15:30–16:30
1Rome hotel check-in Rest
Drop bags near Piazza Navona area, hotel is walkable to everything for the next four days.
Trips planned by Robin · Rome, Italy
Italy Itinerary: Rome, Florence & Venice in 10 Days.
Ten days, three cities, two trains: this is the classic first Italy trip done at a humane pace. Four nights in Rome cover the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Aventine's secret keyhole without stacking them into one exhausting day; three in Florence pair the Uffizi and David with a leather workshop and a Piazzale Michelangelo sunset; two in Venice end the trip on the water, from a first cicchetti lunch at Cantina Do Mori to a last wander through the Rialto Market. The fast trains between them take under two hours each.
Robin planned this trip forFirst visitThe classic trio by trainBalanced paceEarly MayChange these assumptions →
Planned by Robin
10 days · 54 stops
Every place is real, planned with the same verified data that Robin uses in the app. How these itineraries are made
10-day Rome itinerary at a glance
1Arrive Rome→Pantheon→Trevi at dusk
2Colosseum→Forum→Aventine Keyhole→Orange Garden sunset
3Vatican Museums→St Peter's→Trastevere evening
4Galleria Borghese→Villa Borghese→Piazza Navona at dusk
5Train to Florence→All'Antico Vinaio→climb the Duomo's dome
6Uffizi→Mercato Centrale→leather workshop→Oltrarno
7Accademia's David→Boboli→Piazzale Michelangelo sunset
8Train to Venice→Cantina Do Mori→traghetto crossing
9St Mark's & Doge's Palace→Murano glassblowing→Cannaregio
10Rialto Market→Dorsoduro farewell walk
- Best for
- First-time visitors doing the classic trio properly
- Car needed
- No car at any point: it is all walking, metros and two fast trains
- Where to stay
- Rome's centro storico, central Florence, then Venice proper (not Mestre)
- Best months
- April to June and September to October; this plan runs in early May
- Pace
- Balanced
- Robin recommends
- Book the four timed museums (Vatican, Borghese, Uffizi, Accademia) and both trains before you fly; everything else can stay loose
Your 10-day route
All stops, numbered by day order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 1 · Monday
Day 1: Rome at dusk, the gentle way in
Arrival day in Rome, settle in, then let the evening ease you into the city with a walk past floodlit Trevi and Pantheon before dinner in the centro storico.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
↓1.0 km · ~13 min walk
17:00–17:40
2Pantheon & Piazza della Rotonda Sight
The oculus still floods the coffered dome with light this late in the day, step inside before it closes.
↓760 m · ~10 min walk
18:45–19:15
3Trevi Fountain at dusk Sight
Arrive as the lamps come on, the crowds thin noticeably after 8pm if you circle back.
↓2.3 km · a short ride
19:45–21:00
4Roscioli Eat
Legendary salumeria-restaurant near Campo de' Fiori, cacio e pepe worth the queue.
Via dei Giubbonari 21
Day 2 · Tuesday
Day 2: Ancient Rome & the Aventine's secret keyhole
Ancient Rome day: the Colosseum and Forum in the morning cool, then a quiet afternoon in the Aventine's secret keyhole view and the Orange Garden at sunset.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–09:40
1Colosseum Sight
Book the earliest entry slot, the arena floor is far less crowded before 9am tour groups arrive.
↓810 m · ~10 min walk
11:15–11:55
2Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Sight
Same ticket covers both, climb Palatine Hill for the view down over the Circus Maximus.
↓1.7 km · ~21 min walk
13:15–14:00
3Trapizzino Trastevere Eat
Roman street-food pocket sandwiches, invented here, try the trippa or chicken cacciatora filling.
↓1.5 km · ~19 min walk
15:00–16:00
4Aventine Keyhole Sight
Peek through the Knights of Malta keyhole for a perfectly framed view of St Peter's dome through hedge-lined garden.
↓220 m · ~3 min walk
16:15–17:30
5Giardino degli Aranci Nature
Orange-tree garden with the best sunset panorama over the Tiber and Trastevere rooftops.
↓920 m · ~11 min walk
18:00–19:30
6Da Enzo al 29 Eat
Trastevere trattoria loved for classic carbonara and cacio e pepe in a tiny local room.
Robin's tip. After the Forum, the Aventine Keyhole and the Orange Garden are a ten-minute uphill walk and most Colosseum crowds never make it. Time the garden for the hour before sunset and the whole city turns gold below you.
