Italy itineraries

Italy's classic trip links Rome, Florence and Venice by fast train, an hour and a half to two hours apart. The south has Naples and the Amalfi Coast; the north, the Dolomites.

Each trip below is a full day-by-day plan WayFriend wrote for one sample traveller: where to go and when, what to book ahead and what it costs. Pick the one closest to yours, or have one written for your own dates.

• Italy in 7 daysA first week: Rome, Florence and Venice by fast train
• Rome in 4 daysRome alone: the Colosseum, the Vatican, Trastevere
• Florence in 3 daysFlorence alone: the Duomo, the Uffizi, David
• Venice in 3 daysVenice alone, with Murano and Burano
• Naples in 3 daysNaples, Pompeii and Vesuvius
• Amalfi Coast in 4 daysPositano, Amalfi, Ravello and Capri without a car
• Dolomites road trip in 6 daysThe Dolomites by car: lakes, passes and hikes
• Val Gardena in 5 daysFive days of hiking from one base in Val Gardena

How to choose

• One week, first time: Rome, Florence and Venice, three or two nights each, by train.
• Ten days: add Naples and Pompeii, or the Amalfi Coast from late April to October.
• Mountains: the Dolomites from mid-June to September, when the lifts and huts are open.

More places: the WayFriend guide library.