What is the best 10-day Italy itinerary?

The most popular 10-day route runs Rome (3 nights) to Naples and Pompeii (1 night) to the Amalfi Coast (2 nights) to Florence (2 nights) to Venice (2 nights). This covers ancient, coastal, Renaissance, and maritime Italy in a logical south-to-north sequence.

Do I need a car for 10 days in Italy?

Not for most of the route. High-speed trains connect Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice. You will want a car or organised transport only for the Amalfi Coast, where SITA buses and ferries are the alternatives. Do not drive in Italian cities — parking is expensive and ZTL restricted zones result in fines.

How much should I budget for 10 days in Italy?

Expect approximately EUR 1,500-2,500 per person for a mid-range 10-day trip including accommodation, meals, trains, and entry fees. The Amalfi Coast is the most expensive segment — hotels there cost significantly more than in Rome or Florence.

When is the best time for a 10-day Italy trip?

April to mid-June and September to mid-October offer the best combination of weather, manageable crowds, and fair prices. July and August are hot, crowded, and expensive, particularly on the Amalfi Coast. Winter is cheapest but some Amalfi Coast services shut down.

10 Days Italy Itinerary | The Italy Guides

Ten days in Italy allows what a week cannot: the south. Adding Naples, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast to the classic Rome-Florence-Venice spine transforms a good trip into a complete one. This itinerary runs south to north, starting in Rome and ending in Venice, using high-speed trains for long-distance travel and local transport for the Amalfi Coast.

Route overview

Days	Destination	Nights
1–3	Rome	3
4	Naples + Pompeii	1
5–6	Amalfi Coast	2
7–8	Florence	2
9–10	Venice	2

Fly into Rome Fiumicino (FCO). Fly out of Venice Marco Polo (VCE).

Key train connections

Route	Train	Duration	Advance fare
Rome → Naples	Frecciarossa	1h 10min	From EUR 19
Naples → Salerno	Regionale	40min	EUR 4.60
Salerno → Florence	Frecciarossa	3h	From EUR 29
Florence → Venice	Frecciarossa	2h 5min	From EUR 19

Book all high-speed tickets on trenitalia.com or italotreno.it at least 2 weeks ahead for the best fares.

Where to stay

Rome (3 nights)

Budget: Hotel Lancelot — Via Capo d’Africa, near Colosseum. From approximately EUR 90/night as of 2026. Mid-range: Hotel Raphael — Largo Febo, behind Piazza Navona. From approximately EUR 180/night. Luxury: Hotel de Russie — Via del Babuino. From approximately EUR 450/night.

Naples (1 night)

Budget: Hotel Piazza Bellini — Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli. From approximately EUR 75/night. Mid-range: Grand Hotel Parker’s — Corso Vittorio Emanuele. From approximately EUR 150/night. Sweeping bay views. Luxury: Romeo Hotel — Via Cristoforo Colombo, waterfront. From approximately EUR 280/night.

Amalfi Coast (2 nights)

Budget: Hotel Lidomare — Amalfi town. From approximately EUR 100/night as of 2026. Mid-range: Hotel Marina Riviera — Amalfi. From approximately EUR 200/night. Sea-view balconies. Luxury: Le Sirenuse — Positano. From approximately EUR 800/night. One of Italy’s most celebrated hotels.

Florence (2 nights)

Budget: Hotel Perseo — Via de’ Cerretani. From approximately EUR 85/night. Mid-range: Hotel Davanzati — Via Porta Rossa. From approximately EUR 160/night. Luxury: Hotel Lungarno — Borgo San Jacopo. From approximately EUR 380/night.

Venice (2 nights)

Budget: Generator Venice — Giudecca. From approximately EUR 110/night. Mid-range: Hotel Al Ponte Antico — Cannaregio. From approximately EUR 200/night. Luxury: The Gritti Palace — Grand Canal. From approximately EUR 700/night.

Days 1–3: Rome

Day 1 — Arrival and Ancient Rome

Arrive at Fiumicino. Leonardo Express to Termini (EUR 14, 32 minutes). Check in, then head to the Colosseum for an afternoon timed slot (approximately EUR 18 combined with Forum and Palatine Hill, open 9:00–19:15 in summer as of 2026). Walk through the Roman Forum and up Palatine Hill.

Dinner: Flavio al Velavevodetto in Testaccio (Via di Monte Testaccio 97). Roman classics, mains from approximately EUR 12–16.

Day 2 — Vatican City

Morning: Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel (approximately EUR 17 entry, 8:00–19:00). Exit into St Peter’s Basilica (free). Dome climb EUR 8.

Afternoon: Castel Sant’Angelo (approximately EUR 15). Walk to Piazza Navona and the Pantheon (approximately EUR 5 entry).

Evening: Dinner in Trastevere at Da Enzo al 29 (Via dei Vascellari 29). No reservations, arrive early. Mains from approximately EUR 10–14.

Day 3 — Borghese Gallery and historic centre

Morning: Borghese Gallery 9:00am slot (approximately EUR 15, 2-hour timed visits). Book weeks ahead.

Afternoon: Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and shopping on Via dei Condotti. Lunch at Armando al Pantheon (Salita dei Crescenzi 31, mains from approximately EUR 14–18, reserve ahead).

Dinner: Nonna Betta in the Jewish Ghetto (Via del Portico d’Ottavia 16). Roman-Jewish cuisine, carciofi alla giudia. Mains from approximately EUR 13–18.

Day 4: Naples and Pompeii

Take the early Frecciarossa from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale (1 hour 10 minutes, from EUR 19). Store luggage at the station (KiPoint, approximately EUR 6–8 per bag).

