7-day Italy itinerary - Rome, Florence, & Venice
With 60 million people, 7,500 kilometers of glorious coastline, hundreds of fabulous cities and towns, and a countryside that has been written about for centuries, Italy’s got a lot to see.
A 7-day trip is the epitome of a “highlight hopper” and you will have time to see just 3 cities; Rome, Florence, and Venice. While that’s not a lot, it can still be a wonderful trip. These are three of the most beautiful cities in the world after all!
Given the limited time, you should plan on spending all 7 days in the city and forget about day trips or jaunts off into the countryside. The idea of a day trip from Florence to Tuscan wine country (Chianti) or the Cinque Terre might seem appealing, but they will be exhausting days and take away from time better spent elsewhere.
In short, a 7-day Italy trip is doable, but you have to plan it perfectly. And that’s what we’ve done for you below!
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Table of contents
Day 1 - Rome: Vatican, Historic Center, & Trastevere
Day 2 - Rome: Colosseum & Forum, Testaccio Market, Terme di Caracala, & Monti district
Day 3 - Rome: Villa Borghese, Villa Medici, Caravaggio, Museo dell’Ara Pacis, & Castel Sant’Angelo
Day 4 - Florence: Duomo, Brunelleschi Dome, Uffizi Gallery, & Piazzale Michelangelo
Day 5 - Florence: Boboli Gardens, Oltrarno neighborhood, Basilica di Santa Croce, Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, & the Accademia
Day 6 - Venice: St. Mark’s, Grand Canal, & Doge’s Palace
Day 7 - Venice: Trip to the Venetian lagoon and Murano, Burano, & Torcello
Alternative 7-day itineraries
Local help with your planning
In the article below we’ve tried to put together a comprehensive itinerary that covers Italy’s absolute highlights in just 7 days. We think this is a solid itinerary for any first-time visitor. But even so, no one itinerary could possibly be perfect for every traveler. How you should spend your 7 days in Italy depends on your interests, your travel style, and what you want to get out of your trip. So consider this plan as a jumping off point to get you started.
If you could use some help figuring out your plan, consider scheduling an Italy travel consultation with our countrywide Local Expert, Dania.
These are one-hour Zoom calls where you’ll get to chat with Dania about the trip you’re planning and she’ll share her tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
Where to go with 7 days in Italy
7 days in Italy gives you enough time to see 3 major cities and potentially do a full-day trip out to the coast or countryside.
While there are endless variations and combinations you could come up with for 7 days, for the vast majority of travelers who may only get to visit Italy once in their lifetime, a first time trip should always include Rome, Florence, and Venice. These are 3 of Italy’s most gorgeous cities and they include some of the best art, culture, and food of anywhere in the country.
Rome was the heart of the Roman empire, Florence was the birthplace of the renaissance, and Venice was the center of the mighty Venetian republic. These cities have been stalwart draws for hundreds and thousands of years for a reason.
Each of these cities needs at least two days to explore them and Rome really needs 3. Assuming you cut Rome down to 2, this leaves you time for a single full day trip away from the cities. Logistically, the easiest option is to save this day for when you are in Florence and can head out to the Tuscan countryside or the Cinque Terre.
Another popular alternative is to spend 3 days in Rome and then spend 4 days in Naples and along the Amalfi Coast. This is a nice vacation, but you see a lot less of Italy with it. It’s not something we usually suggest.
How to get around
For a 7-day trip going to big cities, it’s a no brainer to take the train. It’s faster than the bus, easier than the car, cheap, and eco-friendly. Train service in Italy is fantastic and high-speed trains can zip you between destinations faster than any car. Even small towns in the countryside are usually reachable with trains.
Trains run frequently and are comfortable, easy to navigate, and generally punctual. Train stations are usually located in city centers, so getting to/from them is also simple.
When checking and booking train tickets in Italy, you have two companies and two websites to choose between: Trenitalia and Italo. Trenitlia is the state-run national rail service whereas Italo is a private company.
While some swear by one or the other, we don’t think there’s much difference. Our advice is to simply pick whichever has the most convenient departure time for you and/or the best price.
For this itinerary, you can 100% plan on using the train for all your domestic travel. Having a rental car would just be a hassle.
