You could easily spend years in Italy without even cracking the surface of the culture and the sights. I spent two weeks backpacking through this incredible country a few years back, and I left with a deep desire to go back for more! From the Dolomites, to the historical city of Rome, to the bottom of the boot, two week won’t even begin to cover all Italy has to offer. However, I truly believe that if you only have two weeks to spare and are a first time visitor, Milan, Lake Como, Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, and Rome are the best places to start out. Obviously, you can swap out any of these spots for alternate locations. For example, if you wanted to start in Cinque Terre and work your way down the coast, go for it! If you want to cut out a city to slow down your trip, do it! However, I hope this two week Italy itinerary lets you experience the best of what this country has to offer!
A few disclaimers: Italy is easily one of the most touristy countries in the world. The places below are very touristy, and as they should be, with their incredible architecture, nature, people, culture, and food. However, this makes it both expensive and busy. I recommend trying to travel through Italy in the offseason (so basically not May-August). Obviously, that is often the easiest time to travel. It will still be a great trip, even if that is the only time available for you! However, things will be cheaper and less busy throughout the rest of the year. Secondly, since it will be pretty busy during the summer, be sure to book EVERYTHING YOU CAN (hotels, tours, tickets to museums, etc.) as soon as you can. They will either sell out or skyrocket in price if you wait until the last second. Thirdly, I’m listing a few items below that I 10000% recommend having on your trip. Lastly, this blog does contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you. I would SO appreciate that if you choose to book any tours, passes, etc., that you would do it through the links I provide on this page! Again, I’m so grateful you’re here! I hope you enjoy your adventure and this two week Italy itinerary!
Things I Recommend Bringing!
- Rick Steves Italy Travel Guide
- This is a must have. Rick Steves is the travel king, and this book provides every detail you can think of… emergency numbers for different cities, history facts about each spot, walking tour maps for different areas, and so much more. Click HERE to purchase on Amazon!
- Travel Charger Adapter
- Obviously, if you’re coming from Europe and have the same type of outlet, you won’t need this. However, be sure to purchase this if you’re coming from the States or another part of the world. Click HERE!
- Portable Charger
- With the amount of itinerary-checking, map-watching, picture-taking you’ll be doing, each person on your trip will want (at least one) portable charger. This one HERE lasts literally forever, and I bring it on every one of my trips.
- If you’re backpacking through…
- For backpackers, I have a much more specific list with links (shower shoes, quick-dry towel, etc.) HERE!
- Travel Apps To Download
- HERE are the apps I live by while traveling. From things like Google Translate to Omio (for train tickets), I promise it’ll make your life so much easier.
Packing List
If you’re in need of a good packing list, look no further! Click the button below for a great packing list (mainly for women but guys, you can use it for inspo)!
Your Day-by-Day Itinerary!
Day 1
Fly into Milan! Recover from jet lag!
Day 2
Explore Milan! Milan has so much to offer. I wrote you guys a detailed post on the best things to do in Milan (including budget options)! Click below to head over!
Day 3
Hop on a train to Lake Como. Download the Trainline app to buy and download your tickets in advance. You can also click the link here to head to the ticket site.
The first thing you need to know about Lake Como is how to get from town to town. Depending on which side of the lake you are on, you can take buses. If the city is across the lake, you can take a ferry which takes you from city to city. I have a blog post on Lake Como on a budget, and it explains how the ferry and buses work as well! Click below!
This what what Lake Como looks like. You can really explore anywhere your heart desires, but I recommend Bellagio (“the Pearl of Lake Como”), Mennagio, Lenno, and Varenna.
Drop your things off at your hotel. You have some options of what you’re going to do today! There are literally endless ways to explore Lake Como, since the area is huge, but I listed some options of things to do in the area of Bellagio, Lenno, Menaggio, and Varenna!
- If you’re wanting some adventure and active fun:
- Hike to a castle in Varenna. Click here for more information about the hike.
- Go on a kayaking tour! Are you kidding me? SO awesome. Click here.
- Another kayaking tour from Bellagio. Click here!
- Hike the Greenway del Lago! Click here for a map and hiking info.
