A view of a cream colored ornamental building with an arched covered passage of the Uffizi Galleries through the arch of Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, Italy.

October 5, 2026

One Week in Italy: How to See Rome, Florence & Venice in 7 Days.

Planning your first trip to Italy can be exciting but also a little overwhelming, especially if you have limited vacation time.

With so many incredible cities, historic sights, and places to visit, deciding what to include in your Italy itinerary is not easy.

If you only have one week in Italy – as we had during our recent trip – Rome, Florence, and Venice are a great introduction to the country. In just 7 days, you can experience Rome’s ancient landmarks and lively piazzas, admire Florence’s Renaissance treasures, and finish your trip exploring the canals and narrow streets of Venice.

But this article isn’t just a suggested Italy itinerary put together on paper.

I’m sharing the exact itinerary we followed on our trip, including how we divided our time between the three cities, what worked well for us, and what we would do differently if we were planning the trip again. I’ll also share a few options for adjusting the itinerary if you have more time.

Seven days will only give you a taste of what Italy has to offer, but with some careful planning, you can experience a lot without making your trip feel like one long race from one attraction to the next.

So, if you’re wondering how to make the most of 7 days in Italy, here’s exactly how we did it (and what I learned along the way!)

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In this article:

One Week in Italy: How to See Rome, Florence & Venice in 7 Days.

Italy itinerary logistics:

Arriving/departing Italy

This itinerary can be done in either direction – Rome/Florence/Venice or Venice/Florence/ Rome, depending on where you’ll be arriving from and which city is the more convenient start and end point.

We started our trip in Rome and ended in Venice. From there, we continued our trip to Bled, Slovenia where we were meeting our family.

To avoid backtracking, I recommend arriving in Rome at the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO), commonly known as Fiumicino Airport, and departing from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), or vice versa, with Florence as the middle stop.

However, if a round trip from the same city is easier and/or more affordable, Rome and Venice are well connected by train – it’s a direct 4-hour ride on the high-speed Frecciarossa.

A picture of a train carriage with a red stripe and the word Frecciarossa written on it in white letters.

How to travel between the cities

I highly recommend using the trains. All three cities can be reached by direct rides on the high-speed Frecciarossa trains, and we loved the ease and convenience, plus the ability to just relax and enjoy the views.

It takes 1 hr 40 min to get from Rome (Roma Termini train station) to Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella) and 2 hrs 15 min from Florence to Venice (Venezia Santa Lucia).

You can check the connections on Trainline, Italia Rail or Omio.

Read my guide with 21 Practical Tips for Visiting Italy for the First Time to find out why I don’t recommend renting a car in Italy and get more helpful advice to help you plan your Italy vacation.

If you do choose to rent a car, check out great deals on Expedia Cars or Discover Cars.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Because we’re using trains to travel between the cities, I recommend staying near train stations.

That way you don’t have to walk a lot with your luggage (most hotels offer luggage storage until check-in time), and it’s easy to catch the early morning train to your next destination.

That’s what we did, and it worked really well for us.

Here is where we stayed:

An entry door to a historic hotel in Rome, Italy with a sign saying "Hotel Petit" — **Rome: Hotel Le Petit**

We loved both the hotel and the convenient location.

Explore more options here

A statue of Pinocchio inside Hotel Collodi in Florence, Italy. — **Florence: Hotel Collodi**

It was both near the train station AND the historic center!

Explore more options here

Colorful rooftops viewed from an apartment in Venice, Italy. — **Venice: Apt. Colombina**

A short walk from both the train station and the city.

Explore more options here

Now that we got the logistics out of the way, let’s get to the best part:

How to spend one week in Italy

This is exactly how we spent our 7 days in Italy – how we traveled, what we saw and did.
But – before you copy this itinerary – I want to give you a quick disclaimer: our days were long and the schedule is packed and reflects your travel “go-go-go” style.

We saw a lot, did a lot and were super happy about it.

However – there is room to adjust it to a slower pace – by either spending more time in each city or removing some sites and/or activities to free up some time.

So here is how we spent our days:

Day 1: Rome – historic center & pizza making

I recommend this as a first full day in Italy.

For us, it was the arrival day, and jet lag got to us in the afternoon and caused us to skip a couple of things in favor of a quick nap.

But if you’re short on time, arriving in the morning and powering through a sightseeing day in the city may be the way to go for you, too!

We landed early in the morning and met our driver who would take us to our hotel. We arranged the pick-up directly through our hotel, but if you stay somewhere that doesn’t offer this service, use Welcome Pickups – we’ve used them in Portugal and were very happy with the service.

