Italy Itinerary
By Rick Steves
So much to see, so little time. How to choose? To help you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to go in Italy, and my plan for your best three-week trip. (This list excludes Sicily; see my separate recommended Sicily itinerary.) Of course, not everyone has jobs or lifestyles that allow a three-week trip, so make a plan, prioritizing according to your interests and tastes. If you're passionate about Renaissance art, linger longer in Florence. Exploring Italy's hill towns could soak up a week. For mountains, make tracks to the Dolomites. And if you've always wanted to ascend Pisa's Leaning Tower, now's the time for the climb.
Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are my recommended priorities:
- 4 days: Rome, Florence
- 6 days, add: Venice
- 8 days: Cinque Terre
- 10 days, add: Siena
- 13 days, add: Sorrento, Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast
- 16 days, add: Milan, Lake Como (Varenna)
- 19 days, add: Padua, Volterra, Orvieto and Civita di Bagnoregio
- 21 days, add: Dolomites, or slow down
Rick’s Best Three-Week Trip to Italy
The big-ticket stops in Italy — Venice, the Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome, and the cluster south of Rome (Sorrento/Naples/Capri/Amalfi) — are inconvenient by car and easy by public transportation. A car is most helpful for exploring the hill town regions and the Dolomites. Major car-rental agencies have offices in many towns.
Day 1: Arrive in Milan (sleep in Milan)
Day 2: Milan to Lake Como (sleep in Varenna)
Day 3: Lake Como (sleep in Varenna)
Day 4: To the Dolomites via Verona (sleep in Bolzano or Castelrotto)
Day 5: Dolomites (sleep in Bolzano or Castelrotto)
Day 6: To Venice (sleep in Venice)
Day 7: Venice (sleep in Venice)
Day 8: To the Cinque Terre (sleep in Vernazza)
Day 9: Cinque Terre (sleep in Vernazza)
Day 10: To Florence via Pisa (sleep in Florence)
Day 11: Florence (sleep in Florence)
Day 12: Florence, late to Siena (sleep in Siena)
Day 13: Siena (sleep in Siena)
Day 14: To Assisi (sleep in Assisi)
Day 15: To Orvieto and Civita (sleep in Orvieto)
Day 16: To Sorrento via Naples (sleep in Sorrento)
Day 17: Capri (sleep in Sorrento)
Day 18: Amalfi Coast (sleep in Sorrento)
Day 19: Morning to Rome via Pompeii (sleep in Rome)
Day 20: Rome (sleep in Rome)
Day 21: Rome (sleep in Rome)
Day 22: Fly home
With Limited Time
If you have less time, drop the out-of-the way Dolomites or save the Amalfi Coast for another trip.
With More Time
With extra time, add a day to sight-filled Florence or Rome, or slow down in the countryside with more hill towns (check public-transportation options first — not all towns are well-served).