My is easily my most popular article. This itinerary is ideal for first-time visitors, but not everyone has the time or budget to travel to Italy. If you only have a week to spare for Italy, there are options for a 1-week itinerary.
If you’re looking to manage your own trip to Italy, my step by step guide will show you how to create your itinerary.
Itinerary Planning Assumptions
First, let me clarify that I am referring to “one week” as one week of school or work days. This means you will be taking five days off. Itineraries are actually a flight that you take on Friday night or Saturday morning, and then you fly home the next week. However, the actual time you are gone is more like eight-nine days. I try to squeeze as much vacation as possible into one week.
Second, the itinerary, like my two-week itinerary, is focused on Italy’s “Holy Trinity”, Rome and Florence. You have many options for day trips, and you can add other flavors to your trip depending on what you choose.
To maximize your time exploring, I recommend you stay in the historical center of each destination. You may be able to save some money by booking a hotel in the outskirts. You’ll also need to use the Metro or bus to get to the attractions every day. You can enjoy more vacation time if you live closer to the attractions.
This itinerary was created around an “open-jaw” ticket, which allows you to spend more time exploring Italy than in transit. This means that you will fly to one city and then return to your destination. These tickets are usually less expensive than a round-trip ticket and will allow you to spend more time on the ground. These are some tips to find cheap airfare to Italy .
Itinerary Ideas for a Week in Italy
The “Holy Trinity” + Pompeii
This itinerary includes Italy’s three major tourist attractions, as well as Pompeii, which is a great choice for those who want to add more sights to their travel bucket lists. This itinerary is also great for history buffs, who feel chills walking on the same ancient cobblestones as the Romans.
Venice: 2 nights in a hotel (optional half-day excursion to the lagoon islands).
Florence 2 nights hotel (optional half day trip to Pisa).
Rome – 4 nights hotel (including a half-day trip in Ostia or a day trip into Pompeii)
This itinerary is available:
- Fly into Venice (VCE), and Rome (FCO).
- It’s possible to take the train anywhere, so you don’t need to rent an automobile in Italy.
- Your “week” will determine how many nights you stay in Venice. Stay two nights if you can squeeze nine days into a week-long vacation. It is worth it.
- These optional side trips can be listed to help you make a decision if you’d like to explore more of the area. However, you could easily spend a full day in Venice and two days in Florence without needing to visit any other cities. After a day in Pompeii, Rome is a great place to be. A side-trip to Ostia, which allows you to visit the beach and see an excavation of another ancient Roman city, can help you to feel content. All this within half an hour of Rome.
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The “Holy Trinity” + Siena
We all have that friend who has been to Italy and can’t stop talking about Siena. There are many good reasons to do this, so why not visit it? It’ll give you time in Italy’s three major cities, plus some extra time in this charming Tuscan town. An overnight stay is even better.
Venice 1-2 Hotel Nights (optional half day trip to Verona or the lagoon islands)
Florence 2 nights hotel (optional half day trip to Pisa
Siena: 1 hotel night
Rome: 3 hotel nights
This itinerary is available:
- Fly into Venice (VCE), and Rome (FCO).
- Public transportation will be your only option for the entire trip. You don’t need to rent a car. You can take the train almost anywhere, but it is faster to travel by bus from Florence to Siena.
- If you want to skip Siena, and spend a little more time wandering aimlessly through Tuscany, then renting a car is a great option.
- The length of your “week” will determine how many nights you stay in Venice. Stay two nights if you can squeeze nine days into a week-long vacation. It is worth it.
- These optional side trips can be listed to provide some ideas if you’re looking for more. However, you could easily spend a full day in Venice or two days in Florence without any distractions.
The “Holy Trinity” + Cinque Terre
Many summer vacations to Italy are incomplete without a time at the sea. This itinerary includes a trip through and two nights in one the five villages that comprise the Cinque Terre. These villages are no longer quaint fishing towns. They’re now extremely popular with backpackers and hikers from America and Germany. They are still stunning, no matter where they are located. Although the beaches aren’t among the best in Italy, the one located in Montterosso al Mare, the largest Cinque Terre town is quite good.
Venice: 1-2 hotel nights
Cinque Terre: 2 hotel nights
Florence – 2 nights hotel (optional Pisa Visit en Route from Liguria).
Rome: 2 hotel nights
This itinerary is available:
- Fly into Venice (VCE), and Rome (FCO).
- It’s possible to take the train anywhere, so you don’t need to rent a car.
- The length of your “week” will determine how many nights you stay in Venice. Stay two nights if you can squeeze nine days into a week-long vacation. It is worth it.
- You will need to change trains from Cinque Terre to Florence. If you are not sure where to store your luggage, then take the bus to the center of Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It takes less than two hours to visit the cathedral, baptistery and tower. This is a great way to end a long day of travel.
- It is the trail linking five villages that is the most popular in the Cinque Terre . This makes it the most crowded. Although there are many trails in the National Park, you can still enjoy the beauty of the area by hiring a guide or getting a detailed map.
The “Holy Trinity” + The Amalfi Coast
This itinerary is great for summer trips when simply looking at the water is not enough. You can spend a few days on the shimmering , and then get back on the beach. These beach towns are extremely popular with foreign tourists as well as Italian vacationers during summer. If possible, book lodging in advance.
Venice: 1-2 hotel nights
Florence: 2 hotel nights
Rome: 2 hotel nights
Amalfi Coast: 2 hotel nights
This itinerary is available:
- Fly into Venice (VCE), and Naples (NAP). You can schedule your flight from Naples earlier in the day to make it from the Amalfi Coast. This will allow you to avoid having to move to Naples to spend your last night.
- The entire trip will be taken by public transport, so you don’t need to rent a vehicle. You will take the bus from Sorrento to reach the Amalfi Coast.
- There are many towns that you can choose to base yourself along the Amalfi Coast. Although Sorrento doesn’t actually belong to the Amalfi Coast it is a part of it. However, it is very similar and a great option for day trips. However, Amalfi and Positano have the best beaches. You will need to climb many stairs to reach the beach from Positano, which is especially vertical.
