How to Visit Italy in 10 Days: The Perfect Guide to Venice, Florence, and Rome
If you’re looking to book your next trip to Italy but aren’t sure where to start let me help you! Or, if you are considering booking a trip but aren’t sure how long to book it for, let this ten days in Italy itinerary help guide your travel planning.
I spent ten days in Italy and felt it was the perfect amount of time to see the three cities I was most interested in visiting: Venice, Florence, and Rome! If you are like me, and looking for a trip rich in history, Renaissance art, delicious food, and loads of gelato- you have come to the right place.
This itinerary will cover all of the must-see things to do and see if you only have a few days to visit Venice, Florence, and Rome as well as some niche and unique ideas of things to do on your trip.
Day 1: Venice
Day 1 of our 10 day Italy itinerary will begin in the gondola mecca of the world- Venice! Day one is going to be an action packed day with most of Venice’s main attractions. We will begin in St. Mark’s Square, which is where you will find gorgeous St. Mark’s Basilica, the Duke’s palace, and a number of other cool museums and historic sites.
If you are coming off a red-eye flight or would prefer a more low key day one, I would suggest swapping day one and day two of this itinerary. However, if you are ready to hit the ground running, keep reading for day one!
Flying Into Venice
We flew into Venice Marco Polo (VCE) airport on a red eye flight and arrived early in the morning on our first day. There are three main ways to get from the airport to the island of Venice (the airport is located on Italy mainland):
Water Bus: This is the option my friends and I did and it was pretty easy and convenient. There are two buses, ACTV bus number 5 and ATVO bus number 35. The cost of a one way bus ticket is €8 and this is the cheapest way to get to Venice proper.
Water Taxi: A water taxi will pick you up from the airport and bring you straight to your accommodations. However, the water taxi is a lot more pricey than the water bus. The water taxis will cost at least €100.
Land Taxi: Land taxis are much more affordable than water taxis priced around €40 for four people. However, since most of Venice isn’t accessible by car, the only place they can drop you off is Piazzale Roma so you may want to consider how far your accommodations are from this drop off point.
For more information on how to get from the airport to Venice, read on here.
Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)
We started our first day in Venice out by paying a visit to the famous Piazza San Marco and I think this is the way to go. This is one of Venice’s busiest areas and for good reason. Here you can find Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, Museo Correr, adorable eateries, and great shopping.
Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale)
Doge Palace (or in Italian: Palazzo Ducale) was built in the 14th century and historically used as the residence of the Duke of Venice. Today, it stands as one of Venice’s greatest landmarks and museums. A tour through the palace will give you a taste of how the Dukes lived and how the justice system operated in Venice. Not to mention, you will see some of the most beautiful art adorning the walls and ceilings as you walk through.
I highly recommend booking a “skip the line” ticket to the palace in advance as the line can get lengthy. Especially when you only have one day to see Venice, time is money! I don’t think you need a guided tour of this palace. In each room there were lengthy descriptions of each room which sufficed for me.
Skip the line tickets guarantee you entry at a certain time and often include entrance to Museo Correr, Biblioteca Marciana, and the Archaeological Museum as well.
Museo Correr
The next stop in Piazza San Marco is Museo Correr. This is likely included in your Doge’s Palace ticket, but double check your specific ticket. This museum is rich with historical art, documents, maps, books, and other artifacts.
This museum was much bigger than what my friends and I anticipated. We had read that you can see the museum in about an hour, but that was not the case for us! If you were to properly go through the museum, I think you could easily spend 2-3 hours in here, so just know going in that there is a lot to see and you may want to keep pacing yourself along rather than get stuck in the first few rooms like we did!
St. Mark’s Basilica
The last must-see landmark in Piazza San Marco is St. Mark’s Basilica. This beautiful church has been a Venice treasure since the 11th century. I guarantee that both the interior and exterior will leave you in absolute awe.
This is another place I would highly recommend getting “skip the line” tickets for. The line can get very long and could easily eat an hour out of your day. I would recommend spacing your Doge’s Palace and Basilica tickets out by at least 3 hours so you aren’t rushed through Doge’s Palace and Museo Correr.
The skip the line tickets only cost us 6 EUR each which was money well spent in my opinion!
Lunch
For lunch I recommend staying in Piazza San Marco and sitting at one of the outdoor eateries (weather permitting). There are several throughout the piazza and many of them have bands playing outside!
