Italy · 10 days · checked 31 October 2026

Italy itinerary: 10 days (Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Venice)

A first-timer's Italy by train: three nights in Rome, two in Florence, a stop at Pisa on the way to two nights in the Cinque Terre, then two nights in Venice. Every leg is a direct or one-change train; the longest day (Cinque Terre to Venice) is about 4.5-5 hours. Budget roughly $950 per person on a shoestring, $1,650 mid-range and $3,000 comfortable, excluding international flights. Swap the Cinque Terre for Bologna between November and March.

RomeFlorencePisaCinque TerreVenice

Budget, per person$950hostels, street food

Mid-range, per person$1,650double rooms, sit-down meals

Comfort, per person$3,000upper mid-range

On the ground for the whole trip, excluding international flights. Per person, 10 days / 9 nights (Rome 3, Florence 2, Cinque Terre 2, Venice 2), excluding international flights and visas.

When to go

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

April-May and September-October are best: long days, Cinque Terre trails and the Via dell'Amore open late, Venice busy but bearable. June is good but crowded. July-August means peak prices and heat in Rome and Florence. November-March is cheapest, but the Cinque Terre is quiet and trains between Corniglia and La Spezia are suspended for 48 h on 14-15 Nov and 19-20 Dec 2026, 9-10 Jan and 6-7 Feb 2027; use the Bologna swap then. Venice high water is a cooler-month risk.

Before you go: Neither the UK FCDO (page 'still current' at 29 Oct 2026) nor the US State Dept advises against travel to any part of Italy. The US level is 2, Exercise Increased Caution, for terrorism (reported by Fox News, 11 Sep 2026; travel.state.gov blocked our fetch, so check it). FCDO flags pickpocketing and bag-snatching in city centres, at main stations, on public transport and at big sights; recent violent riots at demonstrations in northern cities, with more police in Milan; a national strike from 9 pm 29 Oct to 9 pm 30 Oct 2026 hitting trains, planes and local transport; regular minor earthquakes; and high water flooding parts of Venice. Strikes are common in Italy: check before every travel day.

Visa and entry

Italy is in Schengen: up to 90 days in any 180 across the whole area. UAE residents: your passport decides. UAE citizens are visa-exempt (Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). Other nationalities living in the UAE (for example Indians) need a Schengen C visa from Italy: in Abu Dhabi the Italian embassy uses BLS International (Nation Towers Mall, for holders of an Abu Dhabi-issued UAE visa); Dubai and the Northern Emirates apply through VFS Global for the Consulate General in Dubai. Indian passport holders: Schengen short-stay (C) visa, fee EUR 90 adult / EUR 45 child 6-12 plus the visa centre's service fee; apply no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before travel; normal processing 15 days (up to 45). India is one of the countries with its own EU multiple-entry 'cascade' rules, so a good travel record can earn a longer multiple-entry visa; check the current terms with the Italian embassy in New Delhi. US and UK citizens: visa-free 90/180; UK passports must be under 10 years old on arrival and valid 3 months after you leave Schengen. EU citizens: free movement with ID card or passport. EES (Entry/Exit System) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026: non-EU visitors give a passport scan, fingerprints and a face photo at first entry, replacing stamps; you can pre-register up to 72 h ahead in the official 'Travel to Europe' app. ETIAS is NOT running: no applications are taken, the EU will announce the start several months ahead, and the fee will be EUR 20. Press reports (July 2026) point to 2027, but there is no official date. Any website taking ETIAS money now is not official.

Official sources: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu, ambabudhabi.esteri.it.

Is a transport pass worth it?

Not worth it. Booked 2-3 weeks ahead, the whole route costs about EUR 147 point-to-point (Leonardo Express EUR 14, Rome-Florence EUR 19.90, Florence-Pisa EUR 9.80, Pisa-La Spezia EUR 8.90, Cinque Terre card EUR 29-36.50, La Spezia-Florence EUR 15.90, Florence-Venice EUR 22.90). Even at Base fares booked late it is about EUR 260. You make only 4-5 long-distance journeys, a rail pass still needs a paid seat reservation on every Frecciarossa, and the Cinque Terre line is best covered by the park's own Treno card. Check the current Interrail/Eurail Italy pass price on interrail.com (we could not load it): it would need to cost well under EUR 100 for 4 travel days, reservations included, to beat advance fares. Fares are dynamic: on 30 Oct 2026, Rome-Florence for 19 Nov showed Base EUR 50, Economy EUR 39.90, Super Economy EUR 23.90; for 3 Nov only Base and Economy were left. Book Frecce as soon as dates are fixed. Italo runs the same Rome-Florence-Bologna-Venice corridor with Flex, Economy and Low Cost fares; compare on italotreno.com, which blocked our fetch.