Day 3 · Wednesday
Day 3: The Vatican, then gelato & Trastevere
Vatican day, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's, with a proper gelato stop folded in for something purely fun before an evening stroll in Trastevere.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–12:30
1Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Culture
Early entry beats the coach groups, the ceiling is quietest in the first opening hour.
↓620 m · ~8 min walk
12:37–13:52
2St Peter's Basilica Sight
Climb the dome if you have energy, the cupola stairs open onto the whole city and St Peter's Square below.
↓670 m · ~8 min walk
13:59–14:44
3Old Bridge Gelateria Eat
Right by the Vatican walls, generous portions and real fruit flavors, a quick stand-up stop.
↓2.3 km · a short ride
16:00–16:45
4Trastevere wander Walk
Ivy-covered lanes and Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere at golden hour, before the aperitivo crowds arrive.
↓100 m · ~2 min walk
18:00–19:30
5Osteria der Belli Eat
Local favorite for seafood and Roman-Jewish specialties in the heart of Trastevere.
Day 4 · Thursday
Day 4: Borghese masterpieces & a slow Roman evening
A gentler Rome day: Borghese Gallery's masterpieces in the morning, then the Villa Borghese gardens and a passeggiata through Piazza Navona at dusk.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–11:00
1Galleria Borghese Culture
Bernini's sculptures glow in morning light through the villa's windows, timed entry is mandatory, book ahead.
↓1.0 km · ~13 min walk
11:15–12:30
2Villa Borghese Gardens Nature
Rent a rowboat on the little lake by the Temple of Aesculapius for a quiet half hour on the water.
↓4.1 km · a short ride
13:00–13:45
3Pizzarium Bonci Eat
Trapizzino founder's rival, pizza al taglio by weight, near the Vatican, worth the detour for the crust alone.
↓3.2 km · a short ride
16:30–17:10
4Piazza Navona at dusk Sight
Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain lit up as street artists and evening crowds gather, pure Roman ritual.
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↓410 m · ~5 min walk
18:00–19:30
5Armando al Pantheon Eat
Family-run since 1961, a splurge-free classic Roman dinner two steps from the Pantheon.
Day 5 · Friday
Day 5: To Florence, straight up the Duomo's dome
Travel morning to Florence, then straight into the Duomo and a golden-hour climb up its dome for the rooftop view over the city.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
08:15–08:55
1Depart Rome for Florence train Transit
Head to Roma Termini in time for the 09:05 departure, leave hotel by 08:15 to clear security comfortably.
09:05–10:40
2Rome → Florence Transit
High-speed Frecciarossa train, about 1h35, grab a window seat for the Tuscan countryside past Arezzo.
↓301 km · ~306 min drive
11:00–12:00
3Florence hotel check-in Rest
Drop bags before diving into the historic center on foot.
↓270 m · ~3 min walk
12:15–13:00
4All'Antico Vinaio Eat
Legendary schiacciata sandwiches near the Uffizi, order the 'La Favolosa' and eat it on the go.
↓690 m · ~9 min walk
14:00–15:30
5Duomo & Baptistery exterior Sight
Ghiberti's bronze doors and Brunelleschi's dome from the piazza, save the climb for the golden-hour slot below.
16:00–17:30
6Climb the Duomo's Dome Sight
463 steps up between the double shells for a rooftop panorama as the light turns gold, book the timed slot ahead.
↓500 m · ~6 min walk
18:00–19:30
7Trattoria Mario Eat
No-frills, decades-old Florentine trattoria near the market, famous for bistecca and ribollita.
Day 6 · Saturday
Day 6: The Uffizi & an afternoon making leather in Santa Croce
Uffizi masterpieces in the morning, then an afternoon workshop where you make your own leather goods before an Oltrarno evening.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–11:30
1Uffizi Gallery Culture
Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera in one room, book the earliest slot to beat tour groups.
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↓1.3 km · ~16 min walk
11:44–12:29
2Mercato Centrale Shopping
Ground floor stalls sell Florentine produce and cheese, browse before or after lunch, not as a meal stop.
↓1.5 km · ~19 min walk
14:30–16:30
3Leather workshop at Scuola del Cuoio
Hands-on leather-stamping class inside a former monastery behind Santa Croce, make your own small goods.
↓1.5 km · ~19 min walk
17:00–18:00
4Oltrarno wander Walk
Artisan workshops and quiet lanes across the Arno, far fewer tourists than the centro storico.