My friends and I grabbed a table outdoors at the Gran Cafe Chioggia. The atmosphere of this restaurant was what sold it for me. There was a band playing a mix of ballads, the waitstaff was friendly, and you can see the water from the outdoor tables. However, for my gluten free readers, this isn’t a gluten free establishment. Check out my guide to the best gluten free Venice restaurants for lunch recommendations.
Rialto Bridge
Another must-see spot no matter how many days in Venice you spend is the Rialto Bridge (Ponte Rialto). This is another one of the city’s oldest structures and it is the bridge that connects the San Marco and San Polo neighborhoods.
We found that this was a great area to take pictures, wander through little shops, and perhaps do some souvenir shopping! Not to mention there are some fantastic gelaterias in this area. And what is a trip to Venice without gelato?
I recommend checking out Gelatoteca Suso– this place had tons of delicious and unique flavors to choose from. Don’t be intimidated by the line if you see one, they keep it moving fast and is a testament to how great their gelato is. For gluten free readers, they offer a gluten free (individually wrapped) cone and will sanitize the scoopers. However, always use your best judgement about safety.
Take a Gondola Ride
You can’t visit Venice without a ride around the city in one of the famed gondolas! Once you have wrapped up exploring around the Rialto Bridge area, look for one of the gondola pick up points. You will see signs along the canal for where these points are. If you are next to the bridge, there are a number of pickup points here.
The cost is €80 for a 35 minute ride. We didn’t have trouble with this price when we were visiting, but I was advised to clarify the price with our gondola guide in advance.
Aperitivo and Dinner
To round out your day, I recommend grabbing an aperitivo at one of the restaurants along the canals. For those unfamilar with an aperitivo, this is a pre-dinner drink that is highly popular in Italy.
Note that dinner tends to start later in Italy than it does in the United States. I would recommend that you plan to sit down to dinner sometime after 7PM. Ideally, try to eat closer to 8-9 for the true Italian experience. This means that you have as much time between your gondola ride and dinner to relax and grab a drink!
Day 2: Venice
The second day of our Venice itinerary is a bit more laid back than the first, which I think is important when visiting the city.
Rialto Market
To start off the second day of our Venice itinerary, we are going to head over to the Rialto Market. The Rialto Market is comprised of two different markets: the produce and fish market. Both markets boast fresh food from the Mediterranean and are a main food source for many locals!
The produce market runs from 7:30AM-1PM Monday-Saturday.
The fish market fruns from 7:30AM-1PM Tuesday-Saturday.
This is a great way to get off the beaten path of tourist attractions and immerse yourself into Venetian culture up close. Take some time to wander around the stalls and try some local produce!
St. Mark’s Campanile (Bell Tower)
Next, head back over to Piazza San Marco to climb the bell tower. Like all the other attractions in Piazza San Marco, the bell tower can get busy so if you don’t feel like waiting in line you can buy skip the line tickets in advance.
This is a great way to see a skyline view of the city and surrounding water!
Neighborhood Exploration
In the afternoon, the best way to see the rest of the city is to just walk through all the different neighborhoods!
Venice is comrpised of 6 different neighborhoods:
- San Marco
- San Polo
- Cannaregio
- Dorsoduro
- Santa Croce
- Castello
Up through this point of the itinerary, we have spent most of the trip in San Marco (Piazza San Marco) and San Polo (Rialto Bridge). My friends and I spent an afternoon just wandering through the different neighborhoods stopping for drinks, popping in shops, checking out the many different piazzas, and taking photos. This sort of laid back exploration perfectly fits the vibe of Venice.
Day 3: Venice
For our final day in Venice, it is time to get off the main island and explore the surrounding islands. There are several islands just a short way off from the main island of Venice that are easily accessible through water taxis and buses.
Murano Island
Start off your day by heading over to Murano Island on a public water taxi. All glassmaking got assigned to the island of Murano in the 13th century to protect the city from the hot furnaces that posed a risk to the island of Venice. For this reason, you can find some of the most beautiful hand-blown glass shops by walking around the island of Murano.
Once on the island, take some time to wander around (still the best way to explore in my opinion!) and check out the different glass shops. For a unique experience, look into what shops offer live demonstrations of glass blowing!
To learn more about glass blowing in Murano, you can read on here!
