Multi-city itinerary · first-timers
Three nights in Rome, three in Florence, three in Venice. One area per day, real walking distances, official ticket rules. Two Frecciarossa mornings — day 4 and day 7 — so you never burn a full day on a train.
3 Rome · 3 Florence · 3 Venice · trains and tickets checked September 2026
The trip at a glance
Open a day for the stops, the walk and the ticket that belongs to it. Each city day has a full map on its own page.
Day 1 · Rome
Go into the Vatican Museums early, before the galleries fill up. After lunch in Prati, walk around the walls to St. Peter's Square and the basilica, then end the day at Castel Sant'Angelo above the Tiber.
Morning
The popes' collections fill around seven kilometres of galleries, from ancient sculpture such as the Laocoön to the Raphael Rooms. The route ends in the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo painted the ceiling between 1508 and 1512 and, decades later, the Last Judgement. Photography is not allowed inside the chapel.
Midday
Afternoon
Bernini's colonnade, four columns deep, curves around the square like a pair of open arms. Stand on one of the two round stones marked 'Centro del colonnato' between the obelisk and the fountains, and each row of columns lines up behind the first.
One of the largest churches in the world, rebuilt over more than a century with Bramante, Michelangelo and Maderno among its architects; Michelangelo designed the dome. His Pietà stands behind glass in the first chapel on the right as you enter, and the climb to the dome has its own ticket.
Built as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, it later became a papal fortress, linked to the Vatican by the raised Passetto corridor. From the top terrace you look along the river to St. Peter's dome, and Ponte Sant'Angelo below is lined with angels designed by Bernini.
Evening
Vatican Museums timed ticket before you leave home. Closed Sundays except the last Sunday of the month.
Day 2 · Rome
Start with your timed Colosseum entry, then climb the Palatine and walk down into the Roman Forum on the same ticket. After lunch in Monti, follow the imperial forums to the Altar of the Fatherland.
Morning
Opened in AD 80, the Flavian Amphitheatre seated tens of thousands of spectators for gladiator fights and public shows. A standard ticket takes you around the first and second tiers; the arena floor and the underground passages need a separate, more expensive ticket.
Dedicated in AD 315 after Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge, it is the largest surviving Roman triumphal arch. Many of its reliefs were taken from earlier monuments to Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. It stands beside the Colosseum and needs no ticket.
The most central of Rome's seven hills, where the emperors built their palaces; the word palace comes from its name. Garden paths lead past imperial ruins to terraces that look over the Roman Forum on one side and the Circus Maximus on the other.
For centuries this valley was the civic heart of ancient Rome, with temples, basilicas and the Senate House lining the Via Sacra. Look for the Arch of Titus at the Palatine end and the round Temple of Romulus, which still has its ancient bronze doors.
Midday
Afternoon
Augustus built this forum around the Temple of Mars Ultor, inaugurated in 2 BC. The high stone wall behind the temple shielded it from the crowded Subura district. Most of it is visible from the pavement of Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Completed in AD 113, the 30-metre marble column spirals with more than 2,500 carved figures that tell the story of Trajan's wars in Dacia. Around its base stand the re-erected columns of the Basilica Ulpia, once the great hall of Trajan's Forum.
The white marble Vittoriano honours Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of united Italy, and holds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Its broad steps and terraces look straight down Via dei Fori Imperiali to the Colosseum.
Evening
Colosseum timed slot. The 24-hour ticket also covers the Forum and the Palatine.
Day 3 · Rome
An easier last day through the centro storico: the Pantheon and Piazza Navona in the morning, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps after lunch, and sunset over Piazza del Popolo.
Morning
Rebuilt under Hadrian around AD 125, it still has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, lit only by the open oculus at the top. The painter Raphael is buried inside.
The long oval square keeps the outline of Domitian's 1st-century stadium. At its centre, Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers carries an ancient obelisk and faces Borromini's church of Sant'Agnese in Agone.
Midday
Afternoon
Nicola Salvi's Baroque fountain, finished in 1762, fills an entire side of its small square. Tradition says a coin thrown over your shoulder into the water brings you back to Rome.
135 steps climb from Piazza di Spagna to the church of Trinità dei Monti. At the bottom, the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain is by Pietro Bernini, father of Gian Lorenzo.
