First Time in Italy! 15 Days: Itinerary Advice Needed!

Have you already booked flights?

No Venice?!!

We have booked flights and got a really great deal on them, so in and out of Rome it is! We have heard so many mixed things about Venice and decided to omit it as it is so far North, should we reconsider this? Thanks!

Many will book their flights into Rome and out of Venice--or vice versa.
Last time we flew out of Venice, we went to London where we caught a flight back to the U.S. from Gatwick.

Hi David,

Thank you- we booked our flights in and out of Rome, do you have any suggestions on if we should start there or end our trip there in terms of staying a few evenings and exploring?

OK- so flights not changeable- it is what it is!
We love Venice, for a first trip to Italy I would include Rome, Venice and Florence- then maybe a bit of time in Tuscany.
Looks like you have 15 nights- is that correct?

Many would also say to skip CT due to severe overcrowding etc :)

Most here will say to head out from Rome at start then put all your Rome nights at end- makes sense- but I am not sure traveling to CT from Rome on your arrival (jet lagged, complicated train trip) is wise for first time travelers. I have not been to CT so will let others address that. Keep in mind 2 nights is really just 1 full day- your first day will be travel and jet lag (I am assuming after overnight flight) so all that way for 1 full day- worth it? Even though I have not been to CT and have been to Venice twice I'd still pick Venice over CT. It needs 3 nights- would be fairly easy direct train from Rome- (Train to Termini then direct to Venice)

OK- let's say you really do not want to experience Venice- maybe train on arrival to Florence would be a simpler entry into Italy?

Pompeii from Rome is a super long day trip- doable- but do be aware of that. Since you are also interested in Sorrento/Amalfi- maybe substitute that area for CT? Would be just a bit easier to head there on arrival- 3-5 nights- then head up to Florence/Tuscany for 5-6 nights- maybe 2 bases? Then back to Rome for final nights.

Just for reference our first trip to Italy was 3 Venice, 3 Florence, 6 in Tuscany/Umbria with a car, then 5 in Rome and it was in our opinion perfect.

Skip Pompeii as a day trip and save it for a trip to Southern Italy in the future.
We didn’t head south of Rome until our 7th trip to Italy.
Always figure the itinerary as 2 nights= 1 day.
Where are you staying in Tuscany April 17-22, or are you staying in Florence?
April 22-26, same question.
On our first visit we stayed in Florence four nights as we wanted to see all it’s art collections.
Lucca and Siena are in Tuscany. Siena is in or right next to the Chianti region which is an area of Tuscany.
Which nights are actually for Florence?
How many nights do you give Rome? You need at least four nights.
It is OK for you to skip Milan but do not discount it in the future. It has many buildings from the 1950s and 1960s rather than antique as it was bombed in WWII. Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” is worth a visit to Milan as are the Duomo and La Scala. Incredible fashion and people watching.
The Dolomites will still have snow in April. Is that what you are looking for? They are stunning. We visited in June and it was a perfect time to be there.
They pair well with Bologna, Verona and Venice.
Our first trip to Italy was Rome, Tuscany, Florence, and Venice and it worked well. We went to the Cinque Terre on another trip, combined with Liguria, Santa Margherita Ligure and the Piemonte.
Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Capri was another trip. Sicily and Puglia another, etc. Take enough time for the places you have chosen.
Once you settle on an itinerary, repost it here and ask for hotel and activity suggestions.
You will return to Italy!

@ChristineH - 15 nights, yes! Thank you so much for your insight!

Take enough time for the places you have chosen.<<

This can't be said enough.
Too many itineraries posted here with far too few days in major places like Rome, Florence, Venice.
Minimum to me would be 3 Venice 3 Florence 4 Rome
Our first trip to Rome was 5 nights- we fit as much as we could but had to go back and we did and we still have to go back again.
It's a living history museum and a lovely fascinating city. I'd guess it's our favorite in all of Europe...so far.

