If this is your first trip to Italy, this is the route built for exactly that. Fourteen days through Rome, a short add to the Amalfi Coast, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice, in an order that moves in one direction without doubling back on yourself. You get the ancient history, the coastal postcard moment, the Renaissance art, a cliffside hiking village, and the city on water, all without the logistics headache that comes from bouncing around the map. If you only have a week, cut the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre and keep Rome, Florence, and Venice. If you have the full two weeks, this is the version that gives you the real range of what Italy actually is.

Quick Facts: Italy at a Glance

• Best time to visit: The ideal time to travel through Italy is April through June or September through October, when the weather is warm and the crowds are far more manageable than peak summer. July and especially August bring heat and heavy tourist volume to every stop on this list.

• Recommended trip length: 14 days is the right amount of time for this full route. If you only have a week, stick to Rome, Florence, and Venice and save the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre for a future trip.

• Getting there: Most travelers will fly into Rome Fiumicino (FCO), the easiest and most connected entry point for a first trip.

• Currency: Italy uses the Euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted almost everywhere, but small towns and family run trattorias sometimes prefer cash, so carry some with you.

• Approximate daily budget: Expect to spend around 100 to 150 USD per day for a mid-range trip covering accommodation, meals, transportation, and a few paid experiences. The Amalfi Coast and Venice run higher, while Cinque Terre runs lower.

• Visa requirements: For most travelers, including U.S. citizens, Italy allows visa-free stays of up to 90 days within the Schengen Zone. Check for updates on the ETIAS travel authorization system, which is expected to be required for entry in the near future, and always verify current requirements before booking.

The 14 Day Italy Itinerary

Day 1: Ancient Rome

Fly into Rome Fiumicino Airport. The Leonardo Express train runs directly into Roma Termini in about 32 minutes, the easiest and most reliable way into the city center. Rome is the city most people picture when they picture Italy, and it earns that reputation honestly. Layers of empire, papacy, and modern life sit stacked on top of each other here, sometimes literally, with ancient ruins visible beneath the streets you are walking on. This is the right place to start a first trip to Italy, since nearly everything else in the country is in some way a reaction to or continuation of what happened here.

Start with the Colosseum, then walk through the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, ideally with a guided tour since the history here is dense and easy to miss without context. Book a combined ticket covering all three sites in advance, since this saves both time and money compared to buying separately. In the afternoon, walk to the Pantheon, free to enter and one of the best preserved ancient buildings anywhere in the world. The dome's oculus, open to the sky, has been doing exactly that for nearly 2,000 years. For dinner, head to Trastevere, which has the best concentration of casual, good value restaurants in the city.

Day 2: Vatican City

Spend the morning at the Vatican Museums, ending in the Sistine Chapel. Book a skip the line ticket no matter what, since the regular line can run two hours or more in peak season. Climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica's dome in the early afternoon for one of the widest views over Rome you will get on this entire trip. Spend the evening in the Prati neighborhood near the Vatican, which has good food without the tourist markup of the areas right around major sites.

Day 3: Trevi Fountain and a Day Trip

Take a day trip out of the city. Ostia Antica, ancient Rome's port city, is less crowded than Pompeii and closer, reachable by a short train ride. Tivoli, with the gardens and fountains of Villa d'Este, is the better choice if you want greenery and water features over more ruins. Back in Rome by early evening, walk to the Trevi Fountain. The crowd thins slightly compared to midday, though it never fully empties.

Day 4: Piazzas and a Slow Final Day

Spend your last day in Rome wandering between the city's grand piazzas without much of a plan, Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps among them. Stop into a few churches along the way, since many of Rome's smaller churches hold significant art without the line of the Vatican. Use your final afternoon for a slow lunch and one last espresso before your trip continues south.

Day 5: Settling Into the Amalfi Coast

From Rome, take a high speed train to Naples, about an hour and ten minutes, then a Circumvesuviana train onward to Sorrento, roughly another hour. If you prefer Positano, continue from Sorrento by SITA bus along the coastal road, about 40 minutes to an hour. This short add-on takes the trip from historic to genuinely scenic, and it is worth the detour south even for only two nights.

In Sorrento, walk through the historic center, stop in Piazza Tasso, and find your way down to Marina Grande for a meal with a water view. In Positano, walk down through the layered streets to Spiaggia Grande and pace yourself on the steep walk back up. For dinner, look for fresh seafood with a coastal view, or, if you are vegan, ask ahead since smaller seafood focused restaurants sometimes have a limited menu outside of pasta.

For a more detailed guide to this stretch of coast, including Ravello and how to get a boat to Capri, check out my Amalfi Coast travel guide here.

Day 6: Capri or the Path of the Gods

If you are based in Sorrento, take an early ferry to Capri, about 20 to 25 minutes. Ride the chairlift up Monte Solaro for the best view on the island, then wander Capri town's shops and the Gardens of Augustus. If you are based in Positano, hike the Path of the Gods instead, a cliffside trail with some of the best coastal views in the region. Start by 8am if you can, since the trail has very little shade and gets hot fast.

Day 7: Amalfi Coast to Florence

Take the ferry from Sorrento to Naples, a short and scenic ride that lands you right downtown rather than requiring the regional train back. From Naples, a high speed train to Florence takes about two and a half to three hours and frequently runs straight through Rome without requiring a change there, so you pass through the city you already explored rather than stopping again.

Florence is where the Renaissance actually happened, not just a phrase used to describe old buildings, but the literal birthplace of the artistic movement that reshaped how the Western world thinks about art, science, and the human body.