The day-by-day plan

Day 1: Land at Fiumicino, Leonardo Express, Pantheon and Trevi by night

Base: Rome

Morning

Clear passport control at Rome Fiumicino (FCO). Non-EU passports go through EES: fingerprints and a face photo on first entry, so allow extra time. Follow signs for 'Treni / Trains' to the airport station.

How: Leonardo Express, non-stop Fiumicino Aeroporto to Roma Termini. In the searched timetable it leaves at :08, :23, :38 and :53 past the hour. Buy at Trenitalia machines or in the app; paper tickets must be validated before boarding.

Time: 32 min · Cost: EUR 14 (about $15.60). Cheaper: regional train EUR 8, 51 min with a change, but it does not reach Termini.

Tip: The EUR 8 regional suits hotels near Trastevere, Ostiense or Tiburtina. Keep bags in front of you at Termini: FCDO names main stations as pickpocket hotspots.

Afternoon

Check in, then walk the historic centre: Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the lanes between them.

How: On foot from a centro storico or Monti hotel; from Termini use the official taxi rank, or the metro plus a walk.

Time: 3 h · Cost: Free outside; Pantheon entry is charged (check the price)

Tip: Keep day 1 light and stay outside in daylight for jet lag. Don't book a timed museum slot today in case the flight is late.

Evening

Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps after dark, when tour groups thin out, then dinner.

How: On foot, 10-15 min between each.

Time: 2 h · Cost: Free

Tip: At Trevi keep phones and wallets zipped. FCDO says thieves use distractions such as asking for help or directions.

Getting there: Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) → Roma Termini by Leonardo Express train, 32 min, EUR 14 (about $15.60). trenitalia.com, Trenitalia app or station machines. Validate a paper ticket before boarding.

Where to sleep: Monti or the centro storico (Pantheon/Navona) to walk everywhere. Termini/Esquilino is cheapest and best for the airport and the Florence train, but feels rough at night.
Budget: Hostel dorm from about $28 a bed (Booking.com, Nov 2026) · Mid: Typical double about $93 a night (Booking.com median, Nov 2026) · Comfort: 4-5 star double about $155-184 a night (Booking.com median to 75th percentile, Nov 2026)

Eat: Trapizzino (Roman pizza-pocket street food, 6 Rome locations per its own site) for a cheap first dinner. Check prices on the board.

If it rains: The Pantheon and the churches around Navona are indoors; hop between them.

Day 2: Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine, then Trastevere

Base: Rome

Morning

Colosseum at your booked slot, then the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on the same ticket.

How: Metro line B to Colosseo, or walk from Monti.

Time: 4 h · Cost: Standard 24-hour ticket about EUR 18 plus EUR 2 online fee; Full Experience (arena or underground) about EUR 24 plus fee (check on ticketing.colosseo.it)

Tip: Tickets reportedly go on sale 30 days ahead at 9:00 Rome time, and the underground sells out fast. Buy only on ticketing.colosseo.it; resellers charge more. Carry photo ID matching the booking name.

Afternoon

Lunch in Monti, then the Capitoline Hill viewpoints over the Forum and Piazza Venezia.

How: On foot, 15 min.

Time: 2-3 h · Cost: Free (Capitoline Museums charged, check)

Evening

Cross to Trastevere for dinner and a walk along the Tiber.

How: Walk about 25 min, or tram 8 from Piazza Venezia.

Time: 3 h · Cost: Dinner (see eat)

Tip: Look for 'coperto' on the menu: a per-person cover charge. Fine if it is printed on the menu.

