This route moves from the grandeur of Rome through the soft hills of Tuscany to the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. Ten days is the least I'd give Italy, and this plan makes every one of them count.
How should you spend 10 days in Italy? Give Rome three days for the Vatican, the Colosseum and Trastevere. Spend two in Florence and Tuscany for the Uffizi and Chianti wine, then take the train south for five days on the Amalfi Coast, with Positano, Ravello and a day on Capri.
Key facts
- Fly into: Rome Fiumicino. Fly home from Naples.
- Trains: Rome to Florence about 1.5 hours on the high-speed train, Florence to Naples about 3 hours.
- Where to stay: Hotel de Russie in Rome, Portrait Firenze in Florence, Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello.
- Best months: April and May, or September and October.
- Our trips: the Italy Experience (Rome, Venice and Sicily) and the Amalfi Coast Experience (Capri, Sorrento and Positano). Both are private and can be shaped around a route like this one.
The Italy tourism context
Americans are one of Italy's biggest visitor markets, and for good reason. That also means the famous sites get busy, so this plan leans on early entries, private guides and evening walks.
Days 1 to 3: Rome
Photo: Fabio Fistarol / Unsplash
Day 1: Arrival and ancient Rome
Arrive at Fiumicino and take a private transfer to Hotel de Russie. Once you're settled, take an evening walk through illuminated Rome: the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, all lit up and blissfully uncrowded after 9 PM.
Dinner at Roscioli, a wine bar, restaurant and deli that's a Roman institution. The carbonara is definitive.
Day 2: The Vatican and classical Rome
An early private Vatican tour (7:30 AM entry). The Sistine Chapel in near-solitude, then St. Peter's Basilica and the Raphael Rooms.
In the afternoon, the Colosseum and Roman Forum with a classical archaeologist as your guide.
Evening in Trastevere, Rome's most atmospheric neighborhood. Dinner at Da Enzo al 29 (arrive early; the line is worth it).
Day 3: Baroque Rome
A morning with Rome's Baroque treasures: Bernini's sculptures at the Borghese Gallery (reservation mandatory) and Caravaggio's paintings at San Luigi dei Francesi (free, and extraordinary).
Days 4 and 5: Florence and Tuscany
Photo: Van Williams / Unsplash
Day 4: Florence
Take the morning high-speed train to Florence (about 1.5 hours) and check in at Portrait Firenze, the Ferragamo family's hotel on the Arno.
In the afternoon, a private guided Uffizi tour focused on Botticelli, Leonardo and Raphael. Walk across the Ponte Vecchio at sunset, then have dinner at Il Latini for bistecca alla Fiorentina, the definitive Tuscan steak.
Day 5: Tuscan wine country
A full day driving through Chianti and Val d'Orcia. Taste at Antinori nel Chianti Classico (26 generations of winemaking), have lunch at a vineyard trattoria, and stop in Montalcino for Brunello.
Days 6 to 10: The Amalfi Coast
Day 6: Transfer to Ravello
Take the morning high-speed train from Florence to Naples (about 3 hours), then a private transfer along the SS163 to Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello. The drive winds around the cliff edges and the coast reveals itself one bend at a time. It's one of travel's great arrivals.
Day 7: Positano and a beach day
Boat to Positano. Spend the day at Spiaggia Grande or the more exclusive Da Adolfo (reachable only by boat). Lunch at La Sponda at Le Sirenuse, with 400 candles, pink walls and sea views.
Day 8: Ravello and culture
A morning in the Villa Rufolo gardens and on Villa Cimbrone's Terrace of Infinity, the most famous viewpoint on the coast. If the Ravello Music Festival is on, catch an evening concert in the Villa Rufolo gardens.
Day 9: A day on Capri
Boat to Capri and the Blue Grotto (weather permitting). Lunch at the La Fontelina beach club, then the chairlift up Monte Solaro for the views and a little shopping on Via Camerelle.
Photo: Simone Santos (@sithevision) for Caviar in the Air
Take your time on the water. Raise a glass of bubbles under the cliffs and let the day be slow.
Photo: Simone Santos (@sithevision) for Caviar in the Air
Day 10: Departure
A slow morning, then a transfer to Naples Airport or the train station.
If you're still deciding where to spend your nights, read my Italy travel guide from Rome to the Amalfi Coast and what nobody tells you about Italian food culture.
To be clear about our own trips: the Italy Experience is ten days through Rome, Venice and Sicily, and the Amalfi Coast Experience is seven days on Capri and in Sorrento, with a day in Positano. Neither follows this exact route, but both are private trips, so we can build around the days you love most. Book a free consultation and tell me what you're celebrating.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Itinerary