Where to buy train tickets
Your best bet is to purchase your tickets online on either train company’s official website: https://www.trenitalia.com/ and https://www.italotreno.it/en. However, you can also purchase tickets directly at any train station at a ticket window or via the electronic ticketing machines.
Keep in mind that tickets become more expensive as you get closer to the departure date.
Omio is also a convenient website/app to use if you want to compare options from Trenitalia and Italo at the same time. It’s a 3rd party aggregator so tickets cost a bit more than booking direct, but comparing prices is easy, the site has a great design, and you can keep all your bookings in one place.
When to visit
In general, the best time to visit Italy is in shoulder season: the late spring or early fall. In both periods, the weather is pleasant, the summer crowds are absent, prices are reasonable, and everything is open. The locals are also typically a bit friendlier and more patient, as they’re not overwhelmed by tourist hordes.
The spring shoulder season starts in April, but the north of Italy can still be downright cold and the possibility of rain is a constant throughout the peninsula. Summer destinations - beaches, resort towns, and other places that are dependent on tourism - may still be closed for the season and resemble ghost towns
By mid-May, the picture is very different. You’ll be able to swim throughout much of southern Italy, the threat of spring rain has passed, and daytime temperatures are perfect for sightseeing and outdoor activities. Sites will be open and tourist infrastructure will be up and running, but you still get the benefit of shoulder season prices.
The same conditions hold true for the second half of September and October. The first two weeks of September are still high season in Italy, but by the 15th, Italian and European schoolchildren are all back in classes. By the second half of the month, things shift to shoulder season, and you get to enjoy summerlike weather without any of the drawbacks.
Without the overcrowding seen in summer, early morning visits to palaces, towns, and monuments will often allow you to have the grounds almost entirely to yourself. You can also usually get away with last-minute bookings as there’s quite good availability for everything from car rentals to hotels.
If your schedule allows it, plan to visit in the late spring or early fall instead of the summer.
Itinerary overview
This one week Italy itinerary lets you see Italy’s 3 absolute must-visit cities: Rome, Florence, and Venice.
We pack 3 days of incredible history, culture, and sights into your start in Rome before 2 days of art and Renaissance beauty in Florence, and a final 2 days of blissful waterside exploration along the canals of Venice.
At the bottom of the article, you’ll find a few alternative 7-day itineraries as well.
Before we get into the itinerary, let’s start with some very frank advice - 7 days to visit Italy is not enough. Even 10 day trips mean whirlwind, go-go-go days, so with 7 know that you’re going to be on the move the entire time. Early morning starts and high-speed trains are an absolute must to make the most of your limited time.
That said, let’s get planning!
Day 1 - Rome: Vatican, Historic Center, & Trastevere
Morning
On your first day in Italy, get things started right with a visit to one of the world’s most iconic sites, the Vatican.
To avoid the crowds, try to purchase the earliest available tickets (it opens at 09:00 am) and come here first thing in the morning.
When buying tickets, know that “skip the line tickets” are somewhat of a gimmick; you cannot skip the line at the Vatican or any other sites in Italy. These tickets are merely advance purchase tickets that allow you to skip the queue to buy tickets on-site. Everyone still needs to get in line to go through security. To buy your tickets, always purchase direct through the official Musei Vaticani website.
Once within the Vatican, wander the halls that Popes and Cardinals have traversed for over a thousand years, marvel at Michelangelo’s works in the Sistine Chapel, and defy vertigo by climbing to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica.
While you can do a self-guided tour, you will get much more out of your visit if you hire a guide. Most private guided tours last about 2.5 hours. Our favorite local guide is always the wonderful Francesca Zambini.
After your visit, grab a relaxed lunch at a good trattoria in the surrounding Prati neighborhood. To avoid serious tourist traps, just walk a few blocks away from the Vatican.
Afternoon & evening
In the afternoon, walk from the Vatican back to the city center, crossing the Tiber river and making sure to also pass by Piazza Cavour sq. and the ornate Supreme Court building.
In central Rome, leisurely explore the historic core and stop to admire Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, the Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, Pantheon, and Piazza del Popolo, (among other fabulous sights) all of which are located in a condensed area easily reachable on foot.
Spend the evening in the Trastevere neighborhood enjoying the lively atmosphere and colorful surroundings.
