Italy Travel Guide: 9 Days in Rome, Amalfi Coast, Florence, Cinque Terre, & Venice

Italy, the land of good food, good wine, and famous works of art. While this trip was a departure from our usual campervan adventures, Italy did not disappoint with its incredible views, beautiful cities, and breathtaking architecture.

Italy Travel Tips:

• Trenitalia is the main train system for getting around Italy. Download the Trenitalia (train) app and sign up for a CarteFRECCIA​ loyalty card. To sign up for a card, you'll need a tax codice fascale to register, which you can get here. If you're having trouble signing up online, try registering through the Trenitalia app. We were able to use our CarteFRECCIA number to qualify for discount tickets for under 30 years old. Trenitalia also gives discounts for buying 2 tickets together. Be sure to buy any long distance trains ahead of time, as the economy (cheapest) tickets will sell out. When you book your tickets, you can choose the seats ahead of time - we always picked the seats at the tables for extra room. All the trains have charging plugs as well which is awesome. Note: You do not need to buy regional tickets ahead of time, as the prices do not change.
• Most public transportation operates on a trust system, where you validate your ticket at a machine before you board (if it's not for a specific time) and show your ticket if a conductor comes by to verify that you have the correct ticket. You will almost always have to buy tickets before you board, either at a ticket machine or on an app. Not all stops (such as bus stops) will sell tickets, so plan ahead - you can usually buy bus tickets at a tobacco shop or newsstand.
• Buy a SIM card when you land - check out this guide on prepaid data SIMs. We went with Vodaphone as it is one of the largest providers both in Italy and across Europe.​
• Book hotels / Airbnbs near the train station. Cities are very walkable, but for ease of access (especially when carrying luggage), staying near a train station is extremely helpful especially for day trips. Venice was the only exception, as the train station is a bit far from the main sights.
• Bring Euros in cash. Most of the hotels / Airbnbs we stayed at also required the city tax (separate from the hotel rate) to be paid in cash - it can add up to an extra €75-100 in total.
• Know the Italian names for major train stations - Rome / Roma Termini, Florence / Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Venice / Venezia Santa Lucia.
• Tipping is not expected though appreciated, and sales tax is already included in the price.
• Bring reusable water bottles, as water costs money at restaurants.

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Day 1 & 2: Top Things to do in Rome

• Tour the endless statues and works of art at the Vatican Museum & St. Peter's Basilica
• Caffeinate with an expresso at the bar at La Casa del Caffe Tazza d Oro
• Climb to the top level for the Belvedere tour of the Colosseum
• End the night with gelato from Frigidarium
• Take in the views at the Spanish Steps
• Grab classic and strawberry tiramisu to go at Pompi Tiramisu
• Throw a coin for luck in Trevi Fountain
• Marvel at the hole in the dome at the Pantheon
• Stop by the hidden gem of St. Ivo alla Sapienza on Sunday morning
• See the perfectly lined St. Peter's Basilica at Aventine Keyhole

Travel Tips for Rome, Italy

• BUDGET TIP: ​​ The cheapest way to get from the airport to the city is to take the local train (which doesn't go to Rome Termini) or airport bus (which does go to Rome Termini). We chose to take the local train and transfer to the tram because the airport busses do not run that often.
• BUDGET TIP: ​​Public transport options all use the same type of ticket, so you can stock up on tickets when you arrive. These tickets are sold at tobacco shops, newsstands, or at automated ticket machines at metro stations. If you already know your itinerary, you can calculate whether it is more worth it to purchase a 24 hour ticket for €7 (or respective 48/72 hour ticket if you're staying longer) or single B.I.T. tickets for €1.50 each. Single B.I.T. tickets are valid for one Metro ride or 100 minutes on other modes of transportation with transfers. You can also download the myCicero app to purchase ATAC tickets (for buses, trams, and metro) online and then activate the ticket on the app when you want to use it. (This was particularly useful to us when we arrived, as all shops were already closed and we were not stopping at a metro station).

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Day 3: Top Things to do in the Amalfi Coast

• Hike down the stairs to the beach of Positano
• See the beautiful bridge over the sea at Fiordo di Fuore
• Walk along the streets of Amalfi
• Grab coffee and sfogliatella at ​Pasticceria Andrea Pansa
•  See the town of Atrani

Travel Tips for the Amalfi Coast, Italy

• Be sure to check the bus schedule if visiting during off season like us, as we found that the bus did not come very often and ended up waiting up to half an hour. ​​

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Day 4, 5, 6: Top Things to do in Florence

• Marvel at the complex red, green, and white marble architecture of Brunelleschi's Dome
• Grab fresh groceries at Mercato Centrale and make your own pasta and tiramisu at Walkabout's ​Tuscany Cooking Class
• Drive a classic Vespa through the Tuscan countryside at Walkabout's Vespa Tour
• Eat €5 Dante (spicy pork) and Inferno sandwiches at the famous All'Antico Vinaio
• See the best views of Ponte Vecchio by walking through the bridges Ponte alle Grazie to Ponte Santa Trinita at sunset
• Try all the gelato - Gelateria dei Neri, Gelateria Santa Trinita, and Gelateria La Carraia​

