2 weeks in Italy: a detailed breakdown of where to go on your first trip

There’s a lot to do and see in Italy; after all, with a rich history that spans thousands of years and one of the oldest and most prominent empires in the world, plus gorgeous and diverse landscapes from the snowy Dolomites to the clear blue water of Sicily, you could spend months exploring the country.

However, most people have limited vacation time and can only spend about 2 weeks in Italy, which surprisingly allows just enough time to visit the main spots like Venice, Florence, and Rome, with a few quick stops in Pisa and Pompeii. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to do and see independently during your first time in Italy, without a car, and at a moderate pace without rushing too much.

Note: this Italy itinerary is all about how to visit Italy by train, so renting a car isn’t necessary, and would actually be more inconvenient.

Read up on important cultural etiquette in Italy before your trip.

How to spend 2 weeks in Italy on a first visit? 

Here’s the best itinerary for your first time in Italy, what to see in each place, how long to spend there, and which activities are free and which require paid tickets. The prices are correct at the time of writing, and are subject to change.

Venice → Cinque Terre → Pisa → Florence → Rome → Naples

Venice (3 days)

The first stop on your Italy itinerary is Venice, a unique and beautiful city built on water, with canals that only enhance its natural charm. You can land directly in Venice from many countries at its international airport. However, you can skip a few activities on this list (most of the ones from Day 3) and turn Venice into a 2-day journey instead of 3. 

However, it’s important to note that Venice faces significant overtourism concerns, with one consequence being that many locals were forced out of the area. So it’s a choice to skip Venice altogether and visit another city in the north of Italy instead, like Milan, or find ways to visit Venice in a responsible way. 

What to do and see in Venice?

The Venice itinerary below is for 3 full days of exploration, not counting the days that you arrive and depart. 

Day 1 in Venice: walk through Venice

• Early morning: walk along the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge 
• Campanile (St. Mark’s Bell Tower) for views of Venice (around €10)
  • Opens at 9:45 am
  • Can buy tickets on the spot
  • Avoid at noon when the bells ring
• Visit the Basilica di San Marco in St. Mark’s Square
  • This is near St. Mark’s Bell Tower, so you can walk there easily
  • Admission is free, but costs around €20 to visit the basilica museum and view the sights from the 2nd floor 
  • No pictures allowed inside
  • Dress conservatively
  • Opens at 9.30 am
  • It’s forbidden to eat in St. Mark’s Square
• Traghetto Gondole Molo (waterfront)
• Riva Degli Schiavoni promenade
• Bridge of sighs

Day 2 in Venice: neighbouring islands

Visit the neighbouring islands via vaporetto (go to Fondamente Nove and take line 12).

• Murano: famous for its glass art
• Burano: famous for its colourful houses

Day 3 in Venice: explore Venice’s architecture 

• Doge’s Palace, one of the main landmarks in Venice (get tickets here) 
• Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo. This is a small palazzo with an external multi-arch spiral staircase, hidden away in a small courtyard. Buy tickets here
• Basilica Santa Maria della Salute (free to enter; dress conservatively)
• Ponte dell’Accademia for views
• Libreria Acqua Alta: This is a kooky and cute bookstore with cats and unique ways of displaying their books. Don’t disturb the cats, especially if they’re sleeping

Here’s how to visit Venice responsibly

1. Support the local economy. Stay in locally-owned houses, eat in local restaurants, and skip international chain restaurants and hotels
2. Dress appropriately for religious and sacred places (avoid tight clothing, cover shoulders and knees)
3. Don’t walk around shirtless, no matter how hot it is (aside from this being inappropriate, you might also get a fine). This rule doesn’t apply just to Venice, but to every city in the world. Dress for the beach only when you’re actually at the beach
4. Always keep to the right and allow others to pass, especially on narrow streets. Don’t randomly stop when walking
5. Don’t obstruct bridges or block traffic, and don’t have picnics on bridges or on stairs in front of monuments. You may eat on benches.
6. Make space for others on boats, especially when it’s crowded. Remove your backpacks and place them on the floor
7. Learn a few basic Italian words
8. Avoid making noise after 11 pm
9. It’s illegal to feed the pigeons in Venice

