One week in Italy itinerary ideas: how to plan a trip you’ll love

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7 days in Italy – need to know

For the sake of this article, I have made itineraries that cover a lot of ground, while still remaining manageable and enjoyable, so you can maximize the places you see in a week’s time.

Of course, you can also easily slow everything down and spend a week in only one place, or combining two locations, picking two that are contiguous geographically, for instance Tuscany/Cinque Terre or well connected Rome/Florence, Rome/ Venice, Florence/Venice etc.

In that case, I recommend you use the search function on this site to search for your destination of choice to find ideas and local tips to each.

Idea One: 7 days in Italy to see Rome, Florence and Venice

One week in Italy to see Rome Florence and Venice makes for a pretty fast trip.

In an ideal world, i would suggest at least four days in Rome, two or even three in Florence and three in Venice, if you have that time, you can see my 10 day itinerary here.

However, a week gives a good overview of all cities, it is not too tiring and can be absolutely fantastic!.

Day 1-3: Rome

With three days in Rome you can cover the city’s top landmarks such as Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi, Pantheon, Navona, Vatican City and Sistine Chapel.

You will also have the time to wander the city center and experience its open air museum feel and the chance for nice local meals.

You could consider a cooking class one of the evening, to maximize use of your time.

Day 4-5-: Florence

With two days in Florence, including travel, you can see Florence’s UNESCO listed city center, a couple of its’ main museums.

Staying one night allows to enjoy the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo and enjoy the city in the evening, when the day trippers have gone and the city returns to a more normal state.

If you are only seeing one museum, I would recommend to limit time in Florence arriving in the afternoon and departing before lunchtime, so you can maximize your day in Venice.

If you are seeing no museums and you prefer to limit accommodation changes, it is also possible to see Florence en route to Venice: I do however believe that with the crowds in Florence, this may result in a less than ideas experience, which is why I recommend to stay one night.

Day 6-7: Venice

With two days in Venice you will be able to see Venice top sites such as St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, take a stroll and soak up Venice’s atmosphere, and take a gondola ride / rowing class to experience the canals from the water.

You could also visit Murano and Burano but this will eat up one full day so I would consider it carefully if it is worth it vs staying in Venice proper.

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Idea 2: One week in Rome and Tuscany

A very popular and very pleasant way to spend a week in Italy combines time in Rome with the quieter and mellower atmospheres of Tuscany.

This itinerary requires the use of a car for the rural part of your stay. If you cannot drive, I recommend you look at how to explore Tuscany without a car for suggestions.

To make the most of your time, I recommend you pick accommodation near Siena or in the Chianti area and plan your days as follows.

• Best season: spring, summer, fall
• Crowds: potentially intense in the cities, negligible in the countryside
• Mean of transport: train and car

Days 1-4 Rome

With three days in Rome you can cover the city’s top landmarks such as Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi, Pantheon, Navona, Vatican City and Sistine Chapel.

You will also have the time to wander the city center and experience its open air museum feel and the chance for nice local meals.

Days 4-6 Tuscan towns, wineries and countryside.

There are uncountable pretty towns in Tuscany and you don’t need to see them all to get a great sense of the feel of the region and immerse yourself in its charming atmospheres.

Rather that hopping between too many of them, I recommend you see a maximum of two per day, for instance Siena and San Gimignano or Montepulciano and Pienza (Val d’Orcia).

These towns are fantastic to see and also allow for visits to nearby wineries and country restaurants such as Podere il Casale or La Volpaia.

Day 6 – Chianti and its castles

The area of Chianti is famous for its wineries, many of which are in beautiful castles.

A fantastic way to experience is by driving around an pop into the pretty town on Montefioralle and the beautiful estates of Brolio, Verrazzano Castle or Castello di Ama, which are wonderful for wine lovers (but not just!)

If you are a foodie and love meat, this is also the area of Dario Cecchini’s restaurants (Panzano).

Day 7 – Florence

No trip to Tuscany is complete without at least a day in Florence!

Depending on what you like, you can spend the day strolling, shopping, going to museums or a mix of all: Florence city center is compact and easy to walk through, so you can get a great sense of the city even in a short time.

You can find here >>> my Florence recommended itinerary

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One week in Italy idea 3: Rome, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii

If you are visiting Italy in late spring and autumn (and maybe summer), then you should consider a varied itinerary that takes in Rome, the coastal beauty of Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.

• Best season: spring up to late June, fall.
• Crows: potentially very intense from mid June to mid September
• Mean of Transport: Train, ferry

Days 1-3 Rome

With three days in Rome you can cover the city’s top landmarks such as Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi, Pantheon, Navona, Vatican City and Sistine Chapel.