Every time you change locations you are eating up at least half a day with transit, check in/check out, getting oriented, etc. Try to limit any 2 night stays to the fewest possible. This is your honeymoon- relax and enjoy what each city has to offer- you won't be disappointed.
And I will say again- give Venice another look- my husband and I find it to be very romantic :) we love it so much we added a second visit there on our recent trip to Amalfi (our 40th anniversary)- yes a long train ride but so very worth it. Plus easy flight home from there.

Still a bit confusing-

April 17-22: Tuscany (5 Nights - Should we attempt Northern and Southern?)
Possible Day Trips: Bologna, Lucca, Sienna (San Gimignano)
April 22- 26 Florence ( 4 Nights)<<

Florence is in Tuscany. Siena can be a day trip from Florence as can Lucca, SG, even Bologna.

After 3 in Florence with no day trips- we stayed 2 nights Siena, 2 Montepulciano, 2 Assissi- in Umbria- but worth a visit.
LOVED Montepulciano. Liked Siena- duomo is fabulous-but what a pain to get in/out with our car!, Loved Assisi.

Assuming you are planning to rent a car for Tuscany?

@ChristineH We are absolutely getting a car in Tuscany! I hope to have more clarity around your questions in the days to come. I still have much to learn, thank you for helping me orient :)

Any suggestions for places to stay in Tuscany/ Florence regions? This is the leg of the trip I personally am most excited about.

Well let's see if I remember!
Florence- we liked where we stayed it was super central but I recently recommended it here and was told it now has some bad reviews- so won't mention it again.

Siena- we stayed at Palazza Ravizza- RS recommended- I chose because it had onsite easy parking- we parked and never drove in/out- Siena is a headache for cars!
It has really beautiful terrace in back with a view to die for. 10 min walk to Duomo. We had the garden room- it was huge.
https://www.palazzoravizza.com

Montepulciano - we stayed at Palazzo Carletti- also chosen for easy parking. We did day trips from here without any issues.
Beautifully appointed rooms- I think there are only 7 or 8 rooms here, super nice, great location and of course the ease /access to parking is always important.
https://www.palazzocarletti.it/en

If you make it to Venice we have stayed twice at Hotel Ala- also highly recommend by others here on forum. I'd stay there again- no question. Super location, easy access from vaporetto close to center yet tucked away on a quiet campo.
https://www.hotelala.it

I use booking .com- set your filters for what you need and have fun looking.
I don't always book on booking .com- check the actual website- usually a better rate.
Don't book anything non refundable until you have really finalized your itinerary FOR SURE. Sometimes I do a double booking here and there (free cancellation) with overlapping days just because I know we always change our itinerary a few times as we plan.

Ordinarily I'd say 2-3 nights in Venice was obligatory on a honeymoon because I think it's the most romantic city in Europe. But since you're flying R/T Rome, it means doing some backtracking so I'm "on the fence." The people I've heard from who didn't like Venice seem to have spent only a short time in the city and in the most heavily touristed areas in high season.

My first recommendation is to read Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door. You may have some popular misconceptions about travel in Italy, since you've never been to Europe. You should also read a recent edition of the RS Italy guide book to get a better idea of what each place offers that sounds like things you'd enjoy seeing and doing. You can either buy the current editions or get recent ones from your local library.

Jetlag hits different people differently. It even affects the same people differently on different trips. The best recommendation is to spend your first night in a place that's fairly easy to get to from the airport. Since you are flying out of Rome, you are right to spend your time there at the very end of your trip. I wouldn't recommend starting your trip there anyway because it's a major city, lots of major sights and somewhat difficult to navigate. Umbria is close to Rome and is as lovely as Tuscany (and very similar) but without the fame. You could get to Orvieto about as easily as Florence by train from the airport, there are frequent connections to both and the journey's about 2-1/2 hours. You could rent a car and visit places in Umbria and/or Tuscany after a 2-night stay in either. Though if you go to Florence, consider day trips by bus or train to other towns - it's often easier than by car. I'd consider going to Orvieto for a couple of nights, then train to Florence, then rent a car for Tuscany/Umbria and drop the car in La Spezia, visit the CT and train to Rome.