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Day 7: Top Things to do in Cinque Terre, Italy

• Walk through the rocky harbor of Riomaggiore
• Hike up the trail for a stunning view of Manarola
• Watch the sunset over the town of ​Vernazza

Travel Tips for Cinque Terre, Italy

• To get to Cinque Terre from Florence, take Trenitalia to La Spezia, then take the regional train that goes from La Spezia to Levanto to each of the towns. If you are planning to see Cinque Terre in one day, buy the Cinque Terre train card. This covers train tickets from La Spezia to the different towns and access to hiking trails (the viewpoint at Vernazza does require the pass). Be sure to check the train schedule if visiting during off season like us, as we found that the train only came every hour.

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Day 8 & 9: Top Things to do in Venice, Italy

• Walk across the bridges before the Bridge of Sighs and explore the grand architecture of Saint Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace​
• Skip the €80 / 30 minute tourist gondola ride and instead learn to row at Row Venice Class
• Grab €6 pasta at ​We Love Italy Pasta to Go
• Taste all kinds of fresh seafood by weight and fried cheese at Rosticceria Gislon
• Try different seafood cinchetti (tapas) for €1.40 each and aperol spritz at Osteria Al Squero
• Don't forget gelato for dessert around the corner at Suso
• Second dessert? Get the best tiramisu for €4 at I Tre Mercanti
• Take a break and grab a cappuccino or espresso under €2 at Farini or Torrefazione Cannaregio
• Get all the free chocolate and lemon samples at Nino & Friends
• Find books inside a gondola and climb up the book staircase at Acqua Alta Library
• Live dangerously at one of the last bridges without a parapet at Ponte Chiodo
• Walk up the the spiral staircase of Scala Contarini del Bovolo 
• Shop for handmade leather books at Scriba
• Shop for handmade marbled paper at Il Papiro Srl
• Shop from local artisans at the hipster shop Feelin' Venice
• Marvel in all the colorful houses on the fishing island of Burano
• See a glass blowing demonstration in Murano

Travel Tips for Venice, Italy

• For those under 30, purchase the Rolling Venice card, which gives 3 days of unlimited public transport for €29 (individual waterbus tickets can get expensive at €7.50 each). Download the AVM Venezia app and load the voucher to the app. When you arrive in Venice, validate the waterbus pass and scan the QR code at the turnstiles to board.

Final Thoughts:

• WHAT WE MISSED: You may have noticed a few major sights missing from our list - we didn't see Galleria Borghese in Rome and the Uffizi Gallery or Accademia (where the famous David statue is) in Florence, we didn't actually go inside St. Mark's Basilica or Doge's Palace in Venice. But we felt that we spent the right amount of time in each city and honestly didn't feel like we were missing out! If you do want to see those major sights, add in an extra day or two. There were only two places that we wanted to go but couldn't make it to - the hot springs in Saturnia (which is a 3 hour drive from Florence, but renting a car from the Florence train station isn't recommended due to complicated traffic laws) and the Dolomites mountains (which can be a whole trip on its own).
• WHAT WE LOVED: Our favorite part of our trip was the cooking class in Florence, not just because we got to cook amazing food, but also because we had the best chefs, Isaac and Carmella, who truly made the entire experience so memorable, and an awesome group of fellow travelers with whom we got to share stories with! We also loved going in the wintertime, as there were so many beautiful Christmas lights up as well as less tourists. We can only imagine how crazy it must be in the summer!
• WHAT WE SPENT: Italy is not a cheap destination to visit, so planning ahead is crucial for saving money where you can. We stayed in cheaper hotels (sometimes with shared bathrooms) as long as they were in a convenient location. Some of our favorite cheap eats were about $7 / person. Total we spent about $3500 for 2 people on everything or about $2500 / $275 per day without flights.

Expense	Approximate Cost	% of Total Cost
Flights	$1050	30%
Hotels / Airbnb	$875	25%
Activities	$700	20%
Public Transportation	$525	15%
Food	$350	10%

• WHAT WE PLANNED: Planning this trip was a lot more work than many of our other trips, due to all the different modes of public transportation and having to book not only activities on specific dates but also trains ahead of time. Hopefully this itinerary can help you save some of that time!
• WHAT WE DID NOT EXPECT: Coffee was just €1 for espresso and €1.50 for a cappuccino, and gelato was €1.50 for a small (much different than in the US!) Though portions were smaller, they were much more appropriate for an afternoon coffee break or late night dessert. Italy is also very dog-friendly - we saw so many dogs walking the streets, oftentimes off leash.
• WHAT'S NEXT: Now that we've seen all the major cities, we are definitely planning to be back for a shorter trip to the Dolomites (and when the weather is warmer for hiking). Majestic mountains, clear blue lakes, rolling hills...to the next great adventure!