route you select, it could take 45 minutes to and hour and a half to get to your stop for the hotel.

Luckily, as I mentioned above, you will be able to have a spectacular view of the city from the water!

Once settled in your hotel, exploring Venice must happen on foot. There is not another way to get around the small and winding streets, and thankfully it is one of the best parts of being there.

I chose Hotel Le Isole for my stay in Venice as it was extremely convenient for getting around. I was very close to a water bus stop, St. Mark’s and many great restaurants. Being centrally located to everything I wanted to do made getting around Venice extremely easy! My only note about this hotel, if you chose to stay there, is to make sure to request not to be in room 209.

Day 8: Arrived in Venice, Check into the hotel, take a Sunset Cruise Tour

Day 9: Tour of St. Mark’s Cathedral and The Doges Palace

Day 10: Water bus to Burano, Gondola ride through the canals

Wondering where I ate while in Venice? Check out my guide to Allergy-Friendly Eating in Venice, Italy!

Conclusion

This 10 day trip is the perfect introduction to some of my favorite places in Italy. It offers enough time to fit in the highlights while also offering valuable time to explore each place without feeling rushed. Italy is one of the many places in the world where I could travel over and over and never see the same thing twice. The history, culture, beautiful landscapes and beaches always leave me with a happy heart and a deep sense of appreciation for life!

Are you planning a trip to Italy and trying to decide what to prioritize? Or have you already visited and had a favorite place you think should be included? Tell me about it below!