Congratulations on your upcoming trip! You are going to love Italy.

Trying to plan a first trip can be overwhelming. There's always too much to see and not enough time to see it. While the holy three (Rome, Florence and Venice) have much to offer, you see only one side of Italy if the big cities are places you go.

Since Tuscany is a special interest to you, I have a suggestion. Travel straight from Rome by high speed train to Florence. Spend some time there. Then rent a car and drive to a rural agriturismo and use it as your home base to explore Tuscany. I suggest a central location, something near Siena. From there just about every place you want to explore is 1 1/2 hour or less drive. You won't mind the drive if you take the back roads and see the gorgeous countryside.

After staying in Tuscany, either return the car to Florence and take the train to Rome or drive to Rome and return the car there.

If you want to do a day trip to Pompeii, be aware it's 150 miles from Rome and it will be a grueling day. These links might help: Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia-Antica.

Driving in Tuscany is easy and fun as long as you know the rules. Study up on Italian/European traffic signage. It's not hard. Get an International Driver's Permit, $25-30 from AAA. When there, understand ZTLs. My experience is they were all well marked and easily avoided. Florence can be tricky, if you rent from there you will get specific instructions from the rental agency on how to leave and return. The rule of thumb in Tuscany is that if it is a walled city (San Gimignano, Montepulciano,etc.), anywhere within the walls is ZTL.

Strictly observe speed limits. You'll see very few, if any patrol cars. What you may or may not see is the automated speed monitoring system that will send you a love letter a few months after coming home if you speed. You may have some locals who want to go faster than you. We just pulled off at the first safe place and let them by. We drove all through Tuscany and never got a speeding ticket or ZTL infraction ticket.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!

We also honeymooned in Italy and have been back since. We skipped Venice on the honeymoon to allow more time elsewhere (we flew into Rome, then did Florence, Lake Como, and Milan before flying out of Milan). I agree with skipping Venice for you. I think the city needs a minimum of three full days for a first trip and it is hard for new travelers to Europe to navigate away from the crowds on a short trip.

If Tuscany is the part of the trip that most excites you, why not spend about a week there and split the rest between Florence and Rome based on your interests? An easy approach would be to travel to Florence on your arrival day and spend a few days there. Then spend your week in the Tuscan countryside and return to Rome for the end of your trip.

Sorry I forgot to congratulate you on your upcoming marriage! I can think of no more romantic place to honeymoon.

When I was 15 I was invited to be one of eight high school students to take a 21 day People to People tour of Europe. This was in 1966. There were 4 boys and 4 girls. We started in Belgium and worked south. On the trip was a cute little freckle faced 14 year old girl. We started hanging out and by Venice we were sitting together on the train and the bus. When we got to Florence, August 10, 1966, I worked up enough courage to finally kiss the girl. 50 years later we returned to Florence and shared another kiss in that magical city!

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!

We just returned from a 2-week vacation in Italy, also flying in and out of Rome. When we arrived in Rome, we took the fast train to Florence and spent 3 nights there. We stayed in an airbnb with a beautiful view of the Duomo and was convenient for sightseeing (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/11684780).

From there we took a train to Venice for 2 nights and stayed at 3749 Ponte Chiodo (https://www.pontechiodo.it/en/), which was only a short walk from the Ca’ D’Oro Stop and in a quieter area of Venice. When we first were planning our trip, we weren't sure whether to go to Venice or CT. We're glad we chose Venice. It's such a unique place! I liked it more than I thought I would.

We took the train back to Florence and then rented a car for our 3 night stay in Tuscany, driving Chiantigiana. We stayed at Agriturismo Casanova (http://www.agriturismo-casanova.it/eng/index.php), which is mentioned in Rick Steves' book. It was a nice relaxing reprieve from city sightseeing and Vicky is an especially kind and welcoming host. From there we were able to visit Siena and Montepulciano.

