So, you’ve got two weeks of vacation time and you want to see as much of Italy as possible. No problem! Here is a two-week Italy travel itinerary that will allow you to check off many of the country’s top attractions and see what ‘La Dolce Vita’ is all about. Be sure to follow the links for more detailed articles detailing attractions, accommodations and planning advice.
Note that everyone has a personal preference when it comes to creating an itinerary. Do you like to travel at a fast or slow pace? Linger and relax, or constantly be on the go and see new things? Do you mind switching accommodations and packing/unpacking? You need to know yourself to know if an itinerary will work for you. When creating this itinerary, we kept our own family’s preferences in mind. We like to move around and see a lot. We don’t mind changing accommodations multiple times on one trip. But, we balanced that by ensuring that we allowed time to recover from jet lag at the start of our trip. We also kept our shorter stays toward the start of our trip so that we had more time to relax as time went on and we inevitably grew tired.
Days 1-2: Venice
Venice is an ideal place to start your Italy travel itinerary. Much of the Venetian experience comes from simply wandering the streets, meandering over the nearly 400 bridges, and drinking in all the incredible canal views. If jet lag catches up to you, it’s easy to take a break at your hotel without missing out on a key attraction. Be sure to take a gondola ride to see the canals from a different angle.
Best things for families to do in Venice, Italy
How much is a gondola ride in Venice? – everything you need to know to take a ride
Days 3-4: Lake Como
Take the train from Venice to Lake Como. Varenna is the perfect home base for your stay. It’s quaint and beautiful, with a charming waterfront promenade. It’s centrally located on the lake. And it’s connected by ferry to Bellagio and Menaggio, making for easy exploration. While in Varenna, hike to a medieval castle, visit a local villa and get out on the water in a boat you can skipper yourself.
Varenna, Italy: why to stay here when visiting Lake Como
Days 5-7: Cinque Terre
Take the train from Varenna to Cinque Terre. All five villages in the community have options for accommodations. Vernazza is an excellent place to stay – the village is so picturesque that Pixar used it as inspiration for their 2021 animated movie, ‘Luca’. Cinque Terre is connected by hiking trails, and Vernazza’s central position means that trails are accessible from town in both directions. If hiking isn’t your thing, each village is just a short hop from the next via local train. Explore them all and check out the local beaches – each one is unique.
The best Cinque Terre beaches for kids (AND adults!)
How to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa on a short stopover
Days 8-10: Rome
Take the train from Varenna to Rome. There is no shortage of monuments to visit in The Eternal City. Spend one day seeing Ancient Rome, including the Forum and the Colosseum, and another day exploring Vatican City. Wander Rome’s cobblestone streets to Trastevere and enjoy outdoor café dining as the Romans do.
Everything you need to know about visiting the Colosseum
How to visit St. Peter’s Basilica (including climbing the dome)
Days 11-14: Sorrento
Take the train from Rome to Sorrento. Located in Southern Italy, Sorrento is the perfect base for day trips around the region. Visit the ruins of Pompeii at the base of Mt. Vesuvius, hop on a ferry to see the Amalfi Coast, or charter a boat to the island of Capri. Sorrento itself is also worth exploring. Check out a local lemon grove or take a SUP tour from its harbour.
Day 15: Return flight home
Naples is the closest major airport, or you can take the train back to Rome and fly from there – especially if you’ve found a better airfare deal to fly from FCO.
This two-week Italy travel itinerary takes you through many regions of Italy, from North to South, hitting several of the country’s must-see attractions along the way.
[…] The best two week Italy travel itinerary […]
[…] The best two week Italy travel itinerary […]
[…] The best two week Italy travel itinerary […]
[…] The best two-week Italy travel itinerary […]
Hello!
I am planning a trip to Italy in October. I’m a bit concerned about it being too cold to go in the water at all, and we are looking to visit Como and Cinque Terre. Were you there in October or did you post later, after returning from a summer trip?
Thank you!
We visited in August and then posted about it later. From what I have read, I would expect the water to be too cold to swim in Lake Como at that time of year, but I think the sea temperature around Cinque Terre is still supposed to be quite pleasant. Good luck with your trip!
Hi Carrie,
My wife and I watched your Italy video and it was very informative. We are planning a visit there next summer with our family.
I wanted to know where you stayed in Sorrento and if you have recommendations on stays in Pisa/Florence area.
We are looking to do:
* Fly into Rome : 4 days
* Train to Sorrento : 3 days
* Train to Pisa/Florence : 1 day
* Train to Como/Varenna : 3/4 days
* Train to Switzerland (any thoughts)
Thank you,
Simon
Hi Simon,
Glad you found the video helpful. While we were in Sorrento, we stayed at Hotel Il Faro, https://www.hotelilfaro.com/en/. They have quite spacious rooms that sleep 4, which met our needs exactly, and a beautiful view over the water. I think your itinerary looks good. It will allow you to see the major highlights of each area, and settle into each hotel for a few days. Unfortunately I don’t have any recommendations on where to stay around Pisa/Florence, as we didn’t make it to Florence, and only spent a couple of hours in Pisa on a layover between trains. It’s my understanding that there is a lot to see and do in Florence, especially if you are into museums or want to see wine country. If that’s the case, you might consider adding a few days there to your itinerary, and skip Switzerland? It’s a tough decision!
Carrie