You will also have the time to wander the city center and experience its open air museum feel and the chance for nice local meals.

Day 4-7 Amalfi Coast

With 4 days on the Amalfi Coast, you have the opportunity to spend some days sightseeing but also carve in many moments of relaxation.

I recommend you consider planning your days so you have one in Capri, one town hopping (Ravello is not to be missed) and one visiting Pompeii.

Top tip! Pompeii is easy to reach from Sorrento but not as easy to get to from localities on the Amalfi Coast proper. If budget allows, a great way to maximize you time is to get a private transfer from Naples to Pompeii on your way to the coast from Rome: many companies offer the option to bring you and wait for you, before then bringing you to your destination on the coast. This saves you from having to go back and forth.

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One week in Italy idea 4: One week in Southern Italy

Southern Italy is a spectacular part of the country and a fantastic place to visit especially in the spring and fall.

• Best season: spring and fall
• Crowd levels: potentially high on the Amalfi Coast
• Mean of transport: car

Days 1-4 Puglia – Puglia is the heel of the Italian boot and a delightful region to mix town hopping, relaxation on the coast and foodie stops.

With four days, I recommend you base yourself in the area of Ostuni and visit Ostuni, Monopoli, Polignano, Alberobello, Locorotondo and Martina Franca.

These are all small towns and you can very easily visit two per day by car.

Day 4-5 Matera – Matera is a unique destination in Italy, a cave town with landscapes that look out for different planet (yet now perfectly equipped for visitors and with a clean and refined feel!).

I strongly recommend you spend the night to see the incredible color of the city as sunset kisses it.

6-7 Vietri sul Mare (Amalfi Coast) – Vietri sul Mare is the first town on the Amalfi Coast coming from Puglia and it’s adorable as well as a jump off point to see the rest of the coast.

Famous for colorful pottery, I recommend to use it as a base and then use a ferry to visit one of two additional towns of your choice – I personally recommend Ravello!

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One week in Italy idea 5: One week for Venice and the Lakes

If you have always dreamed of seeing Venice and the Lakes, a week is a lovely length of time to make this dream come true!

• Best time to go: spring, fall, summer
• Crowds: potentially intense in summer (mid-June, July, August)
• Mean of transport: train, car / bus

Day 1 – 2 Venice – Two days in Venice are a short amount of time to visit the city but they are sufficient to get a sense of its incredible charm.

With this length of time you can see St Mark’s and Rialto, Venice’s two main landmarks, take a gondola ride, get ‘lost’ in the city center (by far the best way to experience the city!) and potentially take a day excursion to the islands of Burano and Murano.

Day 3-5 Garda – Three days on Lake Garda give you the option to explore several towns on the lake and experience their different atmospheres.

Not to be missed are Sirmione and Limone, then I also recommend to get to Riva del Garda or, if you are not afraid of heights, take the cable car up Monte Baldo for stunning views.

Day 6-7 Como – Lake Como is stunning and quiet and two days will be perfect to enjoy its beautiful views and rest at the end of your trip.

If you stay in Varenna, Bellagio or Menaggio you are in a fantastic vantage point to see Lake Como’s beautiful villas and take a boat trip: the best way to visit this stunning lake.

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One week in Italy idea 7: One week Milan, Lake Como and Cinque Terre

A great way to visit to if Italy’s most famous areas, Lake Como and Cinque Terre, is to spend a week in these areas from Milan.

• Best time: spring, early fall
• Crowds: potentially very intense as both Lake Como and Cinque are popular with mass overseas tourism. Avoid weekends if possible.
• Mean of transport: train

Day 1 – 2 Milan: Milan is a big city but two days are sufficient to get a sense of the city center and it’s main landmarks. Spend the day visiting the Duomo, Milan’s stunning shops and do not miss Da Vinci’s Last Supper

Day 2-4 Lake Como

Three days on Lake Como give you ample time to enjoy this area.

Lake Como is stunning and quiet and 2/3 days will be perfect to enjoy its beautiful views and rest at the end of your trip.

If you stay in Varenna, Bellagio or Menaggio you are in a fantastic vantage point to see Lake Como’s beautiful villas and take a boat trip: the best way to visit this stunning lake

Day 5-7 Cinque Terre

Three days in Cinque Terre offer ample time to enjoy the area.

I like to plan my time with a day for two of the towns, a day for the other and one day in Porto Venere. For the best views, I highly recommend you take a boat tour (or the ferry, should a tour be out of budget). If you like cooking, a pesto class in Manarola at Nessun Dorma is fun and rewarding!

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I hope you enjoyed these itinerary ideas and they helped you shape your trip. Safe Travels!

One week in Italy Itinerary ideas – pin this!