We dropped off our car in Chiusi and took the train to Rome for 4 nights. We stayed at Empire Suites near the Vatican. We are walkers, so didn't mind walking to all of our destinations from there. It was an ok place to stay, but I think if we went to Rome again, we wouldn't stay there. It was clean, but we wished we had a window to see outside.

Some of the best experiences we had were the EatingEurope Twilight Travestere Food Tour and a cooking class outside of Siena that we booked through airbnb.

Awe DougMac! That's the sweetest story!

For what it's worth, the advice we were given before our first trip to Italy was that one night in Venice was plenty. And one of the people telling us this was a travel agent for an upscale travel company out of California, and she was married to a Venetian! We stayed somewhat near St. Mark's Square, saw the Doge's Palace, the big bands on the square, the Bridge of Sigh's, the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge, took a gondola ride, wandered among the canals, bridges and shops, and had a great time. And by the next day we were ready to move on. With so much to see in Italy, I feel if we had stayed longer in Venice, it would have just been more canals, tiny lanes, and bridges. Don't get me wrong - Venice was fabulous and I'm so glad we saw it, but one night (about 24 hours) was plenty for us and we didn't feel rushed.

Every one, thank you! I have been so enjoying reading all of these recommendations, please continue to send!

It is becoming more and more clear to that there is no right or 'wrong' way to experience Italy, and it seems it is truly subjective and up to the travelers. To travel here or not, must see's ...etc. I think it really is up to the person- how else can one choose between all of the beautiful options?! You have all given me something to think about re: Venice.

@DougMac- Thank you for sharing that is such a heartwarming story!

Any other itinerary recommendations for how we can move our cities around and cut down on travel at all?

Would love to hear more about car rental experiences in Tuscany as well.

Thank you!

We spent 3 nights in an apartment in Florence. On one of our days there, we rented a car (at the airport to avoid fines) and drove the back roads through Tuscany. Super easy with a GPS. We went to Certaldo, San Gimigiano, and Siena before heading back to Florence on the Autostrade. I would caution to not plan too much for each day. Three towns seemed plenty to us, with about 30-45 minutes travel time in between each. And allow yourself time to stop and take pictures of the vineyards, olive groves and hill towns in the distance! Heaven!

We always use AutoEurope.com for our European car rentals- they are a US based consolidator that will usually offer the best rates but more importantly they provide excellent customer service.
DougMac has covered the ZTLs, IDP stuff above. Italy does require full insurance and most credit card coverage will not cover in Italy. A rep from AutoEurope can help you with that if needed.

We picked up our car at the Hertz location on Sansovino- Florence-outside the ZTL- super easy drive from there down the Chianti road. There is no need to go all the way to airport where you will pay higher rates.
There are a few other easy rental locations around Florence where ZTLs can be avoided. When you get to that point search here for "car rental in Florence' and look for responses by Roberto- he is from Florence and always posts excellent advice and directions.

We had car for 6 days- driving in Tuscany is really quite easy and such a delight- lovely views everywhere, short distances between towns, etc. We spent last 2 nights with car in Assisi and dropped car in Spoleto then trained to Rome.

Choose a compact car with 4 doors so you'll be sure your luggage fits well hidden in trunk especially if you are stopping en route to a new overnight location- you will want that luggage hidden.
Manual transmission cars are less expensive but we haven't driven manual in 30 years or more so we get automatic. Italy is no place to relearn a stick shift! We bring our own GPS- a Garmin Nuvi that has worked perfectly in Italy, Germany, France- or you can rent one with car- we know how to use ours so we prefer to bring our own.

Thanks again, everyone-- I will definitely be looking into all of the points about car rentals above and unpack that more as we continue with our planning.

Another question, can anyone share light on 'closings'? I have heard that sometimes things will or not be open on Sunday and Mondays- but I would like more information.

Should we try to base our schedule on being in the countryside for the weekends and larger cities during the week to avoid weekend crowds/ closings? Or will this not help?

