Italy's shape is a gift for route planning. A 1,300km boot with high-speed trains running its spine means Rome to Florence is 1h30, Florence to Venice is 2h, Rome to Naples is 1h10. The trick isn't getting between cities — it's choosing WHICH cities and in WHAT order to minimize backtracking and maximize the variety of landscapes, food, and experiences. This page maps the 6 most popular routes with exact trains, costs, and the logic behind each one.
Or let our AI build your custom route →Rome (3d) → Florence (2d) → Venice (2d). Fly into FCO, out of VCE. Frecciarossa: Rome→Florence €19 (1h30), Florence→Venice €25 (2h). Total train: €44 booked early. The route 70% of first-timers do. It's popular because it works. Full 1-week itinerary →
Rome (3d) → Amalfi/Sorrento (2-3d) → Florence (2d) → Cinque Terre (2d) → Venice (2d). Add the coast to the triangle. Rome→Naples €15 (1h10) + Circumvesuviana to Sorrento €4. Naples→Florence €25 (2h50). Florence→Cinque Terre €12 (2.5h). CT→Venice €30 (4h via La Spezia). Total trains: ~€90. Full 2-week itinerary →
Rome (3d) → Naples (2d) → Amalfi (2d) → Matera (1d) → Puglia (3d) → Rome. The route for people who've done the triangle. More food, more culture, fewer tourists, lower prices. Trains + regional buses. The south is where Italy's soul lives.
Rome → Naples → Sicily (5-7d) → Sardinia (4-5d) → Rome/Milan. Ferry: Palermo→Cagliari (Tirrenia, 12h overnight, from €40). Sicily east (Catania, Taormina, Syracuse) → west (Palermo, Trapani). Sardinia south→north. The adventure route.
Milan (2d) → Como (1d) → Verona (1d) → Dolomites (3d) → Venice (2d). Alps + lakes + cities. Car recommended for Dolomites. The landscape route — less art, more nature.
Bologna (2d) → Parma (1d) → Modena (1d) → Florence (2d) → Val d'Orcia (2d) → Rome (2d). Emilia-Romagna → Tuscany → Lazio. The eating route. Tortellini → Parmigiano → Balsamic → Bistecca → Brunello → Carbonara. Food map →