↓170 m · ~2 min walk
18:05–19:35
5Osteria Santo Spirito Eat
Piazza-side osteria in the Oltrarno, a relaxed evening away from the main tourist grid.
Day 7 · Sunday
Day 7: David, the Boboli & the postcard sunset
Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, then a ride up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the sunset that put Florence on every postcard.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–10:30
1Galleria dell'Accademia Culture
Michelangelo's David up close, the muscle definition reads best in the morning skylight, arrive at opening.
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↓580 m · ~7 min walk
10:36–11:16
2San Lorenzo Market & Medici Chapels Sight
Wander the leather stalls, then step into the Medici Chapels for Michelangelo's tomb sculptures.
↓720 m · ~9 min walk
12:00–12:45
3Panino at I Due Fratellini Eat
Tiny hole-in-the-wall since 1875, grab a panino and eat standing at the counter, a genuine local ritual.
↓1.3 km · ~16 min walk
14:00–15:30
4Boboli Gardens Nature
Renaissance formal gardens behind Palazzo Pitti, climb to the Fortezza terrace for a quiet green break.
↓1.6 km · ~20 min walk
17:00–17:40
5Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset Sight
The classic postcard view of Florence's skyline and dome, best 45 minutes before actual sunset.
↓1.9 km · ~23 min walk
18:00–19:30
6La Casalinga Eat
Old-school Oltrarno trattoria, unfussy Tuscan classics at fair prices, popular with locals.
Day 8 · Monday
Day 8: To Venice, cicchetti first
Travel morning to Venice, then straight onto the water. San Marco and a first gondola-eye look at the canals as evening falls.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
08:15–08:55
1Depart Florence for Venice train Transit
Head to Firenze Santa Maria Novella for the 09:30 departure, leave hotel by 08:15 for a comfortable margin.
09:30–11:45
2Florence → Venice Transit
Frecciarossa train, about 2h15 through the Apennines and into the Veneto plain.
12:15–13:00
3Venice hotel check-in Rest
Hotel is steps from St Mark's, drop bags and head straight into the lagoon light.
↓260 m · ~3 min walk
13:15–14:00
4Cantina Do Mori Eat
Venice's oldest bacaro (since 1462) near Rialto, cicchetti and an ombra of wine standing at the bar.
↓860 m · ~11 min walk
15:00–15:40
5St Mark's Square first look Sight
The Basilica's mosaics catch the low afternoon sun best from the square's northwest corner.
↓730 m · ~9 min walk
17:00–18:00
6Traghetto gondola crossing at Santa Sofia Nature
Locals' cheap gondola-ferry across the Grand Canal (~€2, standing), the real gondola experience without the tourist price.
↓560 m · ~7 min walk
18:06–19:36
7Osteria alle Testiere Eat
Small, seafood-focused osteria near Santa Maria Formosa, book ahead, a genuine local favorite.
Day 9 · Tuesday
Day 9: San Marco's treasures & glass on Murano
Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica in the morning, then a hands-on glassblowing visit on Murano and dinner back in Cannaregio.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–10:30
1St Mark's Basilica Sight
Early entry avoids the midday queue that wraps the square, the gold mosaics glow best with morning light through the west doors.
↓120 m · ~2 min walk
10:35–12:20
2Doge's Palace Culture
Cross the Bridge of Sighs and see the vast Council Chamber, book combined ticket to skip the line.
_Doge%27s_Palace_and_campanile_of_St._Mark%27s_Basilica_facing_the_sea.jpg){kind=link}
↓840 m · ~10 min walk
12:30–13:15
3All'Arco Eat
Tiny Rialto-market bacaro, cicchetti made fresh from the fish stalls next door.
↓3.4 km · a short ride
14:30–15:15
4Murano glassblowing visit
Watch a furnace demonstration at a working fornace, then browse, the craft that made this island famous.
17:00–17:30
5Vaporetto back to Cannaregio Transit
Public vaporetto line 4.1/4.2 from Murano, about 25 minutes, buy a single-ride or day pass ticket.
18:00–19:30
6Vini da Gigio Eat
Cannaregio canal-side trattoria loved by locals for Venetian classics like fegato alla veneziana.
Choose your Venice afternoon
If you love craft and firekeep the Murano glassblowing visit, and take the slower vaporetto back through the lagoon light
If you are chasing color for your camerastay on the boat one more stop and give Burano's painted houses the afternoon instead, ask Robin to swap it and it will retime the day
If you would rather drift than sightseeskip the islands entirely for a San Polo bacaro crawl, Venice rewards aimlessness more than any city on this trip
Ask Robin to personalize this day →
Day 10 · Wednesday
Day 10: The Rialto Market & a soft goodbye
A soft last morning, the Rialto Market's fish stalls one last time and a farewell walk before your departure.