- There are also tons of other hikes you can do in the area. Download the AllTrails app to explore them!
- If you’re looking for some foodie activities:
- If you just want to chill:
- Walk around Bellagio… shop, drink wine, and get a nice dinner.
- Instead of Bellagio, walk around and explore Menaggio and Varenna!
- Go to a beach club! Their names tend to start with “Lido”, and they’re private spots where you can hang out by the beach! They tend to be pretty expensive.
- Varenna’s beach club: Lido di Varenna
- Bellagio’s beach club: Lido di Bellagio (click here for info)
- Hang out at San Giovanni, a FREE beach in Bellagio.
- Relax at Menaggio’s free beach called Laria.
- For sightseers!
- Visit Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo
- The little town of Ness has some incredible sights… one of which is an incredible waterfall called Oriddo di Nesso! Click here for information on where it is and how to explore the area! There’s another spot called Nesso-Ponte della Civera, which is a little spot you can walk to or take a boat to. There’s a super iconic bridge that you can jump off of and swim around!
- Villa del Balbianello in Lenno
- Explore the gardens of Villa Melzi in Bellagio
Budget tips: for a budget option, you can stay in Lenno! It’s another town on the lake, but it’s way cheaper than the more touristy sections like Bellagio. It’s beautiful and a lot quieter! Additionally, the most touristy spots (Bellagio, Menaggio, and Varenna) are some of the most beautiful but also some of the most EXPENSIVE spots in Lake Como and also all of Italy. If you want to see Lake Como but on a budget, you can stay in / explore literally anywhere else on the lake! Also, for a total BUDGET TRIP to Lake Como, click here!
A final tip: BUG SPRAY! Carry it everywhere. If you’re on hikes or near the water, the bugs tend to swarm. Be sure to have it on hand.
Day 4
For today in Lake Como, you can do any of the things listed above, but I would reserve this day specifically for a boat tour! Again, there are tons of things you can choose from. If you click my above blog post, you can see how we skipped a boat (since we were on a pretty tight budget) and just took the ferry from city to city instead of going on a private tour. However, if you have the funds, this is the things not to miss. Taking a boat around this part of Italy is absolutely incredible and well worth the splurge! I’ve listed some tours below that you can choose from (ranging in price and activity!).
- Private boat tour! Click here!
- Catamaran ride! Click here!
- Bellagio and Varenna full-day tour! Click here!
- Another private small boat tour. Click here!
Spend your day boating, laying in the sun, drinking prosecco, and enjoying the best of Lake Como!
Day 5
Get up early and train to Venice! Remember to make sure you’re buying them depending on which train station you’re closest to. Click here to find train tickets to Venice. Tickets can be expensive if you buy them close to your departure date, but are pretty reasonable if you buy them far out!
Look at Day 6 for your Venice itinerary!
Day 6
Explore Venice all day!
I gave you guys a list of the best things to do in Venice! Click below.
Day 7
Train to Cinque Terre from Venice. The train station you go to is going to depend on which town you’re staying in. This is going to be your longest train ride, taking anywhere from 5 hours to 8 hours.
Tips on where to stay: Cinque Terre is so awesome, but, like everywhere else in Italy, can be super pricey or decently cheap depending on where you stay. Cinque Terre stands for “the 5 cities”, which include Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. If you stay inside one of those places, it’ll be a lot more expensive. I recommend staying in a nearby city if you’re on a budge, especially since the trains are relatively cheap and easy to use.
CT is literally five small cities located on the coast connected by trains, paths, and a ton of mountains. It’s an awesome place to explore!! It’s neat because it really has something for everyone; you’ve got laying at the beach and sunbathing, drinking wine and sitting by the coast, going on boat rides, and hiking the trains between the five cities and rewarding yourself with some iconic lemon gelato at each stop.
WARNING! Sometimes people just hop on the trains instead of buying train tickets. You probably won’t get caught. However, if you DO get caught, you will have to pay up to 500 euros or literally go to jai. I was sitting on a train on my way from one city to another, and the ticket checker came and found a whole bachelorette party with no tickets. He told them they could pay the fine right then or go to jail at the next exit. All that to say, it’s worth it to just be safe and buh the ticket. Use the app Omio or TrainLine to buy your tickets.