Burano Island
Another island that is easily accessible via water bus is Burano Island. Burano is known for its beautifully colored buildings and canals. It’s hard to believe you can find even more picturesque canals than that of Venice, but Burano is truly something out of a storybook.
Given it’s beautiful scenery, this would be a great place to stop for lunch or grab a drink along the canals.
Burano was once the center of a booming lace industry, producing some of the most intricate, sought after lace in the world. For this reason, you can find lace shops dotted throughout the island as well as a museum dedicated to Burano lace history!
While walking, keep your eye out for the Leaning Campanile as well. That’s right- it’s not quite the Leaning Tower of Pisa but it’s Burano’s version of it!
Day 4: Florence
We headed down to Florence from Venice on our fourth day of our ten days in Italy itinerary. Florence was the perfect mix of night life, historical sites, and beautiful scenery all within short walking distance of each other.
We stayed right in the heart of Florence in the Duomo region which I would highly recommend.
We kicked off our visit with a trip to two of Florence’s world-renowned art museums: the Accademia and Uffizi Galleries. These museums are brimming with collections from some of the greatest artists of all time so I would consider both of these a must-visit in your Florence itinerary. To round out the day, we popped into the 800 year-old Santa Maria Perfumery located in the heart of Florence.
Accademia Gallery
We started with the Accademia Gallery where we opted for a self-guided tour of the museum. For those unfamiliar with the gallery, this is where you can find the world-famous Statue of David by Michelangelo.
The Statue of David was the main focal point for most visitors. Seeing the statue in person was more magnificent than what I had initially expected. It’s truly a really cool piece of art to see in person so I highly recommend paying this museum a visit.
Aside from the Statue of David, there is a lot more beautiful art but this museum isn’t overly large so you likely will only need about and hour to get a good look around the museum.
Uffizi Gallery
From the Accademia Gallery we headed over to Uffizi Gallery which was about a 15 minute walk away.
The Uffizi Gallery was one of the best museums I’ve ever visited. This gem is home to an outstanding collections from artists including Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Caravaggio to name a few.
I would highly recommend purchasing a ticket for a guided tour of this museum. The museum is huge so you could easily spend an entire day in this museum alone. However, most of us don’t have the stamina or time to do that, so a tour guide was helpful in digesting this expansive museum in two hours and making sure we didn’t miss any noteworthy art pieces. Plus, our guide did a fantastic job of explaining the historical significance of the different art collections and how the different artists were connected to one another.
There are a number of third party companies that offer guided tours. We went with this one that we booked through Viator and had a fantastic experience.
Santa Maria Perfumery (Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella)
Santa Maria Perfumery was one of my favorite stops on our trip to Florence. If you are looking for a niche experience in the city, this is a fantastic option.
Santa Maria Perfumery was started in the thirteenth century by Dominican Friars who had started a garden in the attached convent. Historically, they had grown plants for natural remedies which evolved and expanded into modern day fragrances and cosmetics. The perfumery is a historical experience in and of itself!
The inside was beautiful and definitely felt like a luxury experience. There are tables with perfumes, colognes, soaps, and other fragrance products arranged throughout a couple different rooms. Super helpful employees were scattered throughout each room to help you find the perfect scent.
Attached to the shop is a museum that delves into the perfumery’s history and showcases a number of different tools that had been used historically to develop fragrance products. So even if you don’t buy anything, this is a cool and informative place to visit.
I couldn’t help myself and ended up purchasing a perfume bottle for €85 that smells absolutely magnificent and is a great souvenir to remember the trip by!
Day 5: Florence
The destinations on day 5 of our ten days in Italy itinerary were some of my favorites of the trip. We started the day visiting the Duomo complex which encompasses the Florence Cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) and Giotto’s Bell Tower.
Then, we headed across the river over the Ponte Vecchio bridge to take a stroll through the beautiful Boboli Gardens in the afternoon. We rounded out the day by heading over to Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sun go down over Florence.
Duomo Complex (Florence Cathedral, Brunalleschi’s Dome, and Giotto’s Bell Tower)
We will begin day 5 by heading to the heart of Florence where you will find the remarkable Il Duomo complex which can be broken down into 6 different attractions you can visit. These include:
- Florence Cathedral: When the cathedral was initially built in the 15th century, it was the largest church in Europe. Today, it still remains one of the largest cathedrals in the world. Both the interior and exterior artwork are absolutely breathtaking.