Insider tips for Venice

• It’s a popular activity to take a Gondola ride, but if you don’t need the romance, take a local traghetto instead and use the Vaporetto to get around
• There is a table charge if you sit down in a restaurant (if on a budget, it’s preferable to stand at a bar and eat small meals)
• There are no cars allowed in Venice, so wear comfortable shoes as you’ll be exploring on foot
• Lasagna, pizza, and spaghetti bolognese are not traditional Venetian meals. Instead, look for dishes like
  • Pasta in anchovy sauce (bigoli in salsa)
  • Risotto with cuttlefish ink (risotto al nero di seppia)
  • Sardines in sweet and sour sauce (sarde in saor)

Cinque Terre (3 days)

Take the train from Venice straight to Monterosso, one of the 5 towns that make up Cinque Terre. The train takes about 5 hours, so it’s best to leave Venice early. 

Many people come to Cinque Terre for a day trip, meaning they try to visit all 5 towns in 1 day, rushing through everything. But 2-3 days in Cinque Terre allows you to explore at a slow pace, enjoy the peaceful early mornings and sunsets without the day-trippers, yet without getting bored or feeling idle.

You can visit all the towns by ferry, train, or by hiking. If you intend to explore by train (the best option in my experience), buy the Cinque Terre Treno MS card online or at the train stations for unlimited travel on express trains, and also for the paid hiking paths from Monterosso to Vernazza and from Vernazza to Corniglia.

Cinque Terre’s 5 towns are

1. Monterosso al Mare: this is the biggest town and has the only sandy beach in Cinque Terre
2. Vernazza: you’ll find a beautiful harbour and a small beach in Vernazza
3. Corniglia: Corniglia is the only town without a harbour, and sits 100 metres above sea level, meaning you can’t read by boat. The train will take you there, but afterwards, you’ll need to either climb 382 steps or take the shuttle bus, which is included in the Cinque Terre Treno MS card
4. Manarola: this is the most photographed town in Cinque Terre, due to its colourful houses sitting on a cliff right above the sea. It’s particularly spectacular at sunset
5. Riomaggiore: Riomaggiore is also famous for its sunset and beautiful, colourful houses

Day 1 in Cinque Terre

After arriving from Venice around midday (provided you took an early train), having lunch, and checking into your accommodation (I highly recommend this place where I stayed in Manarola), have a relaxing rest of the day exploring Manarola at a gentle pace. Head to the hilltop before sunset, after the crowds have departed.

To reach the hilltop, simply follow the narrow fenced stone walkway from the harbour, and then go up the stairs on your right to find a spot. You’ll be able to enjoy views over the harbour as you walk towards the viewpoint. 

Day 2 in Cinque Terre

• Head to Monterosso al Mare in the early morning
  • Visit the Old Town
  • Relax on Monterosso Public Beach
• In the afternoon, take the train to Vernazza and explore its small streets
  • For the best views, head to the Andrea Doria tower

Day 3 in Cinque Terre

• Start the morning at Corniglia, but make sure to wear good walking shoes as you’ll need to walk up the 380 steps
  • Go to Saint Mary’s Terrace for views of all 5 Cinque Terre towns
• In the afternoon, head to Riomaggiore
  • Visit the old town
  • Go to the marina around sunset to enjoy a spectacular view

Pisa (½ day)

In the morning, take the train from Cinque Terre to Pisa (average 1.5 hours), store your luggage at the train station, and spend a few hours exploring. Expect crowds, no matter the time of the year, unless you stay overnight and explore really early.