Day 2 - Rome: Colosseum & Forum, Testaccio Market, Terme di Caracala, Monti district
Morning
Get up early again to beat both the crowds and the heat and make your way straight to the Colosseum. A monument that needs no introduction, the Colosseum is always a wonder to behold no matter how many photos you’ve seen or times you’ve passed it in person. To buy tickets, do so via the official Co-Op Culture website. The Colosseum ticket includes entrance to the Roman Forum and Palatine hill.
From the Colosseum, make your way to the grounds of the Roman Forum and Palatine hill where you’ll get to wander amongst the fallen ruins and imagine yourself transported back to ancient Rome.
As always, self-guided tours are an option, but unless you’re a Roman history buff, you just really won’t understand what you’re looking at. There are hundreds of group tour options and lots of touts will try to sell you a group tour directly outside the site.
To enjoy your visit more exclusively and less like one more head in a herd of cattle, spend a little extra and get a private tour. Francesca, our suggested guide for the Vatican, has also been guiding tours of the Colosseum for over a decade.
Afternoon & evening
After finishing at the Forum, it’s time for lunch! For a very cool local experience, hop on the metro and shoot out to the Testaccio neighborhood to visit the local market, Mercato Testaccio (Testaccio Market). Let yourself get lost as you wander the stalls and aisles that house vendors selling all manner of food products and treats. There are also full restaurants inside, so find one you like and have lunch.
After the market, spend some time exploring the surrounding neighborhood, which has changed immensely over the last few decades. Testaccio is one of Rome’s culinary centers, so you’ll find countless fantastic local restaurants all around the neighborhood.
Once you’ve sufficiently discovered Testaccio, make your way back to central Rome with stops at the Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla) and the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano which is the church where all Popes are technically the bishop. Every year the Pope holds Holy Thursday Mass (before Easter) here. Tickets for the Baths can be purchased on the same site as the Colosseum, Co-op Culture.
For dinner tonight, head to the upscale and stylish Monti neighborhood for a classy meal and evening stroll amongst well-heeled Romans.
Day 3 - Rome: Villa Borghese, Villa Medici, works of Caravaggio, Museo dell’Ara Pacis, & Castel Sant’Angelo
Morning
Take it easy this morning and enjoy a bit of a lie in and relaxed breakfast.
Once you’re ready, make your way to the Villa Medici complex high on a hill overlooking central Rome. On your way, first stop at the Terrazza Viale del Belvedere viewpoint for gorgeous views over the city.
At Villa Medici, opt for the scheduled and organized guided tours which last 1.5 hours and will allow you to visit some of the villa’s rooms and explore the beautiful manicured gardens.
After your tour, continue walking on the hill into the huge Villa Borghese park. The park is an urban oasis with a pond, walking trails, many curious structures, restaurants and cafes, and almost endless things to do and see. While here, do not skip a visit to to the Galleria Borghese museum which houses a great collection of art, including masterpieces by Caravaggio.
Afternoon & Evening
Return to the city center by walking along the Tiber River to the Museo dell’Ara Pacis, a fabulous new archaeological museum adjacent to the Mausoleum of Augustus.
If you’ve still got energy at this point, cross the river and head to the Castel Sant’Angelo castle.
Enjoy the evening meandering in central Rome.
Day 4 - Florence: Duomo, Brunelleschi Dome, Uffizi Gallery, & Piazzale Michelangelo
Morning
After 3 days in Rome, it’s time to depart for Tuscany!
Take the metro or grab a cab from your hotel and get to Roma Termini train station for an early train to Florence. To make the most of your time, pay a little extra for a high-speed Frecciarossa train which will get you to Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station in 1.5 hours.
For in-depth info on taking the train, check out our guide to Rome to Florence by train.
In Florence, visit the Duomo di Firenze cathedral and climb to the top of the Brunelleschi Dome. While a tour is ideal, both sites can be visited on your own quite easily. Use your time on the train from Rome to do a little research so you know how a visit works and what you’ll be looking at once you get there!
Entrance to the cathedral is free, but if you want to climb the dome or visit the other monuments in the Duomo complex, you should purchase a Brunelleschi Pass which costs 30 euros and includes entrances to all the monuments. Buy tickets on the official website here.