After we dropped off our luggage, we started exploring the city.

✨ Please note: all Rome attractions mentioned in this itinerary are described in detail (including directions and tour options) in my guide to the best things to see and do in Rome, so check it out, as it also includes the sites that we didn’t get to!

Our first stop was the Colosseum (Colosseo) and the Roman Forum (Foro Romano) – we had purchased our tour tickets ahead of time and were able to go straight into the building.

An aerial viev os the underground and the arena of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

After touring the ancient amphitheater, we continued to the Roman Forum, which is located right next to the Colosseum.

Ancient ruins and columns at the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy.

We strolled through the ruins and went up to the top of the Palatine Hill – the views were amazing!

Good to know: the Colosseum tickets are timed, while the Roman Forum ones are not, so you can visit it either before or after you tour the Colosseum.

Afterwards, we spent some time admiring the Arch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino) sitting between the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.

An ancient stonne arch, called the Constantine Arch, in Rome, Italy.

This was when the long flight and the August heat caught up with us, so we decided to go back to our hotel for a quick rest before continuing our Rome exploration.

Of course we had some gelato on the way!

Re-energized after our short nap, we continued to our next activity for the day – a pizza-making class.

Four people making pizza at a restaurant in Rome Italy.

This was a great way to have some fun and make your own dinner in Italy!

Since the class took place at an Osteria near Piazza Navona, after we were done, we walked around the plaza – sadly, all three famous fountains were under renovation, but we still enjoyed it.

From there we went to see the famous Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) – it was very busy, but we managed to find a spot to throw a coin in and make a wish!

Good to know: you now have to buy a ticket to get close to the Trevi Fountain – you’ll find all the details in my guide to Rome’s best attractions.

Finally, we started to head back towards our hotel, stopping by – also busy – Piazza di Spania and climbing the Spanish Steps.

A picture showing the Trevi Fountain in Rome. — *Trevi Fountain*

The famous stairs, also known as the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. — *Spanish Steps*

That was a great first day for us, but we were ready for some well-deserved rest!

Option:

If you start your day earlier than we did, or if you’re not interested in a pizza-making class, include a visit to Piazza Venezia and Victor Emmanuel II National Monument (Vittoriano) after you tour the Colosseum and the Roman Forum – it’s only a 5-minute walk to get there.

In the evening, you can continue to Piazza del Popolo from Piazza di Spagna (a pleasant 10-minute walk) to see the monument, the famous twin churches, and maybe even visit the Leonardo da Vinci Museum – just check the opening hours!

Day 2: Vatican City, Castel Sant’Angelo and more Rome

We started day 2 in Rome with a trip to Vatican City. It was a short ride on the metro and a 10-minute walk to the start of the line for the museums.

An aerial view of the lawn in the courtyard of the Vatican Museums in Italy.

Helpful tip: book your tickets for the Vatican Museums well in advance! They sell out fast on the official website, especially for the busy summer season. For our August trip, we started looking for tickets in June and it was too late, so we got them through Get Your Guide.

The museums are amazing, and your tour ends at the Sistine Chapel.

Then we made our way to St. Peter’s Square and got in line to visit the Basilica.

A large church with a dome, called St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Italy.

Another tip: the line is usually long, but moves very fast, so don’t be discouraged and just wait.

And remember that for the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica, a strict dress code is enforced – your arms and knees must be covered.

We spent the entire morning in Vatican City, grabbed a bite to eat and some gelato and headed to our next destination – Castel Sant’Angelo.

A view of a round castle from across the river in Rome, Italy. — *Castel Sant’Angelo*

A large stone pedestrian bridge adorned with sculptures in Rome Italy. — *Ponte Sant’Angelo*

After about 15 minutes of walking and crossing a beautiful pedestrian bridge – Ponte Sant’Angelo – we reached the castle – a round fortress originally built for the Roman Emperor Hadrian.

We walked through the castle and went all the way to the top – the views from the “Angel’s Terrace” were gorgeous – you see the city of Rome, the Vatican, the river and more…

Good to know: when we visited, we were able to buy our entrty ticjet onsite, but currently, you need a timed ticket so purchase them online in advance!

Afterwards, we kept walking, and after another 15 minutes we got to the Pantheon. We reserved our tickets ahead of time, but there are also self-service kiosks there.as well as a staffed ticket booth.

A picture of the front of the Pantheon building, with its signature columns, in Rome, Italy.

After we toured the Pantheon, we had some pasta at the nearby Osteria da Fortunata and went back to our hotel to rest a little.