Here’s what to see and do in Pisa in half a day

• Head to the Piazza dei Miracoli to see the
  • The Leaning Tower, a popular free-standing bell tower that’s tilted because of a design flaw, a shallow foundation, and unstable soil. It’s now stable, though still leaning. You’ll find many visitors trying out various poses with the tower. You need to book tickets and pay the entrance fee of about €20-25 to go in and climb to the top (there are 251 spiral steps and it takes about 30 minutes)
  • The Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral opened in 1118. It’s free to enter
  • The Baptistery, another leaning building (it leans 0.6 degrees toward the cathedral). There’s a fee to enter.
• Explore the quiet street, Borgo Stretto, or Corso Italia, the main shopping street
• If you have time, take a short walk by the Arno River

Florence (3 days)

Around lunch time, take the train from Pisa to Florence, which takes about 1 hour. Plan to reach Florence around 2pm latest. 

Florence (known as Firenze in Italian) is Tuscany’s capital city and is world-famous for its Renaissance art and architecture, most notably the Duomo Cathedral, the “David” sculpture by Michelangelo, and da Vinci’s “Annunciation” painting.

Insider tip: make sure to check opening days for all these places, as they might not be open every day. The Duomo, for instance, is closed on Sundays and religious days.

Day 1 in Florence

After checking into your accommodation in Florence, spend the rest of the day on the following activities

• Galleria dell’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s famous David statue and other works of art. Make sure to book your time slot in advance, as this place gets crowded.
• End your day at Piazzale Michelangelo: this is a free square with a picturesque view over the city
  • You can spot some of Michelangelo’s work around the square
  • It’s a popular spot for sunset, and has a really cool ambience, with people playing music as they watch the sun go down
  • For fewer crowds but similar views, walk to the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte 

Day 2 in Florence

All of these places are within short walking distances to each other, so even though it looks like a lot of activities for 1 day, you wouldn’t be spending much time getting from one place to another. 

• Start your morning at Museo Galileo, a museum dedicated to astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei (book your time slot here). You’ll find many of his original instruments here. 
• Uffizi gallery: a prominent Renaissance art museum, featuring the famous painting Annunciazione, by Leonardo Da Vinci.
• Ponte Vecchio: a medieval stone bridge, the only one that survived bombing in World War 2.
• If time permits and your legs can still handle it, visit Piazza de Pitti and its Palazzo, a former Renaissance residence and now a large museum complex.
  • Don’t miss the Palatine Gallery and Boboli Gardens.

Day 3 in Florence

• If time permits, start your day at Basilica di Lorenzo, the oldest church in Florence. However, I think this is a skippable activity. 
• Do not miss the most iconic landmarks in Florence: the Duomo Cathedral, a masterpiece designed by Brunelleschi, known for its large size and Gothic beauty.
  • The Duomo is also known as the Florence Cathedral, or Brunelleschi Duomo, or Firenze Cattedrale
  • The Cathedral is free to enter, but you’ll need tickets for the Dome climb, the Baptistery, the Crypt, the Bell Tower, and the Opera del Duomo Museum. 
  • There’s a strict dress code as it’s a church.
• Walk through the historic city square, Piazza della Repubblica
• Strozzi Palace: a Renaissance palace built for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, now a museum hosting international exhibitions. The courtyard is free to enter, but you’ll need tickets to see the exhibition inside.
• Palazzo Vecchio: Florence’s 13th-century town hall.
  • It’s free to visit the lower level
  • Don’t miss the Piazza della Signoria: a large square with statues in front of the Palazzo Vecchio palace

Rome (4 days)

Take the train from Florence to Rome, which should take around 1.5 hours on the high-speed train. 

Day 1 in Rome

If you leave Florence early in the morning, you should reach Rome before lunch, giving you time to do some light sightseeing without too much effort. 

• Via Margutta Street: this is a charming, cobblestone, and quiet street in the busy, touristy neighbourhood
• Spanish Steps: these steps feature an irregular butterfly design that connects the church above with the public square below. It’s always crowded but at least it’s free to visit
• Galleria Sciarra: elegant buildings with Art Nouveau (free to visit)
• Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi): This baroque fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world, and you can expect crowds all day. Go at sunset when the lights come on, for a more special experience

Day 2 in Rome: Vatican City

• Wear comfortable shoes and spend all day exploring Vatican City and its museums. What not to miss:
  • St. Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro): This Italian Renaissance church is also the burial site of the apostle Saint Peter 
  • Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina): don’t miss the famous painting “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo. You’ll have to walk through the whole Sistine Chapel to reach the room where the painting is.

