10 Days in Italy Itinerary: Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre & Venice
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If you're planning a trip to Italy and wondering how to spend 10 days seeing the highlights, this detailed Italy itinerary covers exactly what to do, where to stay, and how to get between cities.
Last summer, my teen and I traveled through Milan, Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome, and Venice over the course of ten days. This route allowed us to experience iconic landmarks like the Colosseum and the Duomo, relax along the Italian Riviera, and soak up the charm of Venice without feeling completely rushed.
Here’s our exact 10-day Italy itinerary, plus tips we learned along the way.
How to Plan a 10 Day Trip to Italy
When planning a 10-day Italy itinerary, the easiest strategy is to fly into one city and out of another to avoid backtracking.
Figuring out where to start our trip came down to flight availability. I had hoped to start in Rome, but we couldn’t find any affordable award flights into Rome, so we ended up flying into Milan (on Emirates business class for just $100 - you can read about how we booked it here) and out of Venice. My biggest tip is to search and book flights the minute you decide to visit Italy.
Once we had our starting and end point, I began to plan the route we would take from city to city and how long we needed in each place. I’ll share what we would do differently in my conclusion.
Day 1: Milan (One Day in Milan Itinerary)
We planned to spend just one night in Milan to get over the jet lag before continuing on. I think it was a perfect decision. Getting into Milan from the airport was super easy. We purchased a one-way train ticket at the train station just outside of baggage claim at the airport.
Our hotel was near the Duomo so no rental car was needed, and we were able to walk everywhere. I try not to book too much on day one. This gives us time to just relax and maybe get a quick cat nap in.
Best Things to Do in Milan in One Day
See The Last Supper (book tickets 30 days in advance). If you find that you missed the deadline and tickets are sold out, try purchasing a ticket through a third-party seller for a tour like this one.
Visit the Duomo di Milano plus Rooftop Terraces: An elevator takes you up to the top but you have to walk down 6-7 stories down a narrow stairway so wear appropriate shoes.
Walk through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Sunset aperitivo in Piazza del Duomo
where to stay in milan:
Galleria Vik Milano: I’ve stayed here twice. In 2023, I redeemed Hyatt points to stay one night and in 2025 I used the $300 credit from my Capital One card to stay here. Located inside the Galeria Emmanuel so location is perfect and Metro stop is right outside.
The Corner Duomo: A short walk to the Duomo, great location, reasonably priced.
iH Hotels Milano Ambasciatori - close to the Duomo, theatre and Metro. Great views from rooftop terrace.
Hotel Indigo Milan: This is an IHG property bookable with points. Great location.
Days 2–3: Cinque Terre (Italian Riviera Highlights)
Manarola in Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful coastal destinations in Italy and a perfect stop on a 10-day Italy itinerary.
How to Get to Cinque Terre by Train
On Day Two, we took the train to Cinque Terre where we spent the next two nights. Cinque Terre lies between Genoa and Pisa along the Italian Riviera, and each village is dotted with colorful houses clinging to the mountainside above blue crisp waters. It’s what you picture when you think of the Italian coast. Choosing which of the five villages we would stay in was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. We ended up choosing to stay in Manarola, however, after our stay we would have chosen differently.
WHERE TO STAY IN CINQUE TERRE:
We chose to stay in Manarola after some research but next time we would choose Monterosso because it’s much bigger, it has a beach and it’s flat. Manarola is gorgeous but it seemed like we had very few dining choices in the evening and in the morning (like where to get coffee).
L’onda di Manarola: This is the cute room we booked in Manarola. It did require us to walk up a lot of steps, but the host, Roberto, met us at the bottom and helped. The room was comfortable and we had a cute view overlooking the main walkway.
Giaella Sea View Apartment: In Monterosso facing the sea. This is a 3 bedroom apartment and perfect if you’re traveling with a big group.
La Terrazza sul Mare Affittacamere: In Monterosso - sea views and close to beach, dining, train station, etc.
Il Portico: Located in Old Town Monterosso with rooms for 2 -5 people.
Pro Tip: While you won’t find points hotels in Cinque Terre there are other ways to book rooms with points. You can redeem points in your bank travel portal. We used our $300 travel credit that comes with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
All information about the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Points for Family Travel. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
how to visit the different towns on the CINQUE TERRE EXPRESS TRAINS
Booking your train ticket to Cinque Terre can be confusing. There are two larger cities that bookend the five villages on each side: Levanto from the Northwest and La Spezia from the Southeast. If you are arriving from the west or the north, you’ll search for trains into Levanto. If you're arriving from the east or Florence, you’ll search for trains to La Spezia.
Once you arrive in Levanto or La Spezia, you’ll get off and board the Cinque Terre Express trains which stop at each village. We pre-booked all of our train tickets which meant no standing in long kiosk lines. You’ll want to purchase a Cinque Terre Express Card that gives you unlimited rides during your stay and doesn’t need validation.
best things to DO IN CINQUE TERRE
Hike between villages (Sentiero Azzurro). Purchase hiking permit online
If you don’t want to hike, you can village hop by train
Swim in Monterosso- our absolute fave day of the trip
Take a pesto making class in Manarola at Nessun Dorma
Watch a sunset from Manarola or Riomaggiore (or both)
We had a fantastic meal at Regina de Manarola
Take the ferry between towns for views (cheaper than private boat tour)
TOURS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY OUR READERS
DAY FOUR: Pisa Stopover on the Way to Florence
Is Pisa Worth Visiting?
