Italy Travel Route

Italy is a country that punishes people who try to see too much. The train between Rome and Milan is 3 hours, but the train between Rome and the Amalfi Coast is 4 hours plus a bus. The distances look small on a map, but the mountains, the coast, and the lack of fast trains in the south make every journey longer than expected. This route does three places in 10 days — Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast — and it's the right amount.

Day 1-3: Rome

Arrive at Fiumicino airport. Take the Leonardo Express train to Termini station (€14, 32 minutes). Stay in Monti — the neighborhood between the Colosseum and Termini. It's central, authentic, and has the best restaurants in central Rome. Hotel: €80-130/night.

Day 1: Ancient Rome. Colosseum (book the underground tour, €24, 2 weeks ahead), Forum, Palatine Hill. Walk to the Capitoline Hill for the view of the Forum from the Tabularium window. Dinner at La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali (€30-40, book ahead).

Day 2: Vatican and Trastevere. Vatican Museums — book the 7:30 AM early entry (€35). Sistine Chapel nearly empty. Walk to Castel Sant'Angelo (€15). Cross to Trastevere for lunch at Da Enzo al 29 (€25-35, no reservations, queue at noon). Walk to the Janiculum Hill for the best view of Rome. Dinner at Roma Sparita (€30-40, book ahead) — the cacio e pepe.

Day 3: Borghese and Baroque. Galleria Borghese (€13, book ahead, timed entry). Walk through the gardens to the Pincio Terrace. Walk to the Pantheon (€5). Visit the Caravaggio churches — San Luigi dei Francesi (three Caravaggios, free, drop €1 in the light box) and Sant'Agostino (free). Walk to the Trevi Fountain at 6 PM (fewer crowds than midday). Dinner at Armando al Pantheon (€40-50, book 3 weeks ahead).

Day 4-5: Florence

Take the Frecciarossa from Roma Termini to Firenze SMN (1.5 hours, €25-45 if booked 2+ months ahead on italotreno.it). Stay in Oltrarno — south of the river, quieter and cheaper than the center. Hotel: €70-100/night.

Day 4: Renaissance. Climb the Duomo dome (€30, book ahead, 463 steps). Walk to the Uffizi (€25, book ahead) — go at 4 PM, last entry 6:45 PM, crowds thin after 5. The Botticelli room and the Caravaggio room. Walk across the Ponte Vecchio at sunset. Dinner at Trattoria Mario (€20-30, no reservations, lunch only) or Il Latini (€30-40) for bistecca alla fiorentina.

Day 5: Florence deep dive. Accademia (€16, book ahead) — Michelangelo's David, go at 8:15 AM. Mercato Centrale for lunch (€10-15, ground floor food market). Walk across the river to the Pitti Palace (€16) and the Boboli Gardens. Walk up to San Miniato al Monte — the best view of Florence and Gregorian chant at 5:30 PM. Dinner at Osteria Santo Spirito (€25-35, book ahead).

Day 6: Travel to the Amalfi Coast

Take the Frecciarossa from Florence to Naples (3 hours, €40-65). At Naples, switch to the Circumvesuviana local train to Sorrento (€3.20, 70 minutes). The Circumvesuviana is a commuter train — no air conditioning, no luggage racks, and it stops at every station. But it's the only way to the coast without a car, and it passes Pompeii on the way.

Optional: Stop at Pompeii (get off at Pompei Scavi station, €18 entry). 2-3 hours. The Villa of the Mysteries has the best frescoes. Then continue to Sorrento.

Stay in Sorrento — the best base for the Amalfi Coast because it's on the train line, has better restaurants than Positano, and costs half as much. Hotel: €80-130/night. Eat at Trattoria da Emilia (€25-35) — the gnocchi alla sorrentina.

Day 7: Amalfi and Positano

Take the SITA bus from Sorrento to Amalfi (€8, 75 minutes). The bus follows the SS163 cliff road — sit on the right side for the views. If you get carsick, take the ferry from Sorrento to Amalfi (€15, 40 minutes).

In Amalfi: the Cathedral of St. Andrew (€3) — Arab-Norman facade, a cloister that's a miniature paradise. Walk to Atrani (10 minutes) — the smallest municipality in Italy, a tiny square and a beach.

