Sleep in Rome

PLANNED ACTIVITES

THE COLLOSSEUM, FORUM & PALATINE HILL

9:00AM | Breakfast

10:00AM-1:00PM | Take a tour of Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill

1:00PM | Lunch at La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali (5 min walk from the Forum, favorite with locals serving typical Roman cuisine – closed on Tuesdays) or Taverna Romana

3:00PM | Relax, freshen up at hotel/AirBnb

4:00PM-7:00PM | Grab some gelato or a cappuccino at La Buvette, check out the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and stroll down the nearby Via dei Condotti (once a major throughfare, now full of high-end shopping)

7:30PM | Dinner at Ristorante Agrodolce Roma (near Trevi Fountain) or Il Gabriello (near Spanish Steps) for traditional Roman food

TIPS

BOOK AHEAD

We visited the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill using a self-guiding walking tour. Next time, I’d consider booking a tour. If you do end up visiting these outside of a guided tour, still make sure to book your ticket in advance.

Sleep in Rome

PLANNED ACTIVITES

THE VATICAN

8:00AM | Breakfast

9:00AM | Take a taxi over to Vatican city

10:00AM-1:00PM | Tour of the Vatican

1:30PM | Lunch at Ristorante Nino

3:00PM-5:00PM | Head back to Airbnb/hotel, take a siesta, freshen up

5:00PM-7:30PM | Spend the evening in charming Campo Di Fiori – visit the square, check out Piazza Farnese, grab a coffee at Barnum café, a drink at Open Baladin, or gelato at Fatamorgana

7:30PM | Dinner at Luciano Cucina Italiana in Campo De Fiori

TIPS

THE VATICAN

It is definitely worth seeing Vactican City – The Sistine Chapel with Michaelangelo’s fresco, the dome climb, and St. Peter’s are truly spectacular. You’ll want to book tickets ahead of time to ensure you can get in at your desired time and avoid the long lines. We did our own self-guided tour, but next time I would consider booking a guided tour.

LOGISTICS

The Vatican is closed for tours on Sunday, so plan accordingly. Also, there are dress requirements (no shorts, skirts need to be below your knee, shoulders need to be covered.

Sleep in Chania

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

EXPLORE FLORENCE, DUOMO & ACCADEMIA

10:00AM | Check out of Airbnb/hotel and leave bags

11:00AM-12:30PM | Take the train from Rome Termini Station to Florence (~1.5 hours)

1:00PM | Drop bags at hotel or Airbnb

1:30PM-2:30PM | Lunch at Gusta Pizza or Pizza Napoli

2:30-6:00PM | Explore Florence on foot including a tour of the Duomo and Accademia

6:00PM | Grab some gelato at Gelateria Edoardo

7:30PM | Have dinner at Teatro del Sale for a unique multi-course meal and a show

TIPS

TRAIN TICKETS

You can book tickets through Trentitalia or Italo.

EXPLORE
We downloaded a walking tour of Florence to see the main sights and get some history. Alternatively, you could book a guided tour.

DUOMO

We thought it was fun to watch Medici on Netflix after seeing this. It might also be fun to watch on the flight over. The duomo is a a famous cathedral and the first dome built since ancient Rome. You need to buy your tickets for the Duomo ahead of time so you don’t get stuck in lines for hours. If you don’t go through a private tour company, book your tickets online ahead of time. It is fun to hike to the top of the Duomo to get a great view of the city. Buy tickets ahead here.

ACCADEMIA

It was worth checking out the museum that houses famous works of art including Michelangelo’s David and the worlds’ first upright piano. Book your tickets ahead of time here.

STAYING

We stayed at this cute little Airbnb right near Ponte Vecchio and were walking distance to all the major sights. If you stay around the Duomo, you will be right in the heart of everything. Florence is very walkable overall and virtually traffic free in its core.

Sleep in Florence

PLANNED ACTIVITES

COOKING CLASS

9:00AM-10:30AM | Grab a cappuccino at Rivoire Firenze and explore Mercato Centrale

11:00AM-2:00PM | Take a cooking class and learn how to make handmade pasta

3:00PM-5:00PM | Check out the Boboli Gardens

5:00PM | Grab a drink and snack at Le Volpi e L’Uva

8:00PM | Have dinner at Osteria Toscanella, Trattoria Sant’Agostino, or Il Latini for the famous bistecca Fiorentina 

TIPS

COOKING CLASS

We booked our pasta making class through InTavola, and it was great. We started the class with a trip to the market to buy our ingredients, took a bus out to a countryside villa and prepared two different types of pasta, three different sauces, and made dessert as well.

Sleep in Venice

PLANNED ACTIVITES

UFFIZI & HEAD TO VENICE

8:00AM | Check out of Air Bnb, leave bags, and grab a coffee at Ditta Artigianale

9:00AM | Visit the Uffizi Gallery (with reservation)

12:00PM | Grab a panini from All’Antico Vinaio or Ino

2:00PM | Take the train from Florence to Venice (~2 hours)

4:00PM | Take a water taxi from train station to hotel

4:30PM | Check into hotel in Venice and get settled in

5:30PM | Pop in and out of some Venetian Tapas Bars and experience the Cicchetti Strip for dinner at Cantina Do Mori and Cantina Do Spade

7:30PM-9:30PM | Take a night tour of Venice

10:00PM | Grab a drink and enjoy the activities in St. Mark’s square

TIPS

UFFIZI GALLERY

A must see for some of the most famous Renaissance art. Head here first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds. You’ll need to buy tickets and reserve your entry slot ahead of time here.