When it got dark, we took the metro to the Colosseum to see it at night. It was beautifully illuminated and there were street artists playing music and singing around it, which we really enjoyed.

A view of the Colosseum lit up at night, in Rome, Italy.

We walked around d the area, then returned to our hotel to pack – Florence tomorrow!

For more ideas on how to spend your time in Rome, check out my 2-4 days Rome itinerary.

Day 3: Florence historic center & climbing the Duomo

We took an early morning train from Rome and arrived in Florence well before the check-in time at our hotel. Luckily, we were allowed to store our luggage with them, so we did that and walked straight to Piazza del Duomo – a large historic square with the Cathedral and the famous Duomo, the Bell Tower, Baptistery and Santa Reparata.

✨ Please note: all Florence attractions mentioned in this itinerary are described in detail (including directions and tour options) in my guide to the best things to see and do in Florence, so check it out, as it also includes the sites that we didn’t get to!

The first thing we noticed at the plaza was people – there were so many people there! But we quickly got used to it, and it didn’t take away from any of our experiences in Florence.

The image shows the exterior of the Duomo, Baptisery and Giotto's Bell Tower in Florence, featuring intricate marble details, with a crowd of people walking in the foreground during twilight. — *Florence Cathedral complex at night*

It helped that we already had timed tickets for the Duomo (Brunneleschi Pass), so all we had to do was show up at the right time. Definitely purchase them in advance!

To learn about different ticket options and everything else you need to know to prepare for your visit to Florence Cathedral, read my detailed guide to visiting the Florence Cathedral and climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome.

The climb was a challenge (463 stairs!), but it was worth it – we got to peek into the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, see the famous frescoes up close and the views from the top were absolutely breathtaking!

The insode of the Florence Cathedral dome with frescoes and stained-glass windows around it. — *Brunelleschi’s Dome*

We skipped visiting Giotto’s Bell Tower as it involved climbing more stairs and our legs really needed a break, so we went to Santa Reparata instead.

It was great to visit the underground site of the ancient basilica and cool off a bit after the climb and walking around in the hot August sun.

From Santa Reparata, we were able to enter the Cathedral without waiting in the long line at the main entrance, so that’s a trick you can copy for your visit!

The Cathedral is very impressive – don’t forget to look all the way up at the famous frescoes of the Duomo!

Our last stop at the Florence Cathedral complex was the Baptistery of St. John – definitely go inside and look at the exquisite marble floor and the famous golden mosaics.

A stone arch decorated with gold mosaics at the Baptistery in Florence, Italy.

From Piazza del Duomo we walked 6 minutes (yes, that’s all – did I mention that Florence is extremely walkable?) to Piazza della Signoria, with Palazzo Vecchio with its Bell Tower (Torre d’Arnolfo), the Uffizi Gallery, the Fountain of Neptune, a replica of Michelangelo’s David, and Loggia dei Lanzi – a small outdoor museum with Renaissance sculptures.

And of course, many cafes and restaurants as well!

A square stone fortress with a clock tower, called Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. — *Palazzo Vecchio & Torre d’Arnolfo*

You can tour Palazzo Vecchio and climb the Bell Tower – we just walked around the free area of the palace – its lobby (Michelozzo’s courtyard) with many art pieces on display.

We also checked out the sculptures at Loggia dei Lanzi but skipped a visit to the Uffizi Gallery – it also requires timed tickets and about 2-3 hours to visit, and we had a busy day planned already, with another art experience scheduled for later in the afternoon.

An outdoor area with arches and sculptures inside, called Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence. — *Loggia dei Lanzi*

So after spending some time at this vibrant plaza we continued walking to the nearby Ponte Vecchio – a lovely stone arched bridge, lined with high-end jewelry stores. It was fun to window shop!

Two people touching the snout of a wild boar bronze fountain, called Il Porcellino in Florence.

On the way, we stopped by Fontana del Porcellino (Porcellino’s Fountain) to rub his snout for good luck!

From there, we had a 15-minute walk to the Galleria dell’Accademia (Accademia Gallery), where we saw the iconic sculpture of Michelangelo’s David.

A marble statue of Michelangelo's David on a pedestal inside the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy

You can’t miss him – David has his own pedestal so is visible no matter the crowds!

This gallery also requires timed entry and you really should buy your admission tickets in advance, as they tend to sell out fast.

Finally, after all that exploring, we went back to our hotel to check in and rest a bit but went out after dark again to see Florence at night.