Stops in walking order · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
09:00–10:30
1Rialto Market
Fish and produce stalls along the Grand Canal, liveliest before 11am and closed Sundays, a last taste of everyday Venice.
↓1.7 km · ~21 min walk
10:48–12:03
2Dorsoduro wander to Zattere Walk
Quiet canals and the wide Zattere promenade facing Giudecca, a calm farewell walk away from the crowds.
↓220 m · ~3 min walk
12:15–13:00
3Farewell lunch, Cantine del Vino già Schiavi Eat
Canal-side wine bar in Dorsoduro known for creative cicchetti, a relaxed final meal before departure.
Bucket-list foods in Rome
Pizza al taglio
Rome's by-the-slice pizza, cut with scissors and sold by weight. The high-hydration crust at the good places is a different food from round pizza.
On this trip: Pizzarium Bonci, day 4 lunch, near the Vatican walls
Bistecca alla fiorentina
Florence's thick-cut T-bone, seared rare over coals and priced by the etto. Order one for the table, not one each.
On this trip: Trattoria Mario, day 5 dinner, a lunch-counter institution by the market
Cicchetti with an ombra
Venice's bar-top small plates, baccalà mantecato and half-eggs with anchovy, eaten standing with a small glass of wine.
On this trip: Cantina Do Mori, day 8, the city's oldest bacaro, and All'Arco on day 9
Real gelato
The tell is covered steel tins and muted colors, not fluorescent mountains. When in doubt, order pistachio and judge.
On this trip: Old Bridge Gelateria, day 3, after the Vatican
Where to stay for this itinerary
Stay in Rome: the centro storico (Pantheon to Campo de' Fiori) if…
- you want the Pantheon and Trevi as your evening walks
- four nights justify paying for the middle of everything
Stay in Florence: between the Duomo and Santa Croce if…
- you want every museum on this plan within fifteen minutes on foot
- morning queues reward sleeping close
Stay in Venice: Cannaregio or San Polo, on the island if…
- you want the canals at night after the day-trippers leave
- you'd rather pay Venice prices for two nights than commute from Mestre
Before you go
How do the trains work?
Two legs, both on the fast Frecciarossa or Italo services: Rome to Florence takes about an hour and a half, Florence to Venice about two hours. Seats are reserved and prices rise as trains fill, so book both legs when you book the trip. Big luggage rides the racks by the doors, no checking, no weighing.
What must be booked ahead?
Four museums on this plan use timed entry and sell out: the Vatican Museums, Galleria Borghese (reservation-only, the strictest of the four), the Uffizi and the Accademia. The Duomo dome climb in Florence is also a timed slot. Book all five before you fly and the rest of the trip needs almost nothing.
Which airports should you use?
Fly open-jaw: into Rome Fiumicino and home from Venice Marco Polo, so you never backtrack. Both connect to their cities easily, the Leonardo Express train in Rome and the Alilaguna boat or a bus in Venice.
Is 10 days enough for Italy?
For the classic trio, yes, with breathing room this exact split provides. What it cannot hold is the south or the coast: Naples and the Amalfi, or the Cinque Terre, each want two to three days of their own. Treat them as the reason to come back, or stretch the trip as below.
Do you need to speak Italian?
No, tourism runs comfortably in English everywhere on this route. A buongiorno on entering a shop and a grazie on leaving carry you far, and menus in the places this plan books are used to visitors without pandering to them.
12–14 days
Have 12–14 days?
First, decide south or coast
The two classic extensions pull in opposite directions: Naples and the Amalfi Coast extend from Rome's end of the trip, the Cinque Terre from Florence's. Pick one, the itinerary that tries both spends its extra days on trains.
The southern version: Naples & the Amalfi
Add the days before Florence: from Rome it is 70 minutes to Naples for pizza and Pompeii, then two nights on the Amalfi Coast before rejoining the plan northbound. Ask Robin to fold it in and the trains re-thread automatically.
The coastal version: the Cinque Terre
Add two days after Florence: the five villages are a regional-train loop from La Spezia, best walked between in the morning and swum from in the afternoon, then continue to Venice a day later than planned.
Make this itinerary yours
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