Rules for visiting the Vatican and its museums:

1. Pictures are not allowed inside the Sistine Chapel, whether with or without flash
2. Flash photography is prohibited everywhere at the Vatican Museums
3. Tripods, selfie sticks, and professional equipment aren’t allowed anywhere
4. Dress conservatively as the Vatican is a religious space

Day 3 in Rome: explore relics of the Roman Empire: the Colosseum and the surrounding area

Most of this day will be about the Roman Empire ruins in Rome. Read here for more details about cultural activities in Rome.

• Start your day at the Altar of the Fatherland (Altare della Patria), an enormous monument built in honour of Victor Emmanuel II, the 1st king of Italy
• Arch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino): This is right by the Colosseum, and it’s a triumphal arch to commemorate Constantine I’s battle victories (The Arc de Triomphe in Paris was inspired by this)
• Take a guided tour of the Colosseum, whether it’s an audio guide or with a tour guide, to better understand the history of the world’s most famous amphitheatre (it’s best to book a ticket that already includes access to Palatine Hill, Temple of Venus, and Roman Forum) 
• Palatine Hill: This is considered the birthplace of Rome, and it’s an archaeological site with views of the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus
• Temple of Venus and Rome (Il Tempio di Venere e Roma): This is thought to be the largest temple in ancient Rome
• Roman Forum: this place was the centre of public life during the Roman Empire, serving as a marketplace, amongst other functions.
• Circus Maximus: an ancient Roman site for chariot racing. It’s free to visit and hang out, but there’s a fee if you want the Virtual Reality experience to get a glimpse of what it was like during the Roman Empire
• Giardino degli Aranci: a free garden with views of St Peter’s Basilica
• Roseto Comunale (free garden with views) at Via di Valle Murcia, 6
• Aventine Keyhole: Look through this keyhole for a perfect frame of St Peter’s Basilica. Expect long queues

Day 4 in Rome

• Head to the Pantheon early in the morning. This ancient Roman temple has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Book your time slot.
• Piazza Navona: This Baroque square is filled with art by famous artists, and used to hold chariot races and battles
• Arco degli Acetari courtyard: a famous courtyard for its picturesque vibe
• Explore Campo de Fiori square and the market for fresh produce and food
• Walk by Largo di Torre Argentina (look for feral cats)
• Portico d’ottavia ruins and Templi di Apollo
• Teatro Marcello: this can only be seen from outside, and tickets aren’t needed
• Campidoglio hilltop square, designed by Michelangelo
• Walk through the mini island Isola Tiberina to the Trastevere neighbourhood for dinner

Check out the best eco-friendly hotels in Rome.

Naples (2 days)

Take the high-speed train from Rome to Naples in the morning, and reach within 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Day 1 in Naples

• Main square: Piazza del Plebiscito
• Bay of Naples and Castel dell’Ovo
• National Archaeological Museum for Pompeii artefacts 

Day 2 in Naples: day trip to Pompeii

• Archaeological Park of Pompeii (best to get a guide to truly understand the tragic history)
• Mount Vesuvius National Park
• Archaeological Park of Herculaneum

Note: if you have a few extra days, you could always extend to trip to the nearby Amalfi Coast for 2-3 days, before flying out from Naples.

FAQs: itinerary for 2 weeks in Italy

• What’s the best itinerary for your first time in Italy?

Your first time in Italy should include the main spots, allowing you time to later explore the lesser-known areas. The most popular cities to explore in Italy for a first visit include Venice, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Rome, and Naples.

• How much time do I need to visit Italy?

Italy is a diverse country with a lot to offer, whether we’re talking landscapes, culture, or even food, and it can take months to explore it all. But if you want to visit some highlights like Rome, Florence, Venice, and get to know various parts of the country, a 2-week trip to Italy is a reasonable amount of time to see plenty.