On day four, we took the early train to La Spezia where we connected and boarded the regional train to Florence. During my initial planning stages, I had considered doing one night in Pisa. But as I was searching for trains from Cinque Terre to Florence, almost all of them stopped over in Pisa. So, we hatched a plan to get off in Pisa, see the Leaning Tower and then continue on to Florence. This stopover took us about 2-3 hours total and was totally worth seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
When we arrived in Pisa, we stored our bags at the luggage storage facility right inside the train station. Just look at the signs that have a suitcase on them. You can walk to the Tower or Uber. It was a thirty minute walk and a beautiful day so we decided to walk. We spent about 30-45 minutes exploring and taking photos, had a quick bite to eat, then walked back to the train station and continued on to Florence.
Days 4–6: Florence Itinerary (3 Days in Florence)
We spent three nights in Florence which was perfect. If you have extra time, consider adding a Tuscany day trip from Florence. We did this in 2025 and it was one of our favorite days.
Best Things to Do in Florence
See Michelangelo’s David at the l’Academia Gallery- book the early morning tickets for lowest crowds or the last time slot of the day
Visit the Duomo (or climb Giotto’s Bell Tower for best views of the Duomo)
Art lovers must visit the Uffizi Museum. Try to book first ticket of the day.
We visited Pitti Palace and explored the state rooms but felt the Boboli Gardens were underwhelming.
For fantastic view of the Duomo, climb Giotto’s Campanile
Book a pasta or pizza making class. We had so much fun at the one we did. This is another pasta making class at a Tuscan Farm that came highly recommended.
Watch the sunset from Piazza Michelangelo
Visit a wine window - our favorite was at the Odeon Theatre (they actually have a sitting area)
Take a daytrip to Tuscany: We did a full day trip that included visiting three towns (including the town made famous by Under the Tuscan Sun) and a winery and it was just the best day ever! If you’re lucky enough to get Dom as your tour guide, please tell him Stacy says hello.
Days 7–9: Rome Itinerary (3 Days in Rome)
The next three nights were spent in Rome. We booked a room close to the Trevi Fountain and pretty much were within walking distance of everything (except maybe the Vatican).
I think one could spend weeks in Rome and probably not see it all, this is what made our highlight list.
Best Things to Do in Rome
Trevi Fountain - €2 fee for close up access (for coin toss) - 09-2100. After dark close-up access is free. Free viewing from outside the barrier at ALL times.
Colosseum and Roman Forum - New in 2026: All tickets must be prebooked with specific timed slots. No on-site ticket sales. I still recommend taking a guided tour
Spanish Steps
Pantheon - Admission required. Open 09-1800. Tickets are €5. Book in advance online or you can purchase tickets in person (line on the left when you arrive) or from a ticket kiosk (line on the right when you arrive. Modest dress required (knees and shoulders covered).
Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica - we took an early morning breakfast tour that we really enjoyed. Our tour guide was an art history major, and we really learned a lot. The Vatican was mostly empty for our early tour, but the Sistine Chapel was packed. Maybe it always is? Modest dress required (knees and shoulders covered).
Golf cart sunset tour to see everything lit up. If you’re visiting in summer months, the peak times sell out in advance
Rome deserves far more than three days, but this itinerary covers the must-see highlights for first-time visitors.
Days 9–10: Venice Itinerary (2 Days in Venice)
We took an early morning train to Venice and arrived early in the afternoon. We spent two nights and had a good full day and half in Venice which was probably enough. Our favorite thing to do was just to start walking and getting lost down the narrow and winding walkways along the canals.
Reminder: Venice will be charging all day trippers €5 to enter the city. Click here for more details. Those staying the night will not have to pay the fee. During our visit in 2025 we got a QR Code showing that we were staying overnight. I think there are a lot of kinks and Venice is trying to figure out how to implement and enforce this new access fee.
For tickets to St. Marks Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Bell Tower, make sure to purchase a timed ticket in advance to avoid standing in very long ticket lines. I recommend purchasing the St. Marks Basilica + Museum ticket which gives you access to the terraces. Remember that your knees and shoulders must be covered to enter.
best things to do in venice
St. Mark’s Square and St.Mark’s Basilica
Rialto Bridge
Doge’s Palace
Ride a gondola
Bridge of Sighs
Book tickets to go up the Campanile- there’s an elevator for fantastic views
Half-day trip to Murano and/or Burano - you can do this yourself on the vaporetto
10 Day Italy Itinerary Summary
Day 1 – Milan
Days 2–3 – Cinque Terre
Day 4 – Pisa stopover
Days 4–6 – Florence
Days 7–9 – Rome
Days 9–10 – Venice
What We Would Do Differently
If we had more time: Add 1-2 days in Cinque Terre. This was really our favorite part of the entire trip. Or do Cinque Terre at the end of your trip - it was such a nice break from the big city, fast-paced touring days.
If we had to do it over again, we would stay in Monterosso instead of Manarola in Cinque Terre. It was bigger and had more options for dining and shops, plus it had the beach, and we could have spent more time swimming which was my teen’s favorite thing to do.
Flights: To avoid backtracking, I highly recommend flying into one city and out of another. This saved us a lot of time.
Don’t overbook: We chose one thing in each city that we really wanted to see and didn’t pack in every day with tours and museums. Just strolling around and enjoying la dolce vita is the name of the game here.
It’s always cheapest to book direct but many websites are masked to look like the official museum websites. Look carefully. Most official websites end in -.it.com. Also, don’t be fooled with marketing of “skip the line'‘ tickets. Most museums don’t have skip the line (like the Vatican or the Colosseum.
Happy Travels!
Planning a trip to Italy soon? Read all my best tips from my Instagram viral reel here!
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