Take the bus or ferry to Positano (30 minutes). The vertical town — pastel houses stacked on the cliff. Eat at Chez Black (€25-35, on the beach) — pizza and spaghetti with sea urchin. Take the ferry back to Sorrento (€18, 40 minutes) — the view of the coast from the water is the best view you'll get.

Day 8: Capri

Take the ferry from Sorrento to Capri (€20, 30 minutes). Capri is an island off the coast — the Blue Grotto (a sea cave lit by underwater light, €18 boat + €14 entry), the town of Capri (designer shops and €15 cocktails), and Anacapri (quieter, the Villa San Michele — a Swedish doctor's house built on Roman ruins, €10).

Take the chairlift from Anacapri to Monte Solaro (€12 round-trip, 12 minutes each way) — the highest point on the island, 589 m. The view covers the entire Bay of Naples, Vesuvius, and the Amalfi Coast.

Eat at Da Adolfo (€25-35) — a beach restaurant in Positano reachable by boat from Capri. The mozzarella is delivered by boat every morning. Or eat at La Capannina (€20-30) in Capri town — the ravioli caprese is the island's signature dish.

Return ferry to Sorrento (€20, 30 minutes). The last ferry is at 5:30 PM in summer — check the schedule.

Day 9: Naples

Take the Circumvesuviana from Sorrento to Naples (€3.20, 70 minutes). Naples is the best city in Italy — chaotic, loud, and the birthplace of pizza. The pizza at Da Michele (€5, Via Cesare Sersale 1) is the best pizza in the world. They make two kinds: margherita and marinara. That's it. No reservations, queue at noon.

Visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum (€15) — the Pompeii frescoes and mosaics are here (the best ones were moved from Pompeii to Naples in the 18th century). The Farnese Bull is the largest ancient sculpture ever recovered.

Walk the Spaccanapoli — the street that splits the old town in half. It's a straight line since the Greek city plan of 600 BC. The street is full of churches, markets, and food shops. Eat sfogliatella (a ricotta-filled pastry, €2) at Pintauro (Via Toledo 275) — they've been making them since 1850.

Day 10: Departure

From Naples, take the Frecciarossa to Rome (1.5 hours, €25-45) or fly directly from Naples Capodichino airport. If you fly from Rome, allow 3 hours between the train arrival and your flight.

Route Summary

Day	City	Transport	Time
1-3	Rome	—	—
4-5	Florence	Frecciarossa from Rome	1.5h
6	Sorrento	Frecciarossa to Naples + Circumvesuviana	3h + 1h
7	Amalfi/Positano	SITA bus / ferry	0.5-1.5h
8	Capri	Ferry from Sorrento	30 min
9	Naples	Circumvesuviana	1h
10	Departure	Frecciarossa to Rome or fly from Naples	1.5h

Transport costs: Rome-Florence €25-45, Florence-Naples €40-65, Circumvesuviana €3.20/ride, SITA bus €8, ferries €15-20. Total: €120-180. Book Frecciarossa 2+ months ahead.

When to Go

April-May and October are ideal — 20-25°C, the crowds are half of summer, and the light is golden. July-August is 35°C in Rome and Florence, and the Amalfi Coast is a traffic jam. November-February is 10-15°C — cold for the coast but perfect for Rome and Florence (museums empty, hotel prices halved).

What to Skip

• Pisa: The tower is a 2-hour detour from Florence for a photo. Skip it.
• Venice: Beautiful but 2 hours from Florence in the wrong direction. It deserves 2 days, not a few hours. Save it for next time.
• The Cinque Terre: 3 hours from Florence, crowded, and the trails have a ticket system. If you have 14 days, add it. In 10 days, skip it.

Money

Italy is mid-range for Europe. Hotels: €70-130/night. Meals: €12-18 for lunch (prix fixe), €25-40 for dinner. Trains: €25-65 per leg if booked ahead. Attractions: €5-25. Budget €90-130/day including accommodation. The Amalfi Coast is the most expensive part — hotels and restaurants are 30-50% more than Rome or Florence.