- Brunalleschi’s Dome: Atop the cathedral is Brunalleschi’s Dome that you can climb to the top of for stunning views of Florence. To get to the top you have to climb 463 steps (no elevator) so I would only recommend this if you are in good health!
- Giotto’s Bell Tower (Campanile): This bell tower was completed in the 14th century and features 7 bells at the top. Similar to the Dome, you can climb up 414 steps (no elevator) to the top for a fantastic view of Florence.
- The Baptistery: This religious monument is best known for its three large bronze doors (replicas of the original doors) and intricate white and green marble design.
- Opera del Duomo Museum: This museum is dedicated to the cathedral and is home to a number of famous works by artists such as Michelangelo, Pisano, and Donatello. It is also where you can find the original three bronze doors to The Baptistery.
- Crypt of Santa Reparta: Beneath the Florence Cathedral archaeologists discovered remains from the first Cathedral of Florence which was constructed around the 6th century. You can visit the ruins of this archaeological site from inside the Cathedral.
While the Cathedral is free to visit, the other sites require a ticket to enter. We purchased the “Brunalleschi Pass” from the Duomo website for €30. With this pass, you pick a time slot to visit Brunalleschi’s Dome and then you have 3 days from then to visit the other sites. Depending on how many days in Florence you spend, you may not have time to visit everything but even if you just climb the Dome this is worth it!
Brunalleschi’s Dome
We started our day off by purchasing a 9:45 A.M. time slot to Brunalleschi’s Dome (hoping it would be less crowded but that wasn’t the case). We found the 463 steps climb to sound a lot more intimidating than it was in practice. That were quite a few flat stretches in between some of the staircases which helped to break up the climb. Since its a busy attraction, the crowd moves fairly slow and if you need to take a break you can on one of the flat bits.
Seeing Florence from the top of the Dome was extraordinary. You can see for miles and miles over the surrounding region of Florence. Looking down at all the red rooftops of the buildings of Florence was super pretty and made for fantastic pictures too! This was one of our favorite stops during our 10 days in Italy.
Florence Cathedral
When we visited, we were feeling a bit fatigued and opted to head home for a break before our afternoon activities with the intention of going back to see the other sites later in the day (spoiler alert: we didn’t make it back).
However, we did get a peek inside the Cathedral on our climb to the top of the Dome and it was even more spectacular than what I had envisioned. Given the cathedral’s size, both the artwork and architecture are both so grand and unique.
Giotto’s Bell tower
The other site that I wish we had made it to and that I would prioritize was Giotto’s Bell Tower. We didn’t have the stamina to wait out the line (probably a 45-60 minute wait) but I think this would have been another picturesque view and great photo taking spot!
Since it is a 414 stair climb, I would definitely recommend taking a break at the cathedral or one of the other sites in between.
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
For the afternoon, we are going to head over the Arno River to the other side of Florence. To get there, I highly recommend taking a stroll over the colorful Ponte Vecchio Bridge. This bridge is the oldest standing bridge in Florence and the only one that wasn’t destroyed during WWII.
On the bridge are a number of jewelry, art, and souvenir shops that I highly recommend popping into along the way!
Boboli Gardens
Once on the other side of the bridge, head over to Boboli Gardens which are situated behind Pitti Palace (former residence of the Medici family). The Boboli Gardens were designed for the Medici family in the 16th century. The gardens were so highly regarded that they served as a model for the classic “Italian garden” design which was later popularized throughout Europe.
Throughout the gardens are a number of statues, grottos, fountains among the landscaping. The gardens are big so you can easily spend an hour or two strolling along the different paths. There were also a few lawns that people had spread out on to take a break on as well.
We really enjoyed our visit here and it was a nice way to slow down after an action-packed last couple of days of our itinerary!
To ensure your time slot, I recommend buying tickets in advance for €9/person. Once inside, you can spend as much time in the garden as you would like.
Piazzale Michelangelo
No matter how many days in Florence you end up spending, you have to watch the sun go down over Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo one evening. We headed over to Piazzale Michelangelo from the Boboli Gardens which was about a 20-minute walk. Piazzale is on the same side of the river as the Boboli Gardens so can see the sun go down over the city center (including the cathedral and bell tower).
Piazzale Michelangelo is situated on a hill (make sure you have good shoes on to climb to the top) which makes it a great vantage point for the sunset. It is well known for its great view so it gets pretty busy every night.