Morning: Take the Circumvesuviana train from Napoli Centrale to Pompeii Scavi (40 minutes, approximately EUR 3.60). Entry approximately EUR 18 (open 9:00–19:00 April–October as of 2026). Allow 3–4 hours. The House of the Faun, the Forum, and the Villa of the Mysteries are essential.

Afternoon: Return to Naples. Walk through Spaccanapoli (the straight street that splits the historic centre). Visit the Naples Archaeological Museum (approximately EUR 18, open 9:00–19:30, closed Tuesdays) to see the mosaics and artefacts from Pompeii.

Lunch/Dinner: Sorbillo (Via dei Tribunali 32) for Naples’ most famous pizza — margherita from approximately EUR 5–7. Queue is long; arrive by 11:30 for lunch. Alternatively, Da Michele (Via Cesare Sersale 1) — equally iconic, cash only.

Check into your Naples hotel for the night.

Days 5–6: Amalfi Coast

Day 5 — Travel to the coast

Take the regional train from Naples to Salerno (40 minutes, EUR 4.60). From Salerno, take the SITA bus along the SS163 to Amalfi (75 minutes, approximately EUR 2.40) or the seasonal ferry (approximately EUR 12, 35 minutes, March–October).

Afternoon: Explore Amalfi town — the Cathedral of St Andrew (approximately EUR 3 entry), the Paper Museum (approximately EUR 4), and the narrow streets above the main piazza.

Dinner: Trattoria Da Gemma (Via Fra Gerardo Sasso 11, Amalfi). Seafood and local specialities, mains from approximately EUR 16–24. Operating since 1872. Reserve for dinner.

Day 6 — Positano and Ravello

Morning: Take the SITA bus or ferry to Positano (30 minutes by bus, EUR 2.40; 25 minutes by ferry, approximately EUR 10). Walk down to Spiaggia Grande, explore the stepped streets. The Church of Santa Maria Assunta has a 13th-century Byzantine icon.

Afternoon: Bus or drive up to Ravello (25 minutes from Amalfi, EUR 1.30 by bus). Visit Villa Rufolo (approximately EUR 10 entry, open 9:00–sunset) — the gardens inspired Wagner. Walk to Villa Cimbrone (approximately EUR 8) for the Terrace of Infinity, considered one of the finest viewpoints in Italy.

Dinner: Rossellinis in Palazzo Avino, Ravello — Michelin-starred, tasting menus from approximately EUR 120. For a more moderate option, Cumpa Cosimo (Via Roma 44, Ravello), family-run since 1929, mains from approximately EUR 12–18.

Days 7–8: Florence

Day 7 — Travel and Duomo

Take the morning bus or ferry from Amalfi to Salerno, then the Frecciarossa to Florence (approximately 3 hours, from EUR 29). Arrive by early afternoon.

Afternoon: Walk to the Duomo (cathedral free, combined ticket for dome + baptistery + bell tower approximately EUR 30 as of 2026). Climb Brunelleschi’s dome — 463 steps, timed entry on duomo.firenze.it.

Dinner: Buca Mario (Piazza degli Ottaviani 16). Bistecca alla fiorentina from approximately EUR 50/kg. Mains from EUR 15–20.

Day 8 — Uffizi and Oltrarno

Morning: Uffizi Gallery (approximately EUR 25 peak season, open 8:15–18:30, closed Mondays). Botticelli, Leonardo, Caravaggio. Allow 3 hours. Book timed entry on uffizi.it.

Lunch: All’Antico Vinaio (Via dei Neri 65) — sandwiches from approximately EUR 5–7.

Afternoon: Cross the Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti (approximately EUR 16) and Boboli Gardens (approximately EUR 10). Walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset views.

Dinner: Trattoria Sostanza (Via del Porcellana 25). Famous for artichoke omelette and butter chicken breast. Cash only, no reservations for dinner. Mains from approximately EUR 14–20.

Days 9–10: Venice

Day 9 — Grand Canal and San Marco

Take the morning Frecciarossa from Florence to Venice (2 hours, from EUR 19). Buy a 48-hour vaporetto pass (EUR 35 as of 2026).

Afternoon: Take Vaporetto Line 1 down the Grand Canal to San Marco. Visit Doge’s Palace (approximately EUR 30 combined ticket, open 9:00–18:00) and St Mark’s Basilica (free entry, skip-the-line EUR 6).

Dinner: Osteria alle Testiere (Castello) — tiny, exceptional seafood restaurant. Reserve weeks ahead. Tasting menus from approximately EUR 50–60.

Day 10 — Islands and departure

Morning: Vaporetto to Murano (glass demonstrations, Museo del Vetro approximately EUR 10) and Burano (coloured houses, lace museum approximately EUR 5).

Lunch: Trattoria Da Romano on Burano — risotto di gò, mains from approximately EUR 15–22.

Afternoon: Return to Venice. Collect luggage. Alilaguna water bus to Marco Polo Airport (approximately EUR 15, 60–90 minutes).

Budget summary for 10 days in Italy

Category	Budget	Mid-range	Luxury
Accommodation (10 nights)	EUR 850–1,000	EUR 1,600–2,200	EUR 4,500+
Meals (10 days)	EUR 300–400	EUR 500–700	EUR 1,200+
Trains + local transport	EUR 100–140	EUR 150–200	EUR 250–350
Entry fees	EUR 170–200	EUR 170–200	EUR 170–200
Total per person	EUR 1,420–1,740	EUR 2,420–3,300	EUR 6,120+

All prices approximate as of 2026. The Amalfi Coast segment is the most expensive — budget accommodations there start higher than in other regions.

10 Days in Italy: The Classic Grand Tour