7 Days in Italy Itinerary: Rome, Florence and Venice by Train

Last updated: September 25, 2026

This 7-day Italy itinerary is the classic first trip, planned so that you change hotels only twice. Fly into Rome and out of Venice (or the other way around), and you never backtrack. Each day lists what to book ahead, what to leave free, and the one tour we would pick if you only book one.

The route at a glance

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

Day 1: arrive, walk the center, eat in Trastevere

Arrival day is for walking, not museums: the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona are close to each other in the historic center, and only the Pantheon charges for entry. In the evening, cross the river to Trastevere; the Trastevere food tours are the easiest way to learn what to order for the rest of the week.

Day 2: Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine

The Colosseum ticket (€16 plus a €2 booking fee (checked September 2026)) gives a timed entry to the arena and 24 hours for the Forum and the Palatine Hill. A guided tour adds context and, on some tours, the arena floor: compare the options on our Colosseum tour page, or read Colosseum tickets explained first.

Day 3: Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s

Go early. The Vatican Museums cost €20, or €20 plus a €5 fee when booked online (checked September 2026), and booking online lets you skip the ticket office line. A guide makes sense here more than anywhere: compare the two options on our Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel tour page. Keep the afternoon light; if you still have energy, the Borghese Gallery needs a reservation in 2-hour slots.

Want more of Rome? Our 3-day Rome booking plan goes deeper on each day.

Days 4 and 5: Florence

Day 4: train to Florence, the Duomo and David

Take a morning train (about 1 hour 25 minutes) and leave your bags at the hotel. The afternoon belongs to the Duomo square and Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia; a Florence walking tour with the David covers both. In the evening, a Florence food tour doubles as dinner.

Day 5: the Uffizi, then Tuscany or the Oltrarno

The Uffizi costs €25 on the day or €29 booked ahead with a set time (checked September 2026). With a guide, two hours are enough: see our Uffizi tour page. If you would rather spend the day in the countryside, the Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa day trip is the most reviewed experience in our catalog, and the Chianti wine tours are the wine option.

Hotels in Florence add a tourist tax of €7 per person per night in a 4-star hotel (checked September 2026). More ideas: best tours in Florence for first-timers and the best day trips from Florence.

Days 6 and 7: Venice

Day 6: train to Venice, St. Mark’s and the Doge’s Palace

The train from Florence reaches Venezia Santa Lucia in about 2 hours, right on the Grand Canal. Take the vaporetto or walk to St. Mark’s Square; the St. Mark’s, Doge’s Palace, Murano and Burano tours combine the basilica and the palace with the lagoon islands. End the day with a cicchetti and wine tour, Venice’s version of a bar crawl: our guide to cicchetti in Venice explains what to order.

Day 7: the lagoon, a gondola, and home

On the last morning, get lost in Cannaregio or Castello before the day-trippers arrive, and save the gondola ride for the late afternoon light if your flight allows. The day-tripper access fee trial ended on July 27, 2026, and no 2027 dates had been announced when we checked.

What to book before you fly

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

• Fly round-trip from Rome? Swap Venice for a day trip from Florence and return to Rome on day 7 (1 hour 25 minutes).
• Want Pompeii? Add a day in Rome: the Pompeii day trip from Rome is a long day, so read Pompeii from Rome or Naples first.
• Have three more days? See the 10-day Italy itinerary, which adds Milan and Lake Como.

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

Is 7 days enough for Italy?

Seven days is enough for Rome, Florence and Venice if you spend three nights in Rome and two in each of the other cities, and travel between them by high-speed train.

What is the best 7-day Italy itinerary for first-timers?

Rome for three nights, Florence for two and Venice for two, flying into Rome and out of Venice. The train takes about 1 hour 25 minutes from Rome to Florence and 2 hours from Florence to Venice, on Italo’s typical schedule checked September 2026.

Should I start in Rome or Venice?

Either works, as long as the route is one-way. Starting in Rome puts the busiest sightseeing first, while your energy is highest.

What should I book in advance for a week in Italy?

The Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and the Uffizi, which all use timed tickets. The Colosseum costs €16 plus a €2 booking fee, the Vatican Museums €20 plus €5 online, and the Uffizi €29 booked ahead, checked September 2026.

Can I add Pompeii to a 7-day trip?

Only by giving it a full day from Rome. If Pompeii matters to you, the 2-week itinerary includes it with a base in Naples, 55 minutes from Rome by train.