Ten Days Through Italy

The Rome-Florence-Venice triangle is the classic first route for a reason: three completely different cities, fast trains between them, and food the whole way. Ten days does it justice; seven does it violence.

Days 1-4: Rome, in layers

Rome rewards surrender more than strategy. Book the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums in advance for two separate mornings - each is half a day done properly, and the Sistine Chapel deserves arrival-fresh eyes, not hour-six ones. Between them, walk: the centro storico is one connected open-air museum where the Trevi Fountain ambushes you from a side street, best met after ten at night when the crowds thin and the marble glows. Fourth day: Trastevere's lanes, a long lunch, no plan whatsoever.

Days 5-7: Florence, on foot

Florence is compact enough to cross in twenty minutes, dense enough to fill a lifetime. Climb or circle the Duomo early, give the Uffizi a booked, unhurried morning - Botticelli repays slowness - and spend evenings across the river in Oltrarno where the artisans and the sunset viewpoint live. Day seven is for Tuscany: a Chianti drive or a Siena day trip, decided by whether wine or Gothic squares call louder.

Days 8-10: Venice, once the day-trippers leave

Venice's secret is the clock: cruise crowds own midday, but early mornings and evenings belong to residents and overnight guests. Ride the vaporetto down the Grand Canal at dusk, give the Doge's Palace a morning for its golden staircases and prison bridge, then get purposefully lost - the empty back canals of Cannaregio and Castello are the actual Venice. Cicchetti bar-hopping replaces restaurant dinners at half the price and twice the fun.

The connective tissue

Trains beat everything here: book the fast Rome-Florence and Florence-Venice legs a few weeks ahead for the cheap tiers, validate nothing (high-speed tickets are seat-assigned), and treat stations' proximity to old towns as the route's quiet genius. Our Italy notes cover coperto charges, coffee law and dinner hours.

The practical bit

This is a cobblestone marathon in disguise: the city kit with serious walking shoes, modest cover for church interiors, and a crossbody anti-theft bag for the crowded sights. June and September are the sweet months; August is beautiful and broiling. One gelato per city minimum - research standards apply.