Rome, Florence and Venice in 7 days

Ancient Rome in one loop, then dinner across the river.

1. 08:30 1

   Colosseum

   Sight

   Book the 08:30 entry with the arena floor weeks ahead; the ticket covers the Forum and Palatine.

   

   814 m · 8m walk to next

2. 11:30 2

   Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

   Sight

   Enter from Via Sacra. The Palatine orange garden is the lunch view.

   

   1.3 km · 15m walk to next

3. 14:00 3

   Trattoria Luzzi

   Food & drink

   Cheap, loud, cacio e pepe. No reservations.

   

   1.6 km · 12m walk to next

4. 16:00 4

   Capitoline Hill

   Sight

   Michelangelo’s square. The terrace behind it has the best free view over the Forum.

   

   987 m · 12m walk to next

5. 17:30 5

   Pantheon

   Sight

   Timed ticket now, 5 euro. Late light through the oculus.

   

   1.5 km · 25m walk to next

6. 19:30 6

   Trastevere

   Food & drink

   Dinner across the river. Da Enzo al 29 takes no bookings; queue at 19:00.

   

The Vatican at opening, then the centro storico on foot.

1. 08:00 1

   Vatican Museums

   Sight

   First entry slot, booked on the official site only. Raphael Rooms before the crowd reaches the Sistine Chapel.

   

   622 m · 10m walk to next

2. 11:30 2

   St Peter’s Basilica

   Sight

   Climb the dome, 551 steps, then the Grottoes.

   

   1.1 km · 12m walk to next

3. 13:30 3

   Pizzarium Bonci

   Food & drink

   Pizza al taglio by weight. Standing room only.

   

   2.2 km · 20m transit to next

4. 15:30 4

   Castel Sant’Angelo

   Sight

   Hadrian’s tomb turned fortress. Rooftop terrace.

   

   924 m · 15m walk to next

5. 17:00 5

   Piazza Navona

   Sight

   Bernini’s fountain, then Campo de’ Fiori market next door.

   

   1.1 km · 12m walk to next

6. 18:30 6

   Trevi Fountain

   Sight

   Coin over the left shoulder. Better at 07:00, but you are here now.

   

   1.1 km · 20m walk to next

7. 20:00 7

   Monti

   Food & drink

   Wine bar dinner at Ai Tre Scalini; the piazza fills after 21:00.

   

Frecciarossa to Florence, 1 h 32 min nonstop. Book Trenitalia 3 to 4 weeks out for Super Economy fares.

1. 08:50 1

   Roma Termini → Firenze S.M.N. · Frecciarossa 9514

   train

   Business or Premium carriages are quieter for 10 euro more. Bags stay with you.

   232 km to next

2. 10:22 2

   Arrive at Firenze S.M.N. · Frecciarossa 9514

   train

   

   564 m · 8m walk to next

3. 11:00 3

   Mercato Centrale

   Food & drink

   Drop bags, then a lampredotto sandwich at Nerbone downstairs.

   

   544 m · 10m walk to next

4. 12:30 4

   Duomo and Brunelleschi’s Dome

   Sight

   The dome climb is a timed reservation, 463 steps. The cathedral floor is free.

   

   770 m · 12m walk to next

5. 15:00 5

   Uffizi Gallery

   Sight

   Book online. Botticelli’s Venus in rooms 10 to 14. Closed Mondays.

   

   231 m · 5m walk to next

6. 17:30 6

   Ponte Vecchio

   Sight

   Goldsmiths on the bridge since 1593.

   

   1.4 km · 20m walk to next

7. 18:30 7

   Piazzale Michelangelo

   Sight

   Sunset over the whole city. Walk up through the rose garden.

   

   2.4 km · 25m walk to next

8. 20:00 8

   Il Santo Bevitore

   Food & drink

   Book ahead. The Oltrarno’s best kitchen without the Michelin bill.

   

David at opening, the Medici, and a garden at golden hour.

1. 08:15 1

   Galleria dell’Accademia

   Sight

   David at opening, before the tour groups. Forty five minutes is honest.

   

   608 m · 8m walk to next

2. 10:00 2

   Medici Chapels

   Sight

   Michelangelo’s tomb sculptures, next to the San Lorenzo market.

   

   451 m · 5m walk to next

3. 11:30 3

   Santa Maria Novella

   Sight

   Masaccio’s Trinity, the first true perspective painting.

   

   1.2 km · 12m walk to next

4. 13:00 4

   All’Antico Vinaio

   Food & drink

   The famous schiacciata queue. Cross the street to the sister shop for the short line.

