Italy is the country that ruined all other food. Once you have eaten real carbonara in Rome, real ribollita in Florence, real seafood risotto in Venice, and real pizza in Naples, everything you eat for the next six months will be a disappointment. Plan your Italy trip around where and what you want to eat, and the art and architecture will take care of itself.
Italy: 10 Days Classic Route
| Days | City | Do Not Miss |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Rome | Colosseum (book ahead), Vatican Museums (book ahead), Trevi Fountain at 6am, Trastevere |
| Day 4 | Naples day trip | Pizza at L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, National Archaeological Museum |
| Days 5–6 | Florence | Uffizi Gallery, Duomo (free exterior), Oltrarno neighbourhood, Mercato Centrale |
| Day 7 | Cinque Terre | Five coastal villages by train. Vernazza and Manarola are the most beautiful |
| Days 8–9 | Venice | Doge's Palace, St Mark's Basilica at 9am, Grand Canal vaporetto, Burano island |
| Day 10 | Milan + fly | Last Supper (book months ahead), Duomo rooftop, shopping, airport |
Is Venice Worth Visiting?
Yes — but not during peak hours. Venice at 7am, when the fog hangs over the canals and the only sound is water and gondoliers calling to each other, is one of the most extraordinary places in the world. Venice at 11am in July, with 30,000 day-trippers pouring off cruise ships and queuing for gondola rides, is not.
- ›Stay overnight — Day-trippers see nothing. Staying overnight means experiencing Venice before 9am and after 7pm when the crowds evaporate.
- ›Venice entry fee: €5 per day for day-trippers (introduced 2024). Overnight visitors exempt.
- ›Best alternative to gondola (€80): Take the public vaporetto (water bus) No. 1 down the entire Grand Canal for €9.50. Identical views.
- ›Stay in Cannaregio or Castello — Far cheaper than near San Marco, and the canal walks are equally beautiful.
Italy Food Guide
| City | Eat This | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Rome | Carbonara, cacio e pepe, supplì, gelato | Roscioli, Da Enzo, Fatamorgana |
| Naples | Pizza Margherita | L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele (€5 per pizza) |
| Florence | Bistecca fiorentina, lampredotto | Buca Mario, Trattoria Mario |
| Bologna | Tagliatelle al ragù (the REAL bolognese) | Drogheria della Rosa |
| Venice | Cicchetti (Venetian tapas), sarde in saor | Osteria All'Arco |
Book the Colosseum and Vatican Museums at least 2–3 weeks ahead in summer. Skip-the-line tickets cost about €5 extra but save 2–4 hours of queuing. The Uffizi in Florence can also have 90-minute queues without pre-booking.
Italy Budget Guide (per person)
| Type | Daily Budget |
|---|---|
| Hostel traveller | $60–90/day (hostel, local restaurants, public transport) |
| Mid-range traveller | $120–200/day (2-star hotel, mix of restaurants) |
| Comfortable traveller | $250–400/day (boutique hotel, good restaurants) |
| Luxury | $500+/day (5-star, fine dining) |
