The goal of this blog post is to inspire you to travel to Italy! Italy is worth the money without a doubt. This trip is for everybody – the foodies, the history-lovers, the photographers, the city people, and the country folk. This blog will give you an idea of how long you may want to spend in different Italian cities. I hope to provide you with insight as I share my 10-day itinerary for Italy with you. The two days spent flying are not included in the ten days.
When to Visit Italy
There is nothing quite like an Italian summer… Just picture it! You have an aperol spritz in your hand while tanning on a sunbed at the beach. There is a bright orange beach umbrella above your head and beautiful ocean views with numerous boats bobbing in the distance.
Personally, I love warm weather, so I wanted to get the whole Italy vacation experience. In order to avoid some of the crazy traffic, I visited Italy near the end of May and the beginning of June. If you want minimal crowds, most people encourage others to travel to Italy in late May or early October. Most of the cities (especially Rome and the cities along the Amalfi Coast) were still very busy, but the crowds were smaller than usual. While I was here, the weather was beautiful. We managed to avoid the rain throughout our entire trip! On average, it was about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit as well.
How to Get Around Italy
When in Italy, I would recommend you use the trains as your primary mode of transportation. I never rented a car while in Italy, and I do not regret my decision. I can not imagine trying to drive down the narrow and crowded streets in Rome or the winding streets in Positano… Trains and ferries were my only sources of transportation. The train stations are conveniently located in the center of the cities, so it was easy to see all the sights. I recommend finding accommodations near the train stations that are within walking distance of everything. There are numerous options on Airbnb where I looked. I was nervous about figuring out the train system at first, but you will catch on quick and be ready to be a local!
Cities I Visited in Italy
- Florence
- Venice
- Rome
- Tagliacozzo
- Positano
- Capri
Itinerary
I flew into the Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino (FCO) airport in Rome. I found fairly cheap roundtrip tickets and knew that Rome would be a conveniently located city between my destinations.
Day 1 – Florence
After I flew into Rome, I took a train to Florence where I spent my first night in Europe. There is a train station right near the airport. After you gather your luggage, the walk is only about 3-5 minutes. There are kiosks where you can purchase the tickets in the airport. You can always find kiosks at other train stations as you travel throughout Italy, but I recommend the Italo Treno app on your phone. The train ride to Florence was about 2.5 hours long. I booked an Airbnb in the center of Florence that was walking distance from the train station and all of the sights for 3 nights. If you are wondering what there is to do in this city, check out my blog post on Florence.
Day 2 – Venice & Florence
The next morning, I walked to the train station and took a train to Venice. You can find trains that take you from Florence to Venice in about 2 hours. I heard that a full day in Venice is enough time, so I just did a day trip to Venice. Check out my other blog to read about the perfect day in Venice. Doing a day trip allowed me to leave all my luggage at my Airbnb in Florence and not have to worry about lugging around bags and waiting for a check-in time. After my amazing day in Venice, I took a train back to Florence.
Day 3 – Florence
On the third day of my vacation in Italy, I continued exploring Florence. I did not get tired of walking around the plazas, trying new food, and listening to live music while people danced in the streets.
Day 4 – Rome & Tagliacozzo
Early the next morning, I took a train from Florence to Rome. I planned for one long day in Rome. Most people would say that one full day in Rome is not enough time. I am not a huge history-lover though, and I prefer the beaches and ocean over the city, so I do not regret sticking to one day in Rome. There is a spot in the train station where you can keep your luggage for the day for about 5 euros. This service was a life saver! I was able to see everything I wanted to see after walking over 30,000 steps this day. Talk about a productive day! If you love history or like to travel at a slower pace, then perhaps you would prefer to stay in Rome longer.
After my busy day in Rome, I took a train to Tagliacozzo where I was visiting and staying with family.
Day 5 & 6 – Tagliacozzo
If you want to avoid touristy spots and visit a beautiful, local, Italian town, I recommend visiting Tagliacozzo. There is a beautiful hike, amazing family-owned cafes, and fun market days where you can feel like a local.
Day 7 – Positano
On day 7, we left early in the morning to head for the Amalfi Coast. We took a train from Tagliacozzo to Salerno. After getting out of the train station in Salerno, we walked toward the ferry port to buy our tickets to Positano. You do not need to buy a ticket in advance. Then, we arrived in Positano and had time to start exploring the beautiful waterfront town.
Day 8 – Positano
My blog about Positano will provide you with all the travel inspiration you need to buy those flights and find yourself on the Amalfi Coast! I would not need much persuasion to pack my bags and move my life to Positano…
Day 9 – Positano & Capri
On day 9, I went on a boat excursion from Positano to Capri. My blog on Positano gives more details about this excursion. I highly recommend you got on a boat tour while you are here!
Day 10 – Positano
My last day in paradise… The next morning, I left bright and early. Most people spend about 2 days in Positano. I spent four nights in Positano and was still so sad to leave! From here, I went back to the Rome airport.
Conclusion
You can find the simplified itinerary that I followed while visiting Italy below. Like I said, most people stay in Rome longer and spend less time in Positano, but I am glad that I followed this itinerary and have no regrets.
- Florence (3 nights)
- Venice (1 full day)
- Rome (1 full day)
- Tagliacozzo (3 nights)
- Positano (4 nights)
I hope this itinerary provides those of you who are trying to plan a trip to Italy with helpful travel information. Alter this itinerary to create your perfect vacation and know that each of these destinations in Italy have so much to offer! Of course, there are numerous other special cities in Italy to visit, so I hope to visit Italy again one day and provide you with even more Italy travel inspiration. But until then… “grazie mille” for stopping by!