I’m often asked: “I have 10 days in Italy, can you please help me with my travel itinerary?”
Oh how I’d LOVE to!
Except when that question is followed by that very looonng, heavy bucket list of ALL the traveler expects to pack in to 10 days.
While I love enthusiasm for Bell’Italia, and totally understand “not wanting to miss anything”, the Truth is This: When you cram too much in to an Italian vacation, you miss out on the most essential Italian experience: La Dolce Vita=The Sweet Life.
A trip to Italy is a chance to open yourself up to the old world way of enjoying moments of the day… Lingering in an open market, sitting in a piazza people watching, taking a long walk and getting lost (and having some fabulous native help you out), talking to a shopkeeper and finding out everything about them, (their sister-in-law, their son, ex-husband, etc), taking that zig-zag in a museum and becoming struck by a painting or sculpture that’s not even written about in the guidebooks, returning to a restaurant you loved and being welcomed back like family. I could go on, you get the idea…
It’s probably best to cut your bucket list in half.
5 Guidelines to begin planning…
1. Who are you going with?
Will it be a family vacation? A romantic trip with your partner? A Girlfriends Getaway? A solo trip?
2. When are you going?
There is no bad time of year to go to Italy.
Winter months can be quieter–except for Christmas or February’s Carnevale in Venice. If you’re a skier, the Italian ski scene is marvelous—with huts set up along the runs where you can take delicious breaks.
Spring is fabulous for garden visits, hiking and biking adventures in the countryside.
Summertime is perfect to enjoy the Italian beach scene and outdoor music and film festivals.
Autumn is delicious to enjoy festivals that celebrate the harvest. You can celebrate olio nuovo=fresh pressed olive oil, new wine, and truffles.
3. What’s your budget?
Italy offers beautiful experiences for a range of budgets, whether you are a backpacker or a luxury traveler. And there is so much beauty to experience for free—from masterpieces in churches to awe-inspiring natural landscapes.
4. What destinations do you have your heart set on experiencing?
Undoubtedly you have a vision in your mind of at least one Italian travel experience you must have. Perhaps it’s taking a gondola ride, driving through the Tuscan countryside, seeing Rome’s Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s David in Florence, or watching a sunset from Positano on the Amalfi Coast.
5. Most importantly: WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY?
Please don’t feel as if you’ve got to do everything on the Top Ten Lists! As you plan, take time to match up your itinerary with your passions.
You may want to plan a trip around a particular artist, explore a folksy island like Ponza, or sign up for cooking classes to immerse yourself in Italy’s culinary traditions. Allow your passions to be your guide, and Italy will joyfully bring you dreams come true.
Now back to that 10 Days in Italy Itinerary…
A classic approach for first time visitors is to focus on The Big Three:
Rome, Florence, and Venice.
Before you plunge into that idea, which covers a lot in 10 days,
(see above re: packing too much in), consider The Big Two:
Rome (6 days) & Florence (4 days)
Rome (6 days) & Venice (4 days)
If The Big Three in 10 Days is What Must Be Done, my Suggestion is to begin in Venice. When you land in this magical floating destination, you naturally slow down.
Big Three in 10 Days could go:
Venice (4 days), Florence (2 days), Rome (4 days)
I suggest leaving Florence in the late afternoon, arriving in Rome at dinner time, so you have 2.5 days to experience Florence.
5 Guidelines for Your 10 Day Italy Itinerary
1. Make hotel reservations well in advance—6 months or more—to get the best prices and best locations. The Big Three are beloved destinations worldwide, and rooms get booked up fast.
2. Make reservations for major sites in advance. You don’t want to waste your precious travel time standing in lines. Especially…
In Rome: Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel
In Florence: Uffizi and the Accademia (for Michelangelo’s David)
In Venice: Doges Palace
3. Remember that transfer days take time out of your itinerary. Along with the train ride, you should factor in getting to and from train stations. Some train info:
Venice to Florence train = 2 hours,
Florence to Rome train = 1.5 hours.
4. Take Guided Tours. I resisted this for a long time, not wanting to be in a gang led by a shouting guide brandishing an umbrella. But these days, guided experiences in the cities come in all sizes—obviously I suggest small. You’ll have a much richer experience of the destination with a local expert guide. Also, I highly recommend walking orientation tours, such as Walks of Italy on your arrival to the major cities, and immersive activities such as culinary walks, cooking classes, or craft classes.
5. Once again, leave time for Serendipity. Be sure not to schedule every moment. I recommend one blockbuster experience max per day, leaving the rest open to explore.
Outside the Big Three model, consider focusing your trip on a region, with 2 destinations/2 hotels max for 10 days, including leisurely days trips from your base, so you can travel La Dolce Vita style.
For example:
10 Days in Tuscany: 5 days in Florence and 5 days in a small town, (such as Pienza, Cortona, or Lucca), or agriturismo to take day trips to explore the spectacular countryside and enchanting towns.
10 Days in Southern Italy, Amalfi Coast: 4 days in Naples to discover this fascinating city and the ruins of Pompeii, 6 days in Sorrento, Salerno or Positano to base yourself for beautiful explorations of the coast, including the islands—Capri, Ischia–and the fabulous hilltop town of Ravello.
10 Days in Rome and Umbria: 5 days in Rome and 5 days in Umbria, basing yourself in a hill town (such as Assisi, Spoleto, or Spello), to take day trips to explore this enchanting region.
10 Days in Venice and Lake Como: 6 days in Venice*, to immerse yourself in the all the pleasures of this magical city, then 4 days on Lake Como, basing yourself in Como or Bellagio for an elegant experience.
*BTW, re those 6 Days in Venice – My Golden Week in Venice: For Women Only, October 2018, has 4 places still available. And we can arrange for the Lake Como extension…Click for Details!
The combinations are many, as the entire boot of Italy, from top to bottom is magnificent—plus the amazing islands of Sicily and Sardinia. You really should plan on more than one trip to Italy in your lifetime!
With so much information out there, and so many wonderful choices, consider a Travel Consultation, so you can plan with an expert and get the best suggestions for accommodations, restaurants, guides, and immersive activities. I offer an easy process, that includes an hour phone call or SKYPE, followed up by a full print-out of day-by-day suggestions to make your Italian vacation a trip of a lifetime.
Rates start at $250. Email me at 100placesinitaly@gmail.com to begin!