If you want to find a seat on the steps in the Piazzale, I would aim to get there 45 minutes to an hour before sunset. Otherwise, there is plenty of standing room with great views!
Day 6: Day Trip from Florence
For your third day in Florence, I highly recommend taking a trip outside of the city center to one of the neighboring smaller cities in and around Tuscany. We decided on visiting a winery for our last day, but if I had a fourth or fifth day, I would have loved to try all of these!
Visit a Winery in Tuscany
For our third day in Florence, we booked a vespa and winery tour through TripAdvisor which was the highlight of our entire trip to Italy! We met our tour group in Florence where we all boarded a bus that took us about 20 minutes outside of the city to Chianti wine country.
From there, we all took vespa driving tests to make sure we were comfortable operating them before going out on the road. Some members of our tour group weren’t quite ready to hit the streets of Italy at the end of the test but that was okay because they were able to ride on the back of the instructor’s vespas or in tuk-tuks (similar to a golf cart).
We drove our vespas to the town of Greve (about a 45 minute trip) where the tour provided us with sandwiches and gave us the opportunity to explore the town’s shops and cafes.
Then, we got back on our vespas and headed back to Diadema winery (another 45 minute trip) where we got to sample a variety of different wines and were served a multi-course meal.
This adventure was an incredibly fun way to experience Tuscany. Plus, what’s more Italian than visiting a winery? I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to try a unique experience.
If you want to skip the vespa but still want to go on a winery tour, here are some options I would look into:
- Chianti Wineries Tour with Food and Wine Tasting
- Small Group Wine Tasting Tour to Tuscany
- Tuscan Villas with Vineyards, Cheese, Wine & Lunch from Florence
Adventure to the Smaller Cities around Florence
There are a number of different tour operators that curate day-long bus tours to cities around Florence such as Pisa, Sienna, Assisi, or Cinque Terre. Many of these tours leave the city early in the morning and stop at 2 or 3 different cities. Once you arrive in the city, they usually give you an hour or two to walk around on your own. Some of the tours provide food and drinks throughout the day as well.
Here are some tours I would check out if you are interested in doing a city tour:
- Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking
- Day Trip Pisa, Siena & San Gimignano w/Lunch
- Siena, San Gimignano & Monteriggioni Tour
- Pisa & Lucca Day Tour with Buccellato Tasting
Day 7: Rome
We started our 4 day in Rome by fully immersing ourselves in the ancient history of the city by booking a three stop tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum through Walks of Italy. I highly recommend doing a guided tour of these three stops. Without our tour guide, these ruins would have been just that: ruins. However, having a guide enlighten us on the ancient stories of each stop as we walked around brought the history of these attractions to life!
Our 3 hour skip-the-line tour began outside the Colosseum. After finding our tour group, we were each given headsets so we could clearly hear the guide. This was incredibly helpful especially because the Colosseum is one of Rome’s busiest spots, especially during high season (spring/summer).
Colosseum
Once inside the Colosseum, our guide walked us through its history covering the gladiator fights, influence on Roman culture and politics, and how it went from one of the world’s grandest amphitheaters to the crumbling structure that stands today.
Our guide pointed out notable structures within the Colosseum such as where the bathrooms were, where the emperor would sit, where the animals and gladiators would enter the arena, and even had pictures depicting scenes to help us envision what it looked like.
Palatine Hill
Next, our tour group headed over to Palatine Hill, a short walk from the Colosseum. While not as well known as the Colosseum, Palatine Hill is another stop that you can’t miss if you want the true ancient Rome experience.
Once the center of ancient Rome and home to the palaces of emperors and wealthy, today there still stands the remains of many structures and gardens of estates from years ago. Since I was less familar with the history of Palatine Hill, it was great to have a tour guide to point out important landmarks and explain what the different structures had been used for.
Roman Forum
The final stop on our group tour was the Roman Forum. Just a short walk from Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum was once home to the city’s largest religious centers, markets, judicial courts, and other important facets of Roman culture.
Today, many of the buildings are unrecognizable as they have been reduced to rubble and ruins- or as my friend put it: “a pile of rocks”. While this definitely exaggerates the ruins of the Roman Forum, it was incredibly helpful to have a guide to explain the importance of what these crumbled remains once were.
