The classic Italy mistake is "Rome 2 days, Florence 2 days, Venice 2 days." It feels covered. It actually means you're traveling 30% of your trip. Here's the itinerary that works for 7 days.
The right 7-day Italy split
- Day 1-4: Rome (4 nights) — Stay in Centro Storico first night, move to Trastevere nights 2-4.
- Day 5-7: Florence (3 nights) — One day for the city (Uffizi, Duomo, Accademia), one day for Tuscany (Siena or San Gimignano), one day flexible.
Why skip Venice on a 7-day trip
Venice deserves at least 2 nights to see it without day-trippers. A 1-night Venice + 1-day-of-travel turns a great experience into a flying drive-by. Better to do Rome-Florence-Tuscany properly and save Venice for a longer trip or a separate one.
If you must add Venice (10-day version)
- Rome: 4 nights
- Florence: 3 nights (with Tuscany day-trip)
- Venice: 2 nights — stay in Cannaregio
- 1 buffer day
Travel logistics
- Fly into Rome FCO (most options) or Venice VCE if doing 10-day with Venice.
- Rome → Florence: 90 min by Frecciarossa (book 2-3 months ahead for €30-€50; walk-up €70-€110).
- Florence → Venice: 2h by Frecciarossa.
- Venice → Rome direct: 4h. Otherwise fly.
What to skip
- The classic "Rome-Florence-Venice in 5 days" — wastes 2 days on travel.
- Pisa as a day-stop unless you have specific Leaning Tower interest.
- Naples on a first trip — it's a 4-night trip on its own.
- Amalfi Coast in a 7-day trip — needs its own 5-night dedicated visit.
Where to stay specifics
Rome: full Rome guide. Florence: full Florence guide. Venice (if added): Cannaregio over San Marco.
For longer trips see 14/21-day Europe itineraries.