I am going to post a revised iteniteriary this evening taking into the above consideration. :)

Thanks, again!

I went to Venice in August 2019. It was amazing. I wouldnt miss it. And I recommend you spend a few days in the chinque terre. These places are booming with culture, beautiful scenery and great wine and food. Both are very romantic.

Since you've never been to Europe, you haven't rented a car in Europe before. For a good education on that, go to Gemut.com, and download the free brochure called What you should know about renting a car in Europe 2019.

It does look like you've done some research on places to go. If you haven't already gotten a good guidebook for Italy, I think Rick's is excellent.

In the meantime, reading the Travel Tips thoroughly will help you plan your trip wisely.

And exploring Italy and its cities is well covered online here, too.

Finally, using Rome2rio would help you learn about the distances between the locations you want to visit and how long it will take to get to them by various kinds of transportation.

With so little time, you will have to be very disciplined about choosing what you want to see and do and where you want to go. Fortunately you have some time for the planning.

Best wishes and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

Hi All,

Back and armed with Rick Steves Italy, Rome, and Europe through the back door books. Fabulous resources! We have been drinking in all of the information and are having a ball learning.

@ChristineH you, and the gorgeous Airbnb apartments in Venice have convinced us, we are adding it to our trip.

For 15 nights we have Venice, Florence/ Tuscany, and Rome-- can anyone give us a recommended order in which to visit these places? (Keep in mind we will be renting a car at some point for Tuscany!)

Right now we need suggestions on number of nights in each place. We do not have open-jaw tickets, we currently are booked for in and out of Rome- (with free cancellations if needed as we bought insurance)- but we could not pass it up-- $800 round trip for both of us total!

We removed CT. Here's what we are now working with:

April 15th: Arrive in Rome 11:30 am
April 15- 19 Rome to Florence (4 Nights)
Florence to Venice
April 19-21: Venice (2 Nights)
Venice to Tuscany
April 21-25th Tuscany/Chianti (4 Nights)
Rent Car / Possible Day Trips:
We need assistance in unpacking this a bit more, where is a good city/ town place to stay that’s middle area to see a variety of small towns? Siena? We would still love to see Montepulciano, Lucca, Sienna, San Gimignano, Pienza - should we trim this list?
April 25-30: Tuscany to Roma (5 Nights)
April 30 Home

Thank you again!

we just got back from 2 weeks with 1 week split between naplesamalfi coast//rome/ (way too ambitious) and 1 week in tuscany for a wedding. Trying to get somewhere outside of Rome the first day will be tough. I would disagree and suggest doing your rome days first, then moving out elsewhere, but jet lag and sleep schedules work differently for everyone. Make sure to plan a day or two of down time, you'll need a rest day at some point. I am planning all our future trips will just be focused on one or two areas, and involve 4-5 night stays only. The packing up after 2 nights for a whole week and time lost to travel was too much. Knew this before of ocurse, but it's so hard to fight the urge to see everything!

We stayed outside Poggibonsi in Tuscany (wedding location so we didn't pick). Siena would make a good home base, or a smaller city where it's easier to drive in/out. I loved the drive from San Gimignano to Volterra, it was beautiful.

Good luck!

Fly in on the 14th Venice (15-17th) Florence (18-20th) Tuscany
(21-23th) ( would still love to see Bologna, Lucca, Sienna (San
Gimignano) CT (24-26th) Roma (27-29th) Fly Home on the 30th

Your order looks good--I'd definitely check the Rome to Venice train schedule and see if you can get there on arrival day. That way you could avoid having to do a one-night stay. This order also helps avoid the dreaded route of Venice-CT-Florence, which is so commonly proposed yet so time-consuming. If you stick with this, you can drop the car in La Spezia.
This is more moving than I think many would choose, but that is because we have many trips under our belts. It is not so rushed that I would say "oh no!" but I would consider skipping Cinque Terre or Florence in order to have a more luxurious, honeymoon-worthy amount of time in Tuscany. But you can decide that later--keep reading about Tuscany to fully flesh that part out. Congrats--and great job on scoring that fare!

