One week in Italy. Seven days. The temptation is to cram Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, and Milan into 168 hours. Don't. You'll spend more time on trains and in hotel lobbies than in front of art or at dinner tables. Three cities. Seven days. Each city given enough time to breathe. The classic triangle — Rome, Florence, Venice — connected by high-speed train, with each city earning its full due. Have 2 weeks? See our expanded route →
Plan my week →Day 1: Ancient Rome — Colosseum + Forum + Palatine Hill (book combo €18). Lunch in Monti. Afternoon: Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain walk. Dinner in Trastevere.
Day 2: Vatican day — Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel (book 8am entry, €17). St. Peter's Basilica + dome climb (€8, 551 steps, the best view). Afternoon: Castel Sant'Angelo or just wander Prati.
Day 3: Galleria Borghese (book weeks ahead, €15, 2h slot — the best small museum in the world). Villa Borghese gardens. Afternoon: your choice — Via Appia Antica bike ride, Catacombs, or simply eat your way through Testaccio market. Full Rome guide →
Day 4: Morning train from Rome. Uffizi Gallery afternoon (book ahead, €25). Oltrarno walk + artisan workshops. Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo (the view that defines Florence).
Day 5: Accademia/David morning. Duomo dome climb (463 steps, Brunelleschi's impossible dome). Afternoon: leather shopping in Oltrarno, or day trip to Siena/San Gimignano (1h bus). Full Florence guide →
Day 6: Arrive, get gloriously lost. San Marco, Rialto Bridge, Dorsoduro. Cicchetti (Venetian tapas) crawl through bacari (wine bars) — €1-3/piece, stand at the bar. Sunset from Zattere waterfront.
Day 7: Vaporetto to Murano (glass, 10 min) + Burano (colored houses, 40 min). Back by 3pm. Final walk: the quiet Venice — Cannaregio, Ghetto, Fondamenta della Misericordia. Marco Polo airport vaporetto or bus. Full Venice guide →