This is so exciting!! I had a once in a lifetime trip to Italy last year and wanted to squeeze it all in as well. I’ve been back twice since lol! (Long story but we had three flight canceled and the airlines compensated us enough to make the first trip free since we traveled on a tight budget.)
Anyhow!
Rome. 3 days is the bare minimum I’d give and I’m glad you’re staying past the weekend since weekdays feel a little different. The colosseum isn’t overrated but if it doesn’t interest you in and of itself, don’t go just because other tourists do.
The Vatican is full of “Wow”. Maybe too full? If you don’t dearly love ancient art, I wouldn’t spend a day in the museums. Getting there, security, giving things only a cursory view, and heading out will take a half day. If you’ve got to see it, I’d get a guide or pre plan your must sees and blitz through. If it’s a big part of your reason for going to Rome, get a guide, let them give you an overview (and lots of fun details) then spend another few hours taking your time looking at what interests you.
Castel Sant’Angelo is underrated and not typically overcrowded.
St Peter’s Basilica is hard to overrate because it’s the biggest and has great significance to those of the Catholic faith. That said, you can’t skip the line without booking a (usually pricy) tour. I would not spend the hours (yes, hours-many on a busy day in the summer) to wait in line and I wouldn’t spend a couple hours on a tour there either, but it is not religiously significant for me.
Walking in Trastevere and having a lovely dinner there is not overrated. Make reservations!!
The Testaccio Market is a great place to get out of the city center and rub elbows with Romans (and other tourists for sure, but not at the same volume as city center).
Go to the Pantheon at opening or just before close and you shouldn’t have to wait too long. You could spend 45 min. inside or a mere 10 and be happy.
The Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps are not overrated, in my opinion, but they are absolutely packed unless you’re there by 7:30am.
I wouldn’t consider going to CT in the summer unless it was free and not taking time from elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong— stunning. But other than looking, there’s shopping and hiking. The trails/trains will be packed and accommodations will be astronomical compared to less-visited cities. I know people think that everyone already knows all the hot spots in the information age but there are SO many beautiful and intriguing places in Italy. I just posted in another thread but: Lucca, Bergamo, Lake Orta, Padova, Treviso, Siena… all more interesting than CT in my opinion. And beautiful!
Absolutely go to the Uffizzi in Florence but don’t pack it with more museums on either end. Let it breathe. If you like art at all, your brain and soul will need a moment to process.
I love all the Medici sites there. If you can take a tour that gives you in-depth Medici history, you’ll understand Florence in a completely new way. I feel that 3 days at a good clip is enough time to fall in love with Florence as long as you aren’t day tripping to other destinations as well.
Venice only needs a couple of days IMO unless you have specific things to fill other days or plan to island hop a bit. A gondola ride is not overrated. Gondoliers are a part of a long tradition, training is required and permits are limited. You don’t need to book online. You can speak to a gondolier on any corner for a spur of the moment ride or to arrange for later. I’d cut Venice before losing a day in Rome or Florence.
Walking is the most memorable thing you’ll do and you’ll be rewarded with so many lovely surprises (and some expected nonsense too, of course) around corner after corner. Make sure you leave double the time you need to walk places so you can stop when you see something wonderful to eat or to look at.
We are headed to Ireland ourselves in March and I’m giddy!