This will mainly be a travel day. End your time after a long train ride with a good dinner! Click here for a list of good restaurants depending on where you’re staying!
Day 8
You can spend either Day 8 and Day 9 in Cinque Terre or just Day 8, depending on personal preference. If you’ll just be here for one day, I recommend hiking in between at least 1 of the cities (if not more) and going to the beach in Monterosso. Your hike will start off in Manarola if you’re planning on doing the hike between all 5 cities. The entire hike will take around 6 hours, but you can always hike between one or two cities, stop for a drink and some gelato, and quit or keep going. If you’re here for two days, you can make this a beach day and Day 9 a hiking/exploring day! Up to you. I made a list below of the cities and their general vibe!
Monterosso
- The largest of the 5
- This town has the best beaches
- Separated by Old Town and New Town
- Things to see
- Walls of the ancient fortress
- Fieschi Castle ruins
- Aurora Tower
- Gothic 14th Century Church of St. Giovanni the Baptist
- Capuchin Monastery
- 16th-century Oratorio dei Neri
Vernazza
- Most people’s favorite of the 5 cities
- Explore the streets!
- Visit the Santa Margherita d’Antiochia
Corniglia
- Pretty small
- Least touristy, so probably cheaper to stay in
- Things to see
- Oratorio dei Disciplinati di Santa Caterina
- Chiesa di San Pietro
Manarola
- Really good restaurants!
- Look on Via Renato Birolli and Via Antonio Discovo for spots to seat!
- Famous for fresh anchovies in olive oil
- The beginning of the hike
- No beach
- Famous for deep sea swimming
- Things to see:
- Manarola Castle
- Gothic Church San Lorenzo
- Manarola Nativity Scene
- Via Dell’Amore
- Via Belvedere
Riomaggiore
- This is the second biggest town
- Has a small beach
- Things to see:
- Medieval Castle
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montenero
- Church of San Giovanni Battista
- Oratory of San Rocc
Day 9
Optional day in Cinque Terre!
Here are even more things to do if you stay for an extra day!
If you have more time to spend in the Cinque Terre my other suggestions are:
- Go to the market in La Spezia, on Fridays (cheap clothes and shoes).
- Go to the market at Forte Dei Marmi on Wednesdays (designer discount clothes).
- Go to the market in Levanto, on Wednesdays (food and clothes).
- Day trip to Portovenere on the ferry (gorgeous!).
- Day trip to Sestri Levante on the train.
- Drive to Lerici and Tellaro (if you have a car).
- Day trip to Bonassola on the train.
The above suggestions are from a separate blogger! Shoutout to The Italian Fix blog!
Day 10
Train to Florence. This will be about a 2-4 hour train ride. Try to get there early so you can drop off your things and start exploring!
Click below for all the best things to do in Florence, from museums, to churches, to piazzas, to restaurants and bars, and so much more!!!
Day 11
Explore Florence; see Day 10!
Day 12
Train to Rome
Day 12
Explore Rome
Day 13
Go to Vatican City!
Vatican City is a city-state surrounded by Rome, It’s the the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. It is one of the most incredible places in the world, as it is basically just a tiny city full of some of the most famous and beautiful works of art in the world.
Day 14
Fly home!
If you have some extra time…
Check out some other spots like
- Lake Garda
- Basically a Lake Como dupe
- Verona
- A smaller town in Italy that is incredible. It has a colosseum that you can tour and explore.
- Cortona
- A small town in Tuscany that’s an hour from Florence!
- Hike up into the Dolomites!
- When you go to the Lake Como, keep heading north for some incredible hikes.
- Elba
- A island off the coast of the Tuscany. It’s iconic for its bright blue water.
Thanks For Reading!
Thank you so much for being a part of this adventure with me! Every time you read and share these posts, you help me make my dreams come true! I love you all. If you get to go on any of these trips, feel free to email me pictures, recs, and your favorite parts! I hope you enjoyed this two week Italy itinerary! xoxoxoxox, AnitaBelle