TRANSPORTATION

Book the high speed train from Florence to Venice ahead of time through italotreno.it. Once you arrive, you will see Venetian taxis hanging out along the Grand Canal. There is some price regulation, but you may be able to negotiate still. It is fun riding in the classic wooden boat.

VENICE

It is much quieter at night, so it is fun to arrive in the evening when the day tripping crowds have dissipated some. You can book a night tour with a local like this one.

WHERE TO STAY

Look for somewhere in the old town right near the Santa Lucia Train Station.

Sleep in Cinque Terre

PLANNED ACTIVITES

BURANO, MURANO, TORCELLO & HEAD TO CINQUE TERRE

10:00AM | Head to San Marco for Murano, Burano, Torello Signtseeing Tour

10:30AM-2:00PM | Head across the Lagoon from Venice to tour Murano, Torcello, and Burano 

3:00PM-8:00PM | Take the train from Venice to Cinque Terre

8:00PM | Buy your Cinque Terre Trekking Card, at the train station, to hike the trail tomorrow

8:30PM | Check in and drop off bags

9:00PM | Late dinner

TIPS

CINQUE TERRE

All time favorite. These five tiny fishing villages overlooking the sea are remote and so charming. This is where you will find the much-photographed colorful houses built right into the cliffs. Just a little time here had me dreaming of a simple Italian life. It’s nice to spend at least a couple of nights here because it is quieter in the morning and evening when the day-trippers leave and to make the long train ride worth it.

STAYING IN CINQUE TERRE

Check out any of the five towns for staying. Monterroso is the biggest with more typical hotels and night life. Vernazza is beautiful with a little cove and a popular pick for a homebase. We stayed in quiet, charming Manarola because we found the most accommodation options at the time, but would try Vernazza next time.

TRAIN

The train ride from Venice to Cinque Terre is a long one (~5.5 hours) but worth it. There aren’t any direct trains so you’ll have to change trains at least once. Monterossao al Mare is the largest of the five Cinque Terre towns, so it has the busiest train station with the most options. Choose your train route depending on which of the five Cinque Terre towns you stay in.

BURANO, MURANO, TORCELLO TOUR

We booked this tour to venture off of the main island. It was fun to see the islands and watch the glass blowing. We spent about 40 minutes on each Island. Alternatively, you could take the vaporetto yourself to each of these places, but it was nice to have a confirmed boat spot and time so we didn’t have to manage all of the logistics ourselves.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY 

During our trip, we actually had one extra day here, and we went to the nearby island of Lido. It is a quiet, nearby little Island where we rented bikes and spent some time on the nice sandy beach.

Sleep in Cinque Terre

PLANNED ACTIVITES

CINQUE TERRE HIKE

8:00AM | Start your hike in Riomaggiore and end in Monterosso al Mare (take the ferry to get to Riomaggiore)

12:00PM | Grab some lunch along the route depending on what looks good as you hike through the towns

1:00PM | Hang out at the beach in Riomaggiore, soak in the sun, relax, grab some gelato, or rent kayaks

5:00PM | Take the ferry to where you are staying, wander around the town and enjoy

7:00PM | Dinner

TIPS

ACTIVITIES & EXTRA TIME

Cinque Terre is perfect for just exploring, hiking, relaxing, swimming and having no real itinerary. If you have an extra day or are considering adding additional time to your trip, spend it here. There isn’t much “to do” here and that is what we love most about it. 

THE HIKE

The five towns are connected by a hiking trail marked with red and white paint, white arrows, and signs. Check www.parconazionale5terre.it for any trail closures before you hike or ask a local. Plan to hike early to avoid the crowds, and expect for some narrow, steep, difficult terrain (so worth it though). There are multiple trails, but the coastal trail is the main one (approx. 7 miles will take about 5 hours). When we visited, that trail was closed and we ended up no a longer, alternative hike. Pack your swim gear, a water, a snack or two to bring along.

Sleep in Rome

PLANNED ACTIVITES

ROME & HOME

10:00AM | Check out of hotel/Airbnb

11:00AM-4:00PM | Train from Monterrosso to Rome

4:00PM | Check into hotel in Rome

5:00PM | Tax a taxi across the river to check out the Trastevere neighborhood. Start at Belvedere Del Gianicolo, enjoy the view and head down to the center of Trastevere. Grab some gelato at Otaleg, check out the piazza and Basilica of Santa Maria.

6:30PM | Get a drink and aperitivo at VinAllegro or Pimm’s Good

8:00PM | Have dinner at Antica Pesa or book this unique experience to dine with a local family in Trastevere (we didn’t get to do this, but it is on our list next time)

TIPS

TRAIN

You can take the train from Monterrosso to Rome (they run every hour and it is about 4.5 hours) – there is a train change in La Spezia. Although it would be nice to stay in Cinque Terre for the day and take the night train, I think it is a safer bet to leave earlier in the day since you fly out the next day. Buy your tickets online ahead of time.