Day 4: Florence – morning in Pisa & afternoon in the city

We started our second day in Florence with a day trip to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Pisa is only an hour away by train and a wonderful way to take a break from big-city sightseeing.

After a 25-minute walk from Pisa Centrale train station, we reached Piazza dei Miracoli, where the tower is located, as well as the Cathedral, the Camposanto and the Baptistery.

A picture of a round stone tower called the Leaning Tower and other decorated buildings in Pisa Italy

Climbing the Leaning Tower is an amazing experience – you really feel the angle of the tower, and the views from the top are amazing!

For all you need to know about visiting the tower, ticket options, and my best tips for your visit, read my guide to planning a Pisa day trip from Florence.

Then we browsed a small but busy souvenir market right outside the back gate and returned to Florence.

On the way from the train station, we stopped by a wonderful historic pharmacy, Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, dating back to 1221.

A vintage display case in a historic pharmacy in Florence, Italy.

I highly recommend this quick stop – it’s like stepping back in time!

We finished the day with a tour of Florence’s epic wine windows (Buchette del Vino) – it’s a great, truly Tuscan experience.

Once you locate one, usually near a restaurant or a bar, just knock on the shutters or ring a bell and someone will literally open the window and take your drink order.

A wine window in Florence - a small opening in the wall with vines on top and white signs on both sides.

We loved trying different drinks at different windows.

Learn more about wine windows and other Florence attractions in my detailed guide to Florence.

Option: visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, located only 3 minutes from the train station – we missed it!

And if you don’t want to go on a day trip, spend more time exploring Florence – visit Basilica di San Lorenzo (with San Lorenzo Market & Mercato Centrale) and make your way to Piazzale Michelangelo (amazing views and a great spot for sunsets!)

If you’d like more ideas on how to spend your time in Florence, check out my 2-4 days Florence itinerary.

Day 5: Florence – day trip to Cinque Terre

On our last day in Florence, we took another day trip – this time we actually booked an organized tour to avoid taking care of all the logistics of visiting Cinque Terre.

All we had to do was show up at the meeting point – which was the train station – another reason why I like staying within walking distance from train stations when I don’t rent a car – and the guides took it from there.

It was such a great day!

Cinque Terre is a cluster of 5 stunning, colorful mountain villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare – each with its own character and activities it offers.

A panoramic view of the Ligurian Sea and the mountainside vineyards of Cinque Terre, Italy.

We did the optional hike from Corniglia to Vernazza despite the oppressive August heat, and loved the experience, especially our break at the summit and the best lemon slushies we’ve ever had from the tiny bar called Prevo.

Two people posing for a picture on a trail in Cinque Terre, Italy, with the rooftops of the village of Vernazza and the sea in the background.

A narrow pink building and an archway with a sign "Prevo" on a trail in Cinque Terre, Italy.

We strolled through narrow village streets, browsed local craft stores, had some delicious pizza and seafood in a cone, even relaxed at the beach in Monterosso al Mare before taking the ferry back to Riomaggiore.

Colorful mountainside houses and a wooden dock and kayaks in the water, in Cinque Terre, Italy.

It was a long, hot, and absolutely amazing day.

Book our tour here.

Prefer to visit Cinque Terre on your own? Read about the best things to do in Cinque Terre and get some inspiration to plan a perfect day in Cinque Terre.

Day 6: Venice – San Marco Square & gondola ride

The next morning, we arrived in Venice. From the minute we stepped off the train, we were mesmerized by this city.

Even on the way to our apartment to drop off our luggage, we were already passing by charming canals and crossing scenic bridges.

Alleys lined with cafes on both sides of a wide canal in Venice, Italy.

✨ Please note: all Venice attractions mentioned in this itinerary are described in detail (including directions and tour options) in my guide to the best things to see and do in Venice, so check it out, as it also includes the sites that we didn’t get to!

Our first stop was Piazza San Marco.

It’s a large square, with Basilica di San Marco at one end and the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) at the other, with the Bell Tower (Campanile di San Marco) standing tall on the corner of the plaza and Piazetta San Marco, leading to the pier and the Grand Canal.

A crowd of people in front of the church in Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy.

I have to add that while we were on the train, I realized that I haven’t pre-booked any admission tickets online for Venice – the only thing we reserved was a gondola ride for the afternoon.

So I wasn’t sure how much of St. Mark’s Square we’ll be able to see, but it all worked out really well for us. There was a line to enter the Basilica but it moved fast and we admired the stunning façade while waiting to enter. We got tickets right before we entered at the ticket booth with no issues.