   

   114 m · 8m walk to next

5. 14:30 5

   Palazzo Vecchio

   Sight

   Climb the tower, then the open air sculpture in Piazza della Signoria below.

   

   634 m · 10m walk to next

6. 16:30 6

   Santa Croce

   Sight

   Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli under one roof. The leather school is behind.

   

   1.7 km · 20m walk to next

7. 18:00 7

   Boboli Gardens

   Park & nature

   The Pitti Palace gardens; the Kaffeehaus terrace at golden hour. Last entry an hour before closing, check the season.

   

   652 m · 10m walk to next

8. 20:00 8

   Gusta Pizza

   Food & drink

   Oltrarno pizza, cash only, heart shaped if you ask.

   

Train to Venice, then San Marco once the day trippers thin out.

1. 08:30 1

   Firenze S.M.N. → Venezia Santa Lucia · Frecciarossa 9406

   train

   Step out of the station onto the Grand Canal. Vaporetto line 1 to San Marco takes 45 minutes and is the best tour in town.

   

   204 km to next

2. 10:35 2

   Arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia · Frecciarossa 9406

   train

   

   1.6 km · 25m walk to next

3. 11:30 3

   Rialto Market and Bridge

   Sight

   Fish market mornings, closed Sunday and Monday.

   

   101 m · 3m walk to next

4. 13:00 4

   Cantina Do Mori

   Food & drink

   Cicchetti since 1462. Stand at the bar with an ombra of wine.

   

   734 m · 12m walk to next

5. 15:00 5

   St Mark’s Basilica

   Sight

   Timed ticket online; the Pala d’Oro and the loggia horses for a few euro more.

   

   113 m · 3m walk to next

6. 17:00 6

   Doge’s Palace

   Sight

   The Bridge of Sighs from the inside. Book the Secret Itineraries tour if it is available.

   

   1.5 km · 20m transit to next

7. 19:00 7

   Fondamenta delle Zattere

   Park & nature

   Gelato at Nico, sunset over the Giudecca canal.

   

   1.5 km · 20m walk to next

8. 20:30 8

   Antiche Carampane

   Food & drink

   No pizza, no lasagne, no tourist menu, says the sign. Book.

   

The lagoon islands on vaporetto 12, then Cannaregio for dinner.

1. 09:00 1

   Murano

   Activity

   Vaporetto 4.1 or 12 from Fondamente Nove. Glass furnaces are free to watch; buy the day pass.

   

   7.5 km · 35m transit to next

2. 10:30 2

   Burano

   Sight

   The painted houses. Lunch at Trattoria al Gatto Nero if you booked; otherwise risotto de gò anywhere on the water.

   

   1.7 km · 8m transit to next

3. 13:30 3

   Torcello

   Sight

   The basilica’s Last Judgement mosaic, and almost nobody.

   

   12.0 km · 45m transit to next

4. 16:00 4

   Jewish Ghetto

   Sight

   The world’s first ghetto, 1516. Quiet campo, kosher bakery.

   

   639 m · 10m walk to next

5. 17:30 5

   Strada Nova

   Activity

   The local high street; cheaper spritz.

   

   525 m · 8m walk to next

6. 19:30 6

   Osteria Al Timon

   Food & drink

   Cicchetti on a boat moored on the canal.

   

San Marco empty at dawn, Dorsoduro’s museums, and the train home.

1. 07:00 1

   Piazza San Marco

   Sight

   Empty. This is the only hour you will have it.

   

   1.1 km · 12m walk to next

2. 08:30 2

   Gallerie dell’Accademia

   Sight

   Venetian painting, Bellini to Tiepolo.

   

   342 m · 5m walk to next

3. 10:30 3

   Peggy Guggenheim Collection

   Sight

   Modern art in her palazzo on the canal. Garden cafe.

   

   306 m · 5m walk to next

4. 12:00 4

   Santa Maria della Salute

   Sight

   The plague church at the mouth of the canal. Traghetto gondola across for 2 euro.

   

   767 m · 10m walk to next

5. 13:30 5

   Osteria Al Squero

   Food & drink

   Cicchetti facing the gondola boatyard at San Trovaso.

   

   1.1 km · 10m walk to next

6. 15:00 6

   Scuola Grande di San Rocco

   Sight

   Tintoretto’s ceilings, with the mirrors they hand you at the door.

   

   718 m · 15m walk to next

7. 17:00 7

   Venezia Santa Lucia

   Sight

   Trains to Milan and Rome; the airport bus leaves from Piazzale Roma next door.