More Things to Do by the Colosseum:
We were pretty tired after traveling into Rome so we headed directly to dinner from out 3-stop tour. If you have more time (and energy!), here are some things by the Colosseum we would have done with more time:
- Ludus Magnus: Across the street from the Colosseum is Ludus Magnus, the remains of gladiator training school used in ancient Rome. You can see most of what is left of Ludus Magnus from the street, but if you are interested in learning more there are individual tour companies that will take you on a guided tour.
- Mamertine Prison: This prison gained notoriety for being where St. Peter was detained before being crucified as well as where St. Paul was held before his execution.
- Basilica San Clemente: Just a five minute walk from the Colosseum, this beautiful church is an excellent opportunity to journey through time as there have been extensive excavations on the lower levels of the church to uncover ancient structures and artifacts. The deeper you go, the further back in time you step!
Dinner Recommendation: Mercato Hostaria
For dinner we headed over to Mercato Hostaria in Piazza Campo De’ Fiore which was about a 15 minute walk from the Colosseum.
Piazza Campo De’ Fiore is best known for its market during the day that sells fruits, vegetables, flowers and other goods. At night, it transforms into a total foodie scene with several restaurants dotted along the edges with outdoor seating.
I’d consider this piazza to be more laid back than some of the other ones we visited (for example, its neighbor Piazza Navona) which was exactly what we needed at the end of our first day in Rome.
Day 8: Rome
We headed up to Vatican City on day 8 of our ten days in Italy itinerary for another guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Similar to the Colosseum, we were really glad we booked a guided tour of these sights since there is so much history to unpack and its great to have an experienced guide provide historical importance and context.
Our Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica tickets included a 3-hour guided tour through the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, as well as entry (not a tour) of the Basilica.
Depending on how many days in Rome you have, you could choose to spend less time here and do a self guided tour instead. I would just do some research ahead of time on the exhibits in the Vatican Museums since it is very large. But if you have 3-4 days like I did, I would highly recommend doing the guided tour!
Remember to dress accordingly for your trip to Vatican City. Generally, you should dress modestly with your shoulders and knees covered. You may get denied entry otherwise.
Vatican Museums
Our tour started outside the Vatican Museums where we were given headsets so that we could clearly hear our tour guide as we walked through the museums- which can get quite busy and loud!
The Vatican Museums are huge as they house an extensive amount of ancient Roman treasures and art. From statues, to rugs, to ancient cooking utensils- this museum truly has it all when it comes to Roman history. We spent the majority of our 3 hour tour walking around the museums (~2 hours).
Sistine Chapel
The next stop on our tour was the famed Sistine Chapel. There is no talking allowed in the Chapel so our guide took the time to explain the details of the ceiling in advance. Once inside, we were given about 15 minutes to just walk around and take in the beauty of Michelangelo’s art.
I was a bit surprised by how crowded the Sistine Chapel was. We went around midday and everyone was packed towards the center of the room. Even though no talking is allowed inside the chapel, it was pretty loud and a bit overwhelming. I would highly recommend considering an early morning tour to avoid the crowd inside the Sistine if this is a stop you are really looking forward to.
St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica was my favorite stop in Vatican City! While it was not part of our tour, our tour tickets included entry to the Basilica and we were able to walk around ourselves. Note that our tour (and most tours) do not include the climb to the top of the dome. Read below for more details on the dome.
The inside of this church is as magnificent as you would expect the largest church in the world to be. Make sure to take some time to look at the statues, spend some time looking up at the magnificent dome, and spend some time in the beautiful prayer spaces if you are interested.
My favorite part of the Basilica were the Papal Tombs. These are the tombs of passed away Popes dating back as early as the fifth century. You can find the entrance to the tombs by walking down a set of stairs located towards the center of the Basilica.
St. Peter’s Basilica Dome
Optional Dome Tour: If you are interested in a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica and climbing up the Dome, there are tours you can book with art historians. These tours dive deeper into the Basilica’s art and history in addition to access to the dome climb.
Explore Trastevere
If there is one thing I can say for sure about Rome, it is that I loved the neighborhood of Trastevere! Trastevere is the heart of Rome’s food and drink culture. The streets are lined with restaurants, bars, shops, gelaterias, churches, and palazzos at every turn.
If you only have a couple days in Rome, I consider an afternoon in this neighborhood to be an excellent way to lean into Roman culture. Or, if you are spending more time in the city, this is a great way to have a relaxed afternoon after a busy couple days seeing some of Rome largest attractions. When deciding how many days in Rome to spend, make sure to build this stop into your itinerary!