For centuries the northern gateway into Rome, the square is marked by an Egyptian obelisk and by the twin churches that frame the start of Via del Corso. Stairs on its east side climb to the Pincio terrace, a favourite place to watch the sun set over the city.
Evening
Pantheon is a paid entry since 1 July 2026. Trevi's basin area is ticketed; the square is free.
Day 4 · Florence
Leave Roma Termini after breakfast. Trenitalia runs Frecciarossa trains to Firenze Santa Maria Novella in a little over 90 minutes, with more than 100 services a day and Rome departures from 5:10 to 21:48. Book the Accademia for early afternoon so the morning can be the train. The cathedral is free; a Brunelleschi Pass is only if you want the dome.
Frecciarossa in a little over 1 hour 30 minutes. Over 100 trains a day; Rome departures 5:10–21:48.
Source: Trenitalia · checked Sep 2026. Fares change with the date — buy on the operator site.Morning
Michelangelo’s David rewards a slow look from several angles, with other sculptures giving context to the finished figure. Start with a reserved entry so the rest of the morning remains flexible.
Midday
Afternoon
The cathedral, baptistery and surrounding monuments form the centre of Florence’s religious history. Choose a manageable combination within the complex; a dome climb should replace some of the museum time rather than simply being added.
A restrained Renaissance interior offers a quieter counterpoint to the Duomo. This stop is for the basilica; the Medici Chapels and Laurentian Library are separate visits with their own arrangements.
Evening
Accademia afternoon slot. Brunelleschi Pass only if you climb the dome.
Day 5 · Florence
Give the Uffizi its own morning. After lunch, look around Piazza della Signoria, visit Santa Croce, then walk to the Arno and finish at Ponte Vecchio.
Morning
Paintings by Botticelli and other Renaissance artists fill the former administrative offices beside the Arno. Choose a focused sequence of rooms and leave space for looking, rather than planning a second large museum immediately afterward.
Midday
Afternoon
Sculpture, the town hall and an open loggia turn this civic square into an outdoor introduction to Florentine power. The David here is a copy; the original belongs to the Accademia visit.
Tombs, chapels and frescoes bring together Florence’s artistic and civic memory in a large Franciscan church. Give the interior time, then pause in the square before returning toward the river.
Shops line the medieval bridge across the Arno, with an open central section offering river views. Look back at its buildings from the nearby embankment as well as walking across it.
Evening
Uffizi morning slot. It normally closes on Mondays — swap this day if you land on one.
Day 6 · Florence
Start at Pitti Palace and make a modest circuit of Boboli after lunch. Use transport for the climb to San Miniato and descend to Piazzale Michelangelo.
Morning
The broad façade leads to rooms filled with paintings and courtly decoration on the south side of the Arno. Choose the collections you most want to see; this timing is not enough for every museum in the palace.
Midday
Afternoon
Paths climb behind Pitti Palace through terraces, sculpture and shaded areas. The garden is hilly and larger than it appears from the entrance, so keep the circuit modest before the evening viewpoints.
Above Piazzale Michelangelo, a Romanesque church offers patterned marble, a quiet interior and views from the surrounding terrace. Visit before the lower viewpoint so you are descending toward the end of the day.
Evening
A broad terrace looks back across the Arno to the cathedral and the roofs of the centre. It is especially busy toward sunset, so leave enough time to enjoy the view without depending on a clear railing.
Pitti and Boboli share Uffizi's combined ticket if you chose it yesterday; the viewpoint climb uses a bus or taxi.
Day 7 · Venice
The Frecciarossa that runs Rome–Venice in under four hours stops at Firenze Santa Maria Novella, then continues to Venezia Santa Lucia. Buy Firenze SMN → Venezia S. Lucia. Book St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace for the afternoon so the morning can be the train. Luggage is easier if your hotel is in Cannaregio or San Polo, a walk from the station without a vaporetto.
Direct Frecciarossa. Rome–Venice Frecciarossa (32 trains a day, under 4 hours end to end) stops in Florence; this is the second half of that run.
Source: Trenitalia · checked Sep 2026. Fares change with the date — buy on the operator site.Morning
Arcades, the basilica and the campanile frame Venice’s great ceremonial square. Walk into the smaller Piazzetta beside the palace for the view toward the lagoon before returning for your booked visit.