Where to sleep: Same as day 1.
Budget: Hostel dorm from about $28 a bed (Booking.com, Nov 2026) · Mid: Typical double about $93 a night (Booking.com median, Nov 2026) · Comfort: 4-5 star double about $155-184 a night (Booking.com median to 75th percentile, Nov 2026)

Eat: Lunch from a pizza-al-taglio counter in Monti or a Trapizzino; dinner at a Trastevere trattoria (check menu prices and coperto).

If it rains: Your Colosseum ticket is dated and timed, so go anyway in rain gear; the Colosseum itself is partly covered by its arcades.

Get the full 10-day itinerary (PDF)

Print it, save it to your phone, or attach it to your visa application.

All 10 days in full: exact trains, buses and flights with times and prices
Where to sleep each night at three budgets
What to book ahead, and when
Scams and mistakes to avoid in Italy
Money, SIM and tipping, plus a packing list for the season
Every source we used, checked 31 October 2026

Price $9 (US dollars; your card converts it). Secure payment by Razorpay, instant PDF download. Days 1 and 2 are free above. Already bought? Get your download · Terms · Refunds

Day 3: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's dome; Borghese optional· in the full PDF

Base: Rome

Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel at an early slot.

Day 4: Frecciarossa to Florence, Duomo and Piazzale Michelangelo· in the full PDF

Base: Florence

Train from Rome to Florence.

Day 5: Uffizi, David at the Accademia, Oltrarno· in the full PDF

Base: Florence

Uffizi Galleries (Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo).

Day 6: Pisa's Leaning Tower on the way to the Cinque Terre· in the full PDF

Base: Cinque Terre

Train to Pisa Centrale, then a 20-25 min walk (or bus) to the Piazza dei Miracoli.

Day 7: Via dell'Amore, village hopping, coastal trail· in the full PDF

Base: Cinque Terre

Buy the Cinque Terre Treno MS card, then walk the reopened Via dell'Amore from Riomaggiore to Manarola.

Day 8: Long train day to Venice, Grand Canal at dusk· in the full PDF

Base: Venice

Train from the Cinque Terre to Venice, changing in Florence.

Day 9: St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, quiet Venice· in the full PDF

Base: Venice

St Mark's Basilica at an early booked slot, then the Doge's Palace with the Bridge of Sighs and the prisons.

Day 10: Rialto market morning, then Marco Polo Airport· in the full PDF

Base: Venice

The Rialto fish and produce market, or a vaporetto to Murano or Burano if your flight is late.

Get all 10 days in full →

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Sources

We checked 51 sources for this itinerary, official ones first. Prices change; check before you book.

gov.uk: FCDO Italy: no advise-against areas; still current 29 Oct 2026; national strike 29-30 Oct; riots in northern cities
gov.uk: FCDO: pickpocketing hotspots, distraction thefts, ZTL signs and fines, illegal street traders, earthquakes, Venice flooding, terrorism
gov.uk: UK 90/180 rule, passport 10-year/3-month rules, EES, hotel registration
museivaticani.va: Vatican Museums EUR 20 full, EUR 10 reduced, EUR 5 Skip the Line booking; tickets non-refundable
museivaticani.va: Official online shop is tickets.museivaticani.va; warning about lookalike domains
basilicasanpietro.va: Basilica entry free; dome needs a separate ticket
galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it: Borghese: mandatory booking; EUR 15 full plus EUR 2 reservation on this page
galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it: Borghese: EUR 16 full plus EUR 2 reservation on this page (conflicts with info-biglietti)
uffizi.it: Uffizi EUR 25 on the day / EUR 29 booked ahead; named tickets; free first Sunday; PassePartout 5 days EUR 40
uffizi.it: Uffizi hours Tue-Sun 8:15-18:30, closed Mondays
galleriaaccademiafirenze.it: Accademia EUR 20 + EUR 4 booking; 8:15-18:50; closed Mondays; free first Sundays and 4 Nov 2026; B-Ticket the only official channel
tickets.duomo.firenze.it: Brunelleschi Pass EUR 30, Giotto EUR 20, Ghiberti EUR 15, dome guided tour EUR 50; cathedral free, closed Sundays

Trip Under is reader-planned, not a travel agency. Prices and rules were checked on 31 October 2026 and move with season and demand. Where a figure could not be confirmed we say "check".