You've received some excellent advice. I particularly agree with ChristineH. I am glad you've decided to do the big 3 for this trip. It will also be more relaxing than running all around. IMO

However, I'd like to address the complaints about your round trip to Rome versus open jaws. I, so far, with many trips to Europe through the years, have always done round trips. I've flown in and out of Rome, particularly. What I like about roundtrips, besides the price, is the fact that I can bookend a major city on my vacation. So...I start off totally unfamiliar with the city, spend a couple of full days and learn about the city and culture. Relatively comfortable in my new surroundings I head out into the rest of the country. When I return to the original city, in this case, Rome, I am familiar with it and more informed about the culture from my other travels. I now have a totally different view of the city and I feel like I am coming home, in a way. Don't let others talk you into too much running elsewhere on your arrival day or leaving little time to return to the city at the end. This is your first European trip. Don't build stress into it as you will find enough on your own. LOL. Changing locations is one of the most stressful times, IMO, so don't do that on your first day. Allow for jet lag.

I have to agree with Wray about arrival day.
Yes it means another hotel change but traveling on arrival day is not something I would want to do at all and we are experienced travelers.
Might think about splitting Rome. I'd also give Venice a 3rd night.

We liked Siena well enough but it wasn't a good place to do day trips from with a car- Montepulciano was much easier and Pienza would be as well. (Have not been to Lucca)
Maybe look for a agriturismo that is central to all the towns you want to visit? We really enjoy early mornings and evenings in the small towns though so keep that experience in mind.

Rome 2 nights- don't do any big sights (Colosseum, Vatican) just do the walks, piazzas, maybe Borghese, get adjusted to life in Italy. A food tour would be fun/easy and a great intro as well.

Train (3 hr 45 min- get an early start) to Venice 3 nights- that gives you 2.5 days so you can go out to the islands.

Train (2 hours) to Florence- 2 or 3 nights- no day trips especially if you like art- there is much to see/do right in Florence. If you know you don’t need all the museums then could get away with 2 nights I suppose. Florence is very compact and walkable.

Pick up car as you leave Florence
Tuscany- 3 or 4 nights- you can see 2 or even 3 small towns a day if you plan well.

Drop car either back in Florence or in Chiusi or Orvieto-

Train (1.5) to Rome--4 nights
Do all the big sights now.

This is what I would do:
Directly go to Florence
- 3 days for Florence + 2/3 days for day trips in Tuscany
- 4 days on Costa Amalfitana ( Salerno, Amalfi, Sorrento, Pompéi, Ercolano Ischia, Capri)
- Rome - 5 days

Daytrips in Tuscany would be:
Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca

I think it's okay to go right to Florence on your arrival day - which is pretty much a "lost" day anyway. My only quibble with your plan is that Venice needs more than 2 nights, at a minimum 3, so you have two full days to enjoy it.

Congratulations! What a wonderful trip you are going to have for your honeymoon!!!

We also went to Italy for our honeymoon in 2014. Although we have been travelling to Italy for many years, it was one of our most magical trips. We stayed at a B&B in the countryside outside of Pienza. Sadly, the owners have sold it and it is now a private home. However, we have since found a gem of a B&B outside of Montepulciano (15 minutes from Pienza). Check out Fonte Martino (www.fontemartino.com). We have stayed twice so far and have a 3rd trip planned coming this spring. The owners are from the US and did an amazing renovation to and old farmhouse.

If you are looking for more of an apartment experience, we also stayed in town at Charming Homes (www.charminghomemontepulciano.com). Not a B&B experience, but the apartments were nice. We stayed in Alberto57.

You can't go wrong either way and we are sure you will have a wonderful time! Montepulciano is a great base to explore many of the towns in Tuscany on your list. Just remember, you can't see everything and don't exhaust yourself trying to. You will come back to Tuscany! We cam over 10 years ago and have been coming once or twice a year since then!

Congratulations again!