11 Days in Italy - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Discover Venice, Florence, & Rome 

On this classic 11-day itinerary, you'll see three of Italy's most popular cities, take a boat tour around Venice's neighboring islands, visit charming Tuscan towns, and taste wine in Chianti.

The trip begins in Rome, but you'll make a quick departure to Venice via high-speed train — you'll be back to the Eternal City later in the itinerary. You'll spend the first few days exploring Venice on foot and by boat: after a guided tour that takes you through Piazza San Marco and San Marco Basilica, along the Grand Canal and past ornate Doge's Palace, you'll tour the nearby islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello by boat. On day five, you'll head south to Florence, where you'll tour world-famous museums and art galleries, including 15th-century Pitti Palace, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Galleria dell'Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's 'David.'

The following day, you'll eat and drink your way through the city on a guided food tour of Florence's marketplaces and street food stalls, stopping to try regional delicacies and locally produced wines. It's a good warm-up for the following day's trip to the wine region of Chianti. Visit Siena and San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's also famous for making Vernaccia wine, along the way. After a free day in Florence, finish up the trip in Rome, where you'll tour the Vatican Museums, the Forum, and the Colosseum, enjoying leisurely outdoor dinners in Trastevere and gelato during an evening stroll through Piazza Navona. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Explore Tuscany - Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca

See the best of Tuscany on this 11-day trip plan, from the museums of Florence to the wineries of Val D'Orcia to the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

You'll base yourself in Florence, Siena, and Lucca on this trip around one of Italy's most popular regions. Begin in Tuscany's capital, where you'll have priority access tickets to skip the line at the Uffizi Gallery and see masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Donatello. After a guided food tour and a stroll through the Boboli Gardens, you'll have the evening to yourself before day-tripping to Pisa the next day to see the iconic Leaning Tower.

Midway through the itinerary, travel to Siena. Visit the city's famous Duomo cathedral and the legendary Piazza del Campo before the next day's side trip to the medieval towns of Montepulciano and Pienza. With a local guide, you'll explore the beautiful Val d'Orcia region, known for its wineries and production of delicious pecorino cheese. Wrap up the trip with a few days in the old walled city of Lucca. On a three-hour guided tour, you'll visit Lucca's Roman amphitheater, walk across the 11th-century Diavolo Bridge, and enjoy a stroll along the picturesque Via Fillungo street, which winds through the historic center. You'll take a pasta-making class at the end of the trip: after all, the perfect souvenir to take home with you is the ability to recreate traditional Italian bucatini at home. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Milan and Italy's Lakes Region

Interested in northern Italy? Enjoy an 11-day tour of Milan and the Lakes Region that offers travelers plenty of time in the city and on the water, including an excursion into the Dolomite Mountains 

Touch down in Milan, Italy's fashion and business capital, where you'll spend the first two nights of the trip. Take a full-day guided tour, visiting the striking Gothic-style Duomo cathedral, world-famous La Scala Opera House, the medieval Castello Sforzesco castle, and one of the world's most famous paintings — Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' — inside the Santa Maria della Grazie monastery. Continue onto Lake Como, where you'll take a walking tour of Bellagio and learn how to make handmade pasta during a private class in Como. Take in the scenery on a three-hour sunset cruise around the lake.

Next, drive to Lake Garda, visiting romantic lakeside villages along the way. After checking into your lakefront accommodations, you'll get ready for the next few days' busy schedule, which includes road-tripping into the Dolomite Mountains, riding a cable car high up into the peaks and stopping for a traditional Tyrolean lunch with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. You'll also have a day in Verona, where you'll visit the Casa di Giulietta, thought to have inspired Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' Spend the last day hiking to waterfalls and castles on Lake Garda before heading back to Milan to catch your flight home. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Best of Sicily - Mount Etna, Palermo, Catania

Hike to the top of Mount Etna, take a walking food tour of Catania, take a cooking class in Palermo: discover Sicily's top highlights on this 11-day itinerary.

Arrive in Palermo, where the trip begins with an evening tour of the city — and a pizza and gelato, of course. You'll take a Segway tour of the city on day two, zipping past Arab-Norman buildings and Byzantine churches, including the 9th-century Palazzo dei Normanni, La Martorana Norman Church, and the 13th-century San Francesco Church. Visit the Catacombs and Monreale Cathedral on day three, then relax and enjoy some free time in the city for eating, drinking, and strolling.

On day five, continue to Taormina, a city overlooking the blue Ionian Sea. On a guided walking tour, you'll visit the 10th-century Palazzo Corvaja and the Vicolo Stretto — also known as the narrowest street in town. Get some rest before the next day's trip to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Hiking and traveling by Jeep and cable car on your way to the top, you'll see fantastic views over the island. End the trip in Catania for sightseeing — a highlight is the 13th-century Ursino Castle — and a walking food tour to try regional specialties including granita (shaved ice with fresh fruit juice), Sicilian-style brioche, local cheeses and olives, and arancini (fried rice balls). Learn more

Itinerary #5: Food & Wine in Italy - Bologna, Florence, Rome

Eat and drink your way through Italy — featuring local cheeses in Bologna, handmade pasta in Rome, and truffles in Tuscany — on this 11-day trip plan.

Begin in Bologna, where you'll mix cultural sightseeing with gourmet pleasures. After a stroll through Piazza Maggiore and a stop the 14th-century Basilica di San Petronio, break for lunch and a local specialty: tortellini with ragu alla bolognese, a rich tomato and meat sauce. You'll take a food tour in the afternoon to try artisanal cheeses, then day-trip to Parma the next day to try the region's most famous products — Parma ham and Parmesan cheese. On day four, take the train to Florence for a walking food tour around the city's best off-the-beaten-path gelato shops and markets, where you'll try truffle panini and fresh-pressed Tuscan olive oil.

Midway through the trip, you'll visit wineries in Chianti — an easy day trip from Florence — stopping to see cultural and historic highlights in San Gimignano and Siena. Catch the high-speed train to Rome for the last few days of the trip. On a full-day tour of the city, you'll see the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Vatican, working up an appetite for a Roman-style pizza-making class and a food tour around the bohemian neighborhood of Trastevere. If you still have room, treat yourself to another cappuccino, a second Aperol Spritz, or one more cup of creamy gelato. Cheers! Learn more

More Great 11-Day Italy Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your Italy trip? Check out these other 11-day Italy itineraries, ranging from active, to cultural, to luxury, or family-friendly trips.

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