If you only have room for the first two days of this itinerary, I would consider trying to fit the self-guided tour of historic Rome in as well (see below).
Trastevere Food Tour
Since I have Celiac Disease and can’t eat gluten, I wasn’t able to do a guided food tour. However, had I been able to, this is definitely something I would have signed up for in Trastevere. Since this is Rome’s food hub, this would be the best way to sample the best food, drinks, and gelato with an experienced guide.
Here are some food tour options I would look into:
- The Roman Food Tour in Trastevere
- Small-Group Rome Food Walking Tour: Trastevere, Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto
- Rome Twilight Trastevere Food Tour with Eating Europe
- Hidden Rome Food Tour in Trastevere with Dinner and Wine
However, if you have food restrictions like me, or want a more laid back afternoon, a self guided tour around Trastevere is a fantastic option too! You can easily find places to sit down, enjoy an apertivo, and eat delicious food. My friends and I bought a deck of cards and spent hours hopping trattorias playing cards while we were in Rome.
Day 9: Rome
Historic Center: Self Guided Tour
The historic center of Rome (Centro Storico) refers to the neighborhood where you can find the city’s renowned piazzas, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and more! We opted to see these ourselves (as opposed to booking a guided tour), so we could move at our own pace. This allowed us to pop in shops along the way, not feel rushed to take pictures, and stop for lunch!
You can see these spots in any order, but we organized them in a way that they would go in order and lead up the Borghese gardens (which is the next stop on the itinerary).
Pantheon
We started out at the Pantheon- the former Roman temple, now Christian Church- that was built over 2000 years ago and remains largely intact today. Admission into the Pantheon is free, and we were able to walk right in!
As you walk around, you will see the tombs of a number of Christian martyrs as well as areas to pray. Both the interior and exterior are gorgeous and definitely a must-see spot while in Rome.
Second, we headed over to Piazza Navona, one of the city’s biggest and most busy piazzas. There are three large sculptures in the center of the square and around the perimeter are a number of shops and restaurants. We got some cute tourist-y gifts while here, plus some delicious gelato from Grom!
Trevi Fountain
Next, we made wishes and tossed a coin into the famed Trevi Fountain. We got there around midday which was jam packed. If you are looking to see it without many other tourists around, you would have the best luck arriving early in the morning (I would aim for 7 a.m. or earlier).
Being as packed as it was, we didn’t spend too much time there. However, we brought our coins and tossed them over a shoulders (and got cute videos) while there!
Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps
Our next stops were Piazza di Spagna and the adjoining Spanish Steps. Piazza di Spagna is another adorable square, well known in Rome. Here you can find more beautiful monuments, fountains, and little museums. But most obvious upon arrival are the grand Spanish Steps.
The Spanish Steps are a set of 135 stairs that connect Piazza di Spagna with Piazza Trinità dei Monti. Piazza Trinità dei Monti is home to the Trinità dei Monti church which can be seen from the base of the steps. When we visited in April, this picturesque landmark was lined with beautiful blooming flowers.
Piazza del Popolo
Our final stop on our self-guided tour around historic Rome before heading to the Borghese gardens was Piazza del Popolo. This is another large, well-known square in the city complete with monuments, fountains, and beautiful landmarks surrounding the perimeter.
We didn’t have much time to spend here, so we didn’t have a chance to go inside of the surrounding landmarks. However, with more time I definitely would have checked out the “twin churches”, Chiesa di Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria dei Miracoli which lie at one end of the piazza and will immediately attract your eye upon entering, as well as the oldest church in Piazza del Popolo, Chiesa di Santa Maria del Popolo. All three of these churches have beautiful exteriors and are home to artwork from a number of famous Italian artists.
Borghese Gallery and Gardens
From Piazza del Popolo, we entered into the nearby Borghese gardens for a 20 minute stroll to the Borghese gallery. Compared to the Vatican or Colosseum, I would consider the Borghese Gallery to be a lesser known landmark in the city. Though not as popular, this was our favorite museum we visited on our visit in Rome.
The Borghese gardens surrounding the gallery were the best outdoor space we came across in Rome. If you are looking to have a picnic, relax outdoors, or go for a walk, this would be a great place to do so! If you don’t have time, definitely take advantage of the stroll from Piazza del Popolo to enjoy the beauty of these gorgeous gardens.
