Ten days for a first trip means you can add either the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre to the Rome-Florence-Venice classic. My recommendation: Amalfi. The coastal drama, the food, the color — it completes the picture of Italy in a way that nothing else does. Cinque Terre is beautiful but smaller and less varied.
Get a personalized version →Rome (3) → Amalfi Coast (3) → Florence (2) → Venice (2). Ten days lets you add the coast to the cultural cities. This changes the trip completely — you get the sun, the sea, the cliff-side villages, and a pace that balances go-go-go sightseeing with actual relaxation. The Amalfi Coast between Rome and Florence is geographically logical and emotionally perfect: after 3 intense days in Rome, you need to sit on a terrace with a Limoncello and breathe.
Follow the 7-day itinerary's Rome section exactly: Day 1 — Colosseum, Forum, Palatine, Monti dinner. Day 2 — Vatican Museums 8am, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's dome, Pizzarium Bonci lunch, Trastevere dinner. Day 3 morning — Galleria Borghese (book 2 months ahead), Villa Borghese gardens, Pantheon.
Day 3, 2pm — Train to Naples. Frecciarossa from Termini, 70 minutes, €19-45. From Naples Centrale, taxi or metro to Molo Beverello port. Ferry to Positano (Alilauro/NLG, €22-28, 80 min) or to Sorrento (Circumvesuviana train €4.20 + ferry).
Base in Positano (most beautiful, most expensive) or Praiano (quieter, cheaper, better beaches). Hotel picks: Hotel Palazzo Murat Positano (from €250/night, bougainvillea courtyard) or Hotel Onda Verde Praiano (from €140/night, stunning terraces).
Day 4 — Settle in + Beach. Positano is vertical — accept the stairs. Walk down to Spiaggia Grande, rent a sunbed (€15-25/day — yes, it's a racket, but it's Italy). Lunch at Da Adolfo (water taxi from Spiaggia Grande, €5 each way) — fish grilled on lemon leaves, feet in the sand, €25-35/person. Dinner at Next2 (Via Pasitea 242) — modern Amalfitan, creative seafood, ~€40/person.
Day 5 — Ravello + Amalfi. Bus to Amalfi (€2.20, 25 min, sit on the right for cliff views), then bus up to Ravello (€1.30, 25 min). Villa Cimbrone (€10) — Terrace of Infinity, the panoramic terrace that stops your brain. Villa Rufolo (€10) — gardens that inspired Wagner. Lunch in Amalfi: Trattoria Da Gemma (since 1872, ~€35/person). Walk the Duomo steps.
Day 6 — Path of the Gods OR Private boat. Active option: hike the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) from Bomerano to Nocelle — 3.5 hours, moderate difficulty, the most spectacular coastal trail in Italy. Bus from Amalfi to Bomerano, hike ends at Nocelle, then 1,700 steps down to Positano (or bus). Relaxed option: private boat (€350-600, 4-6h) — hidden coves, swimming, Li Galli islands, prosecco.
Day 6 evening or Day 7 morning — Travel to Florence. Ferry Positano→Naples, then Frecciarossa Naples→Florence (2h45, €29-55).
Day 7 — Uffizi + Oltrarno. Uffizi Gallery 8:15am (€25, book online). Botticelli, Caravaggio, Leonardo in 3 hours. Cross Ponte Vecchio into Oltrarno. Lunch at Trattoria Sostanza (Via del Porcellana 25) — since 1869, butter chicken breast and artichoke soup, ~€35/person, cash only. Afternoon: artisan workshops, Piazza Santo Spirito. Aperitivo at Volume. Dinner at Buca Mario (Piazza Ottaviani 16) — underground vaults, bistecca, ~€40/person.
Day 8 — Duomo + Accademia + Departure for Venice. Duomo dome climb 8:30am (€30 combo, pre-book). Accademia for Michelangelo's David (€16, 9:30am). Gelato at Vivoli. Early afternoon Frecciarossa to Venice (2h, €19-50).
Day 9 — Venice immersion. Vaporetto Line 1 down the Grand Canal (€9.50 or 24h pass €25). Dorsoduro first: Peggy Guggenheim (€16) or Accademia (€12). Get lost in the back alleys — this is mandatory. Cicchetti lunch at All'Arco (near Rialto, €10-15 total). Afternoon: Rialto, then San Marco when crowds thin (after 4pm). Basilica (free, skip-line €3). Campanile (€10). Sunset gondola (€80-100, 30 min — worth it once).
Day 10 — Burano morning + departure. Vaporetto to Burano (Line 12, 45 min). Rainbow houses, zero crowds before 10am. Coffee and bussolà cookie. Back by 11am. Final cicchetti at Cantina Do Spade. Airport transfer: Alilaguna water bus (€15, 75 min) or ATVO bus from Piazzale Roma (€10, 25 min).
Good 3-star hotels, local trattorias, early-bird trains, selective experiences. The Amalfi Coast days are the most expensive — budget €180-250/night for decent accommodation there.
4-star hotels, mix of fine and casual dining, private boat day, first-class trains. The 10-day trip done at this level is genuinely luxurious without being absurd.
Book 2-3 months ahead on Trenitalia.com or Italo. Early bird prices: Rome→Naples €19 (instead of €45). Naples→Florence €29 (instead of €55). Florence→Venice €19 (instead of €50). Set price alerts on the Trainline app — it notifies you when cheap tickets release. First class vs standard: First class is only €10-15 more on most Frecciarossa routes. Wider seats, quieter, free coffee (first class only). Worth it if budget allows. Luggage: No weight limits on Italian trains. Overhead racks fit most cabin-sized bags. Larger bags go in the vestibule area near doors — keep an eye on them.
Buy an Italian SIM at the airport or any tabacchi (tobacconist) shop. Vodafone or TIM: €20-30 for 50-100GB data valid 30 days. You need your passport for purchase (Italian law). Activation takes 10 minutes. Why you need it: Google Maps offline (essential for navigating Rome's backstreets and finding restaurants), restaurant reviews on the spot, train schedule updates, WhatsApp for hotel communication, and calling ahead for restaurant reservations. Free WiFi exists in hotels and some cafés but is unreliable in rural areas and on the Amalfi Coast.
1. Eating within 50m of any monument (double price, half quality — walk 5 minutes away). 2. Not booking Colosseum/Vatican/Borghese tickets online (the walk-up queues are 1-3 hours in summer). 3. Trying to do Vatican + Colosseum in one day (opposite sides of the city, each needs 3+ hours, you'll hate everything by 2pm). 4. Sitting down at a café without checking prices (€1.50 standing at the bar vs €5-8 seated for the same espresso near tourist sites). 5. Not validating train tickets on regional trains (self-service machines on the platform — €50 fine if unvalidated). 6. Tipping like Americans (Italians don't tip; round up by €1-2 at restaurants if service was great, nothing expected). 7. Paying with large bills (many small shops and market stalls are cash-only and can't break €50; carry €5-20 notes). 8. Ordering cappuccino after 11am (Italians consider it a breakfast drink; nobody will refuse, but they'll judge silently). 9. Expecting dinner before 8pm (kitchens don't open until 7:30, most Italians eat at 8:30-9:30). 10. Overpacking (Italian boutiques + markets = you'll buy clothes there anyway).
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