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10 Days in Italy Itinerary: Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and Lake Como
A 10-day Italy itinerary with four bases: Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan, plus a Tuscany day and Lake Como, with train times and what to book ahead.
The short answer: 3 nights in Rome, 3 in Florence, 2 in Venice and 2 in Milan, all connected by high-speed train. The extra days go to a Tuscany day trip from Florence and a day on Lake Como from Milan, 64 minutes away by regional train. Book Leonardo’s Last Supper as soon as you know your dates: every visitor needs a reservation (checked September 2026).
Last updated: September 25, 2026
This 10-day Italy itinerary keeps the classic Rome, Florence and Venice route and adds what a week never has time for: a full day in the Tuscan countryside, and Milan with Leonardo’s Last Supper and Lake Como. You still change hotels only three times, and you fly home from Milan, so there is no train back to Rome.
The route at a glance
| Days | Base | Nights | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Rome | 3 | Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Trastevere |
| 4–6 | Florence | 3 | Uffizi, David, a full day in Tuscany |
| 7–8 | Venice | 2 | St. Mark’s, the lagoon islands, cicchetti |
| 9–10 | Milan | 2 | The Last Supper, the Duomo rooftop, Lake Como |
| Leg | Typical time by high-speed train | Trains per day (Italo) |
|---|---|---|
| Rome – Florence | 1 h 25 min | 32 |
| Florence – Venice (Santa Lucia) | 2 h | 11 |
| Venice – Milan | 2 h 15 min | 7 |
Times are the typical journey times published by Italo on its route pages, checked September 25, 2026; the fastest trains can be a few minutes quicker, and Trenitalia runs its own Frecciarossa trains on the same lines. Book long legs a few weeks ahead for the best fares.
Days 1 to 3: Rome
Follow the Rome days of our 7-day itinerary: the center and Trastevere on arrival, the Colosseum on day 2 (€16 plus a €2 booking fee (checked September 2026)), the Vatican Museums on day 3 (€20, plus €5 online). The tours worth comparing are the Colosseum tours, the Vatican Museums tours and, for an evening, the Trastevere food tours or a pasta and tiramisu class. With a little extra time, the Appian Way and catacombs is the best half day outside the center.
Days 4 to 6: Florence and Tuscany
Day 4: the Duomo and David
Arrive by mid-morning (1 hour 25 minutes from Rome) and see the Duomo and Michelangelo’s David: the Florence walking tours cover both. Dinner can be a Florence food tour.
Day 5: the Uffizi and the Oltrarno
Book the Uffizi for the morning: €25 on the day or €29 with a set time booked ahead (checked September 2026). Compare guides on our Uffizi tour page, then cross the Ponte Vecchio for the artisan workshops of the Oltrarno.
Day 6: a full day in Tuscany
This is the day a week-long trip cannot fit. Choose one: the Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa day trip for towns, the Chianti wine tour or Vespa tour for the hills, or the Cinque Terre day trip for the coast. Our best day trips from Florence compares them.
Days 7 and 8: Venice
The train to Venezia Santa Lucia takes about 2 hours. Spend the first afternoon on St. Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace (the St. Mark’s and lagoon tours add Murano and Burano) and the evening on a cicchetti tour. The second day is yours: a gondola ride, or, if the weather is clear, a day trip to the Dolomites or the Prosecco hills.
Days 9 and 10: Milan and Lake Como
Day 9: the Last Supper and the Duomo rooftop
The train from Venice to Milan takes about 2 hours 15 minutes. Leonardo’s Last Supper is the one booking of this trip that cannot be improvised: every visitor needs a reservation, visits last 15 minutes with 40 people at most, and the full ticket costs €15 (checked September 2026). If the official slots are gone, a guided tour includes the ticket: compare them on our Last Supper tour page. Then climb to the Duomo rooftop: see the Duomo and rooftop tours.
Day 10: Lake Como
Regional Trenord trains reach Varenna on Lake Como in about 64 minutes, once an hour, from €7.40 in second class (checked September 2026). From Varenna, ferries cross to Bellagio. If you prefer a guided day with the boat included, compare the Lake Como day trips from Milan. Fly home from Milan the next morning.
What to book before you fly
| Sight | Official full ticket | What to know | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine (Rome) | €16 + €2 booking fee | Timed entry to the Colosseum; valid 24 hours | colosseo.it |
| Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (Rome) | €20, or €20 + €5 booked online | Book online to skip the ticket line | museivaticani.va |
| Uffizi Gallery (Florence) | €25 on the day, €29 booked ahead | Advance tickets have a set time | uffizi.it |
| Leonardo’s Last Supper (Milan) | €15 (ages 25+) | Booking mandatory; 15-minute visits, 40 people max | cenacolovinciano.org |
Official prices (checked September 2026). Guided tours cost more but include the ticket and a guide; each tour page linked below compares two options with their ratings and conditions.
How to change the plan
- Prefer the south to Milan? Replace days 9 and 10 with Naples: Rome to Naples takes about 55 minutes by train. See the 2-week itinerary.
- Flying home from Rome? Milan to Rome takes 2 hours 50 minutes on the two non-stop Frecciarossa trains, or about 2 hours 52 minutes on Italo.
- Only a week? Use the 7-day itinerary and skip Milan.
More lakes, fewer cities? The northern Italy itinerary adds Verona, Lake Garda and Bologna.
Planning the Venice and Milan legs? Our guides to the best tours in Venice and the best tours in Milan list what to book first in each city, day by day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best 10-day Italy itinerary?
Three nights in Rome, three in Florence, two in Venice and two in Milan, connected by high-speed train. It adds a full Tuscany day trip and a day on Lake Como to the classic first trip.
Can you see Lake Como on a 10-day Italy trip?
Yes, as a day trip from Milan: regional trains reach Varenna in about 64 minutes, once an hour, from €7.40 in second class, checked September 2026.
Do I need to book the Last Supper in advance?
Yes. Every visitor needs a reservation, visits last 15 minutes with at most 40 people, and the full ticket costs €15. If official tickets are sold out, a guided tour that includes the ticket is the alternative.
Is 10 days in Italy too much for Rome, Florence and Venice only?
No: with ten days you can spend three nights in each of the first two cities and still have time for Tuscany and Venice at a relaxed pace. Adding Milan uses the flight home to save a return train.
How long is the train from Venice to Milan?
About 2 hours 15 minutes from Venezia Santa Lucia to Milano Centrale on Italo’s typical schedule, checked September 2026.
Ten days, four bases
Book the Last Supper first, then the rest
Compare Milan, Florence and Rome experiences side by side, with ratings and conditions read on Viator.
Book it: experiences for this trip
Matched to this article by place and interest, then ordered by Viator rating and number of reviews (checked September 2026). Prices and availability are shown live on Viator.
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