Afternoon & evening
From the Duomo, head to the Piazza della Signoria, the city’s main square, dominated by the 14th century Palazzo Vecchio tower. Enjoy lunch nearby and soak up Florence’s elegant atmosphere.
After lunch, spend a few hours marveling at renaissance works of art in the Uffizi Gallery, one of the finest museums in Italy and all of Europe. Use the official Uffizi website for tickets to the Gallery and the Boboli gardens.
Once you’re museum-ed out, cross over the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge and make your way up to Piazzale Michelangelo square for a drink and a beautiful sunset over Florence.
Day 5 - Florence: Boboli Gardens, Oltrarno neighborhood, Basilica di Santa Croce, Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, & the Accademia
Morning
Start the day in the serene Giardino di Boboli (Boboli Gardens), enjoying the massive and pristinely maintained grounds. Located directly behind the Pitti Palace, the gardens were designed for the Medici family and were an early version of the classic Italian garden on which many European courts’ based their own.
Afterwards, explore the surrounding Oltrarno neighborhood, which also includes the trendy Santo Spirito area. This side of Florence is full of small boutiques, independent shops, galleries, and artists’ workshops.
Head back into downtown Florence and walk along the Arno river to the Basilica di Santa Croce church, the resting place of Michelangelo and Galileo.
After musing on the lives of these grand figures (and the fleetingness of it all!), meander over to the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio market for a local lunch. The surrounding neighborhood is full of great casual restaurants, so if you don’t find something you like in the market, you surely will nearby.
Afternoon & evening
After lunch, prepare to witness history’s most famous statue, Michelangelo’s David! You could while away an entire day in the Accademia Galley, and while you don’t have that leisure, you should still take your time. For tickets, use the official website here.
In the evening, enjoy dinner and drinks in downtown Florence.
Day 6 - Venice: San Polo neighborhood, Rialto bridge, Dorsoduro district, St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, & a gondola ride
Morning
Take an early morning high-speed train to Venice. Once you’re here, resist the temptation to head straight for St. Mark’s square and the city’s main sites.
Venice in the day time is absolutely mobbed, especially if large cruise shops have docked for the day, and the site’s lose a bit of their majesty when you’re shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people. Later in the day the crowds begin to disappear, and visiting the most touristy sites in the late afternoon and evening will provide a much better experience.
So, start your time in Venice by heading off to the less-visited Dorsoduro district. Have a wander and then make your way into the neighborhood of San Polo, heading towards the beautiful Frari Church (Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari), one of the oldest in Venice and home to paintings by Titian and other world-renowned artists. Enter the church and enjoy!
Afternoon & evening
Next, grab lunch somewhere in San Polo and walk over to the Rialto Market before crossing over the famous Rialto Bridge.
Stop by the bridge to soak up the atmosphere and then make a beeline for St. Mark’s square. In the square, do what millions of people before you have done: let your jaw drop and marvel at the sheer absurd beauty of the square and city around you.
In the square, first tour St. Mark’s Basilica and then visit the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale). In the summer season, St. Mark’s closes at 5:00 pm and the Doge’s Palace at 7:00 pm (last entry at 6:00 pm).
Before dinner, ignore the cost and indulge in the pleasure of a sunset gondola ride along the canals you’ve spent all day admiring.
Enjoy a leisurely, waterside dinner. Can life get any better?
Day 7 - Venice: Trip to Venetian lagoon and islands of Murano, Burano, & Torcello
Morning & afternoon
While you could easily spend another day exploring Venice, you’re a little tight on time. Instead, you’re headed into the Venetian lagoon by boat to see the charming islands and villages of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.
Enjoy your breakfast and then grab a boat to Murano. During the week, you can see visit some of the studios that continue to produce the prized Murano blown glass. On the weekend, just enjoy the brightly colored town.
Hop another boat and cruise over to Burano, a charming little island and town. Wander, shop, and grab a bite to eat. For fans of crafts and souvenirs, Burano is known for fine lace-making production.
Your last island is Torcello and a visit to the town’s nearly 1,400 year old Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta church.
Evening
Back in Venice, if time permits you should pay a visit to the wonderful Guggenheim art museum before your final dinner in Italy.
More 7-day Italy itineraries
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