Climb the Florence Duomo for a view over the terracotta rooftops that define this city's skyline. Book a timed entry ticket well ahead, since this sells out days in advance in high season. In the late afternoon, walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo, about 20 minutes from the river, for the best sunset view of the skyline you will get anywhere in the city. For dinner, look for a spot serving bistecca alla fiorentina if you eat meat, or a vegetable forward Tuscan menu if you do not.

For more on Florence, such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia, and what to book first, check out my Florence travel guide here, which includes a full 4-5 day itinerary.

Day 8: The Uffizi

Spend the morning at the Uffizi Gallery, home to one of the most important art collections in the world. Book your ticket well ahead, since walk up tickets often mean a multi hour wait. Spend the evening in the Oltrarno neighborhood for a quieter, more local feel than the main tourist core around the Duomo.

Day 9: Tuscan Countryside Day Trip

Take a day trip into the countryside. Siena is the strongest choice for real history, including Piazza del Campo and a cathedral that rivals Florence's own. San Gimignano is better if you want medieval towers and a smaller, slower pace. If wine is the priority, base your day in Chianti instead, with a vineyard tasting and lunch. Read my full Tuscany travel guide here.

Day 10: Florence to Cinque Terre

Take a train toward La Spezia, around two to two and a half hours with a change, often at Pisa. From La Spezia, a short regional train brings you into whichever village you are staying in. Cinque Terre is a complete change of pace after three cities in a row, five small fishing villages stacked into cliffs along the Ligurian coast, connected by a hiking trail and a short local train.

Settle into your base village. Monterosso al Mare is the largest and most walkable, with the best beach access, while Vernazza has the only natural harbor and arguably the most beautiful main square of the five. Walk the harbor and watch the boats come in. For dinner, order the region's pesto and focaccia, both done better here than almost anywhere else in Italy.

Day 11: The Village to Village Hike

Hike a portion of the Sentiero Azzurro, the trail connecting the five villages, with sea views the entire way. The stretch between Vernazza and Corniglia is the classic route, taking about two hours at a relaxed pace.

Tip: Wear real shoes, not sandals. The trail has uneven stone steps that can get slippery if it has rained recently.

If you want a deeper breakdown of which hikes to tackle, what to do in each of the five villages, and how to get around without missing a train, check out my full Cinque Terre 4-5 day guide for all the details.

Day 12: Cinque Terre to Venice

Take a regional train from La Spezia to Florence or Pisa, then a high speed train onward to Venezia Santa Lucia, around four to five hours total depending on the connection. Venice closes out this trip the way it should, a city built on water with no cars and no straight lines, forcing a slower pace whether you plan for it or not.

Start early at St. Mark's Basilica before the crowds build, then walk through Doge's Palace next door. Book both online ahead of time, since the line that forms by mid morning is genuinely long in peak season. Walk from San Marco to the Rialto Bridge through the smaller side canals rather than the most direct route. For dinner, look for a bacaro, a small bar serving cicchetti, Venice's version of small plates.

Day 13: Murano and Burano

Spend the day on the islands. Murano is known for glassmaking, and a quick stop at a workshop is worth it even without buying anything. Burano is the better photo stop, with rows of brightly painted houses, and it makes a good lunch base since it is calmer than central Venice.

Day 14: A Slower Final Day

Use your last full day to do what Venice does best, getting lost without consequence. Climb the Campanile for a rooftop view if you have not already, and spend the evening watching the light change over the Grand Canal at golden hour.

If you want tour recommendations, more detail on the must-see sites, and a full breakdown of where to stay, check out my complete Venice guide for everything you need to plan your trip.

Which Airport to Fly Out Of

Fly out of Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) rather than backtracking to Rome. Venice Marco Polo runs direct long haul connections to major hubs, so there is no need to retrace your route just to catch a flight home. A water taxi or the Alilaguna ferry connects central Venice to the airport in about 30 to 45 minutes depending on your starting point. Booking your international flight to land in Rome and depart from Venice, often called an open jaw ticket, usually costs about the same as a round trip and saves an entire unnecessary leg of backtracking.

Want a Free "Italy Highlights" Planning Template?

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This is the same 14 day Italy route from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice, but built out completely. Every hotel, every meal, every train and ferry connection is already chosen for you, so all you have to do is book and go.

Italy Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go

• Book the Colosseum, Vatican, and Uffizi well in advance. These are the three hardest tickets on this entire itinerary, and walk up availability for any of them is close to nonexistent in peak season.

• The ferry from Sorrento to Naples is the better way north. It is more scenic than the regional train and lands you directly downtown, making the connection to your Florence bound train smoother.

• Pack lighter than feels reasonable. Between Positano's stairs and Cinque Terre's hiking trail, a large rolling suitcase becomes a genuine problem on this route.

• Validate paper train tickets before boarding regional trains. This applies to the Circumvesuviana near Naples and most regional lines, not high speed trains with assigned seating.

• Dress modestly for churches. This applies at St. Peter's Basilica, St. Mark's Basilica, and most major cathedrals on this route.

What you pack can make or break a trip like this. Too much and you are hauling a suitcase up cobblestone streets and stairs with no elevator. Too little and you are paying tourist prices for a phone charger or a rain jacket you did not think you would need. I learned this the hard way so you do not have to. My Europe packing list covers exactly what to bring, what is a waste of space, and the few items that ended up saving my trip.

Is This Itinerary Worth It?

If this is your first time in Italy and you want the real range of what the country offers without doubling back on yourself, this route delivers it. It is best for travelers who want ancient history, a coastal postcard moment, Renaissance art, a hiking village, and canals, all in one trip without the logistics headache. Save this post for when you start planning your route, and drop a comment if you want help adjusting the pacing for your own trip.

If you have the time, do not just hit the highlights. Check out my 24-28 Day All of Italy Guide for the full itinerary that covers every region most travelers never get to see.

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