Helpful hint: just remember the dress code – your arms and knees must be covered!

Get more tips for your Venice trip in my guide to visiting Venice for first-time visitors

The Basilica is just as beautiful inside as it is outside. It’s sometimes called the Church of Gold (Chiesa d’Oro) and for a good reason – there is a lot of gold inside!

We just looked around the main floor, but there are other areas you can enter, like the Museum and the balcony (Loggia dei Cavalli), which require additional tickets (more details in my detailed guide to the best things to see and do in Venice)

From the Basilica, we walked a few steps over to the Bell Tower. We rode the elevator to the top and got some phenomenal views of the city and the Venetian Lagoon.

An aerial view of the red rooftops and stone cupolas of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy.

Afterwards, we strolled around the Piazza, admiring stunning architecture. We didn’t visit the Doge’s Palace as we didn’t purchase the tickets in advance but even looking at it from outside was great.

Then we walked towards the water where you can see the gondolas ready to take you for a tour of the Grand Canal and a small arched bridge – Ponte della Paglia. This is where we made our biggest mistake of the trip (that we now laugh about but… don’t make it – learn from us!).

Two people standing in front of a small stone bridge near Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy. — *This is Ponte di Paglia – NOT the Bridge of Sighs!*

We thought this was the famous Bridge of Sighs (!!!). Well – it wasn’t. You have to step onto it and look back towards the plaza to see it between the buildings – that’s where you’ll see the Bridge of Sighs.

Because we still had time before our gondola ride, we just walked around the colorful, narrow streets of Venice, taking in all the historic charm of the city.

We stopped by Libreria Acqua Alta – the iconic bookstore with a gondola full of books inside and visited Rialto Bridge (which reminded me a bit of Ponte Vecchio in Florence).

Then we finally made our way to the meeting point for our gondola ride.

A tip of the gondola on a narrow canal between colorful historic buildings in Venice, Italy.

Good to know: you don’t need an advance reservation for a gondola ride – you can just get one from one of many stands scattered across the city. But if you’d like to pre-book, you can book our tour.

We really enjoyed the experience – gliding through some really narrow canals, under some really low bridges, and even though Venice is completely pedestrian you can still get stuck in traffic – gondola traffic on the canal! Some spots do get busy, but we had a lot of fun.

We spent the rest of our evening just exploring the city – Venice is definitely different from other European cities and even getting lost in one of its many side streets was fun!

Day 7: Venice Lagoon Islands day trip

This was one of our favorite days of the entire trip – we took a water bus to Murano, Burano and Torcello – the three most famous islands of the Venetian Lagoon.

We strolled along the canals and watched a glass-making demo on Murano…

A canal with boats and brick buildings on both sides on an island of Murano, near Venice, Italy.

… walked around the colorful streets and markets and visited the famous Lace Museum on Burano…

Red and orange colored houses along the canal on Burano in Italy.

… and relaxed in the peaceful, quiet atmosphere on Torcello.

A low stone and brick bridge over a canal on the island of Torcello, near Venice, Italy.

We thoroughly enjoyed our island-hopping adventure and spending some time on the water. The views of Venice and the islands from the water were amazing and riding the water bus – a lot of fun!

I really recommend this day trip.

You can get all the details, tips and helpful information (including all you need to know about travelling on the waterbus) in my guide to Venice Lagoon Islands – plus a ton of photos for some inspiration!

We loved the freedom of exploring on our own, but if you’d rather book a hassle-free guided tour, check out the options below:

If you have more time

If you have a longer vacation, you can add Naples – with day trips to Capri, Mt. Vesuvius and Pompei or explore more Tuscany (Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca and more) from Florence. Those destinations are still on my list.

You can also do what we did – from Venice, we went to Bled, Slovenia (a 4-hour FlixBus ride) where we met up with our family and spent a few relaxing days there.

Slovenia is stunning – check out Slovenia travel guides here – maybe you’ll get inspired to add it to your trip?

Best time for this Italy itinerary

We did this trip in August – that was the only time we could coordinate everyone’s schedules. Yes, it was hot and very busy at times, but we had a great time.

If you prefer to avoid heat and crowds, I recommend planning your visit for shoulder season – either April through June or September/October.

But in all honesty, Italy is beautiful any time of the year, so choose the time that’s convenient for you, go with the right expectations and enjoy your Italian vacation!

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👉 To learn about my trusted travel planning resources that help me (and will help you too!) plan trips easily and save money, read this guide: How to Plan a Trip to Europe: My Favorite Travel Resources Revealed.