10 day Italy itinerary – how to plan your dream Italy vacation

All roads eventually lead to Rome, making it a great place to begin any 10 day trip to Italy, a capital that’s constantly evolving despite its standing as the cradle of western civilisation. It’s also surprisingly compact, with its main attractions tucked within a rough 1.5 square kilometres, bounded by Roma Termini to the east and River Tiber to the west.

Our Rome City Guide has the full spectrum of places to stay, things to see and do, and nightspots to check out, but the crowds grow as the day goes on, so its best to begin at the Colosseum, from where you can swing by the ancient Foro Romano, Palatine Hill, and Circus Maximus. Then take the weight off your feet with a coffee before entering the hallowed halls of the Capitoline Museums, which contain treasures such as the bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the marble Dying Gaul.

Start your second day with a photocall at the Trevi Fountain, then head eastwards via the Pantheon and Piazza Navona to the Tiber. The dappled shade its trees make for a pleasant walk towards Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican City, the world’s smallest nation-state at just 0.44 km². St Peter’s Basilica and the exquisite museums here can easily absorb the rest of the afternoon, but should you have the stamina end your time in Rome at Piazzale Garibaldi, which has spectacular views over much of the eternal city.

The gateway to Tuscany, Florence sits in the narrow valley created by the River Arno. The majority of its attractions are found north of the Arno, with its southern bank quieter but a great excuse for heading across the Ponte Vecchio.

Just a few metres from the bridge are the Uffizi Galleries, an architectural wonder as well as an artistic one, home to works by Michelangelo, da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Botticelli, though you’ll have to visit the Galleria dell’Accademia to take in the full naked glory of Michelangelo’s original statue of David.

If your pocket doesn’t stretch quite as far as the designer boutiques of Via de’ Tornabuoni (well worth visiting for the people watching alone), then head down pretty much any of the narrow streets that lead to the white and green marble façade of the Duomo, via the medieval crenulations of the Palazzo Vecchio, and you’ll discover a world of small independent cafes and stores. Our Florence City Guide provides the details.

Comprising five ridiculously spectacular cliffside villages overlooking the Mediterranean’s Tyrrhenian arm, Cinque Terre National Park is jaw-dropping, breath-taking Italy at its very best. Mountain roads wind their way between the villages alongside ancient footpaths while offering up sublime vistas incorporating steep-sided vineyards, colourfully-painted homes, tiny trattoria, and a largely unchanged way of life.

All good things must come to an end, but no Italy vacation should end without a couple of days in Venice. The city of canals has lost none of its charm with its fame, as our Venice City Guide testifies, and it’s surprisingly easy to escape the tourist circuit. Jump aboard one of city’s Vaporetto water buses and you’ll soon find yourself on the likes of the glass-blowers island of Murano, fisherman’s island of Burano, or traditional vacation getaway of Lido. In Venice proper, there’s no better way to spend a day while on vacation to Italy then to linger amid the gondolas, canals, and shoulder-width alleys of this unique destination.

The popularity of Italy’s major museums means ticket queues can be long. Though you’ll still have to wait to pass through security checks, you can minimise queuing times by pre-purchasing tickets online.

It’s also worth noting that the majority of museums are closed on Mondays, and most have free entrance on a specific day, generally the first Sunday of a month, though this does result in bigger crowds.

Italy’s food scene covers everything from cheap eats to Michelin-starred gourmet menus as our individual travel guides to many of Italy’s cities describe. You’ll find the best food away from restaurants on main squares offering tourist menus, and will fit in with the local crowd if you plan sit-down lunches for around 1.30 pm and your evening meal for 8.30 pm or later. While menus boast a plethora of courses, from antipasto to dolce, feel free to opt for as much or as little as you want. Sweets are generally a disappointment anyway – head to a gelateria instead.