Gold mosaics and richly patterned surfaces express Venice’s long connections with the eastern Mediterranean. Choose the parts of the complex you most want to see; the museum, terraces and Pala d’Oro depend on the ticket you select.
Midday
Afternoon
The rooms of government and the doge’s residence reveal how the Venetian Republic presented its power. Include the prison route and Bridge of Sighs within this visit rather than making the bridge another ticketed stop.
The waterfront east of the palace opens out toward the lagoon and its boat traffic. Take a slow walk over the small bridges, then leave the busiest stretch for the lanes of Castello.
Evening
St Mark's Basilica timed entry and a Doge's Palace ticket for the afternoon.
Day 8 · Venice
Explore the Ghetto’s public squares, walk toward Rialto and its market lanes, then continue east to Miracoli and Santi Giovanni e Paolo. This is a neighbourhood day with two considered church visits.
Morning
Squares, tall houses and memorials mark the long history of Venice’s Jewish community. Explore the public lanes thoughtfully; synagogue and museum visits require their own arrangements and extra time.
The stone bridge spans the Grand Canal where Venice’s commercial life has gathered for centuries. Look along the water, then explore the nearby market lanes and the small square by San Giacomo di Rialto.
Midday
Afternoon
Panels of coloured marble give this small Renaissance church an unusually jewel-like exterior. The intimate interior offers a quieter contrast with the scale of San Marco.
Monuments to Venetian doges fill this large Gothic church, adding another perspective on the republic after the palace visit. Outside, the Colleoni equestrian statue and adjoining buildings make the campo worth a lingering look.
Evening
A neighbourhood walking day. No timed interiors unless you add a church ticket.
Day 9 · Venice
Start with the Frari and San Rocco, then follow the lanes south to Ca’ Rezzonico. After the museum, cross the neighbourhood toward the Accademia Bridge and finish by the Salute.
Morning
Titian’s paintings sit within a vast brick church whose monuments tell the stories of artists and powerful families. Give the main works time instead of passing through on the way to the next museum.
Tintoretto’s paintings cover the rooms of a Venetian confraternity, where art and charitable patronage meet. Look closely at a selection of scenes and leave time to rest your eyes between rooms.
Midday
Afternoon
This Grand Canal palace presents eighteenth-century Venice through decorated rooms, paintings and furnishings. It provides a domestic counterpoint to the public power on display at the Doge’s Palace.
The bridge gives a broad view down the Grand Canal toward the dome of the Salute. Pause without blocking the crossing, then continue through the quieter lanes on the Dorsoduro side.
A great dome marks the meeting of the Grand Canal and the lagoon. Visit the main church when open and enjoy the broad waterfront setting; a longer art visit to the sacristy is additional.
Evening
Ca' Rezzonico has its own calendar. Check it before you lock this day.
Day 10 · Venice
The first nine days stay in the historic city. Day 10 is for the lagoon: Murano, Burano, or a slower museum morning. Take an ACTV vaporetto from the northern shore and validate the ticket so the reader beeps. Keep the morning for the boat and an unhurried return if you fly that evening.
ACTV vaporetto product for the actual island hop. Overnight visitors should check Venice's access-fee calendar for their dates.
Before you fly
Questions
Yes for a first trip at a walking pace: three clustered days in each city, with two high-speed mornings between them. It does not include the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre or Milan. Add those as a second trip, or swap Venice's tenth day for a flight home.
Vatican Museums, Colosseum, Accademia, Uffizi, St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. The Uffizi is usually closed on Mondays, so fix Florence's gallery day around the official calendar. Frecciarossa seats on busy mornings sell down too — buy Roma Termini–Firenze SMN and Firenze SMN–Venezia S. Lucia on Trenitalia.
Rome: the historic centre, Monti or Prati, as the Rome plan already says. Florence: between Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo and the Duomo for the first two mornings, or the Oltrarno for the last night. Venice: Cannaregio or San Polo if you arrive by train with bags; Castello for the San Marco day; Dorsoduro for the art day.
Yes. Fly into Venice and out of Rome and run the days backwards. The Frecciarossa still stops at Florence. Keep the Uffizi off Monday either way.
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Ticket, train and opening notes name an official source and the month we checked it. Hours and fares change — open that source before you buy.
Places and coordinates: Wikidata and Tripwoa's open-data place catalog (Overture Maps Foundation, © OpenStreetMap contributors). Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each image. Checked September 2026.