The great thing about the Borghese Gallery is that they only let a set number of people into the museum every couple hours. This gave us a much needed break from the swarm of tourists you will find at just about every other museum in the city.
We booked a two hour guided tour of the gallery and gardens through City Wonders. Unless you have an art history background, I would highly recommend having a tour guide to walk you through the art on display.
The inside of this gallery is beautiful, this gallery had my favorite art out of all of our stops in Rome. Works of Bernini, Raphael, and Caravaggio are just a few of the many artists on display here. We spent most of the two hours inside the gallery while our guide gave us the backstories and historical significance of various artworks.
When our tour of the gallery concluded, the guide offered to take whoever would like a tour of the galleries on a walk as well. Unfortunately, we were running short on time so we weren’t able to stay but we were glad we had a chance to see some of the gardens before the tour on our walk from Piazza del Popolo.
Day 10: Rome
For your last day in Rome, I highly recommend immersing yourself into Rome culture through one of the many classes, experiences, and adventures available through websites like GetYourGuide, Viator, or AirBnB. Below are a few suggestions of the types of experiences I would look into for the last day of your ten days in Italy.
Take a Cooking Class
What better place to learn how to make delicious Italian classics such as fettuccine, ravioli, or pizza than in the heart of the capital? Most cooking classes tend to run for $50-$75 where you will have the opportunity to make an Italian classic from scratch with experienced chefs! Here are a few to check out to get your started:
- Make Your Own Fettucine Class
- Pasta, Ravioli, and Tiramisu Class
- Outdoor Rome Pasta and Pizza Class
- Homemade Pizza and Gelato Class with Wine
Explore Outside the City
Perhaps you are itching to explore somewhere outside of Rome! If this is the case, there are a number of tour companies that offer day excursions out of the city to nearby regions, towns, and beaches (typically via bus/train) which is a great way to experience broader Italian culture. These “guided” excursions take the stress out of coordinating transportation but tend to give you a lot of free will to wander the destinations on your own once there.
Some of the most popular destinations include the nearby Tuscan region, Pompeii, and Amalfi coast. There are a number of other excursions to smaller towns and cities as well!
Here are a few tours I would take a look at to get started:
- Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano Guided Day Trip from Rome
- Tuscany Day Trip from Rome including 3-Course Lunch and Wine Tasting
- Tivoli Full Day Trip from Rome: Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este
- Amalfi Coast from Rome: Boat-Hopping with Limoncello Tasting
One thing to keep in mind when booking a day trip is to take a look at how long the excursion lasts. Some tours can last as long as 14-15 hours whereas others may only go out for 5-6 hours. Since this is the last day of our itinerary, keep this in mind! If you pick a longer tour option, you may want to consider bumping this up so you aren’t tired from your first three days around Rome.
Go on a Ghost Tour
Ghost tours are awesome because they blend a walking tour, folklore, and history into one fun adventure! This is something I wanted to do in Rome but didn’t get a chance to unfortunately. A city as old as Rome is rich in spooky stories so I imagine that a ghost tour would be a lot of fun.
Here are a few tours to check out:
- Rome: Ghostly Nighttime Walking Tour
- Paranormal Night Walking Tour & Secret Backstreets
- Dark Heart of Rome – Facts, Legend & Mystery Walking Tour
Check Out My Other Italy Guides!
More itineraries and guides to seeing Italy:
- How Many Days in Rome is Enough? The Perfect Itinerary for 2, 3, or 4 Days
- How Many Days in Florence is Enough? Hand-Crafted Itinerary for 2+ Days in the City
- How Many Days in Venice is Enough? Itinerary + Recommendations for a 1, 2, or 3 Day Stay
Gluten Free like Me?
It’s uber important to always travel prepared! No matter where you are going, it’s important to always travel with some gluten free snacks on hand!
Click here to learn more about my favorite gluten free travel snacks!
Travelling Gluten Free in Italy? Read on more here:
- Gluten Free Venice: 8 BEST Restaurants and Stores to Visit
- Gluten Free in Florence: 7 MUST Visit Restaurants and Eateries for a Delicious Trip
Looking for more gluten free travel inspiration? Check out my other posts!
Don’t Stop Exploring Here!
Check out my other city guides below!
- Day Trip to Austin Itinerary: The Best of Austin in 1 Day
- Ultimate NYC 4 Day Itinerary
- San Diego in One Day: Ultimate Guide
