Culture Travel10 days, 9 nightsItaly

Italy in 10 Days: Culture Route

Rome, Naples and Florence built around great collections, archaeology and the context that ties them together.

Destination

Italy

Travel style

Culture

Duration

10 days, 9 nights

Approximate budget

Approx. 1,900 to 2,700 EUR per person, excluding flights

Best time to travel

March to May, October to November

Route overview

A culture route through Italy should be narrow and deep. This one follows a single thread: the ancient world in Rome and Campania, then the Renaissance that reinterpreted it in Florence.

Naples replaces Venice here, and it is the best decision in the itinerary. The Archaeological Museum holds the finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, so seeing the museum and the sites together makes both make sense.

Two museums a day is the limit, with one long break in the middle. Closing days are built in: many state museums shut on Mondays, so that day is reserved for churches and walking.

Day by day

Day 1
Arrive in Rome
Settle in near Campo Marzio. Evening walk to the Pantheon, which is free to see from the square and a useful first lesson in Roman engineering.
Day 2
Imperial Rome
Colosseum, Forum, Palatine in the morning. Afternoon at the Capitoline Museums, where the bronze she-wolf and the Marcus Aurelius statue sit.
Day 3
Vatican and Renaissance Rome
Vatican Museums with a focus on the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Later, Santa Maria del Popolo for two Caravaggios with no ticket required.
Day 4
Baths, Museo Nazionale Romano and Borghese
The Palazzo Massimo frescoes are the most underrated ancient collection in the city. Borghese Gallery in the afternoon, timed entry only, two hours maximum.
Day 5
Train to Naples
Just over an hour. Afternoon in the historic centre, Cappella Sansevero and the Veiled Christ, then pizza where it was invented.
Day 6
Pompeii
Full day with a guide for at least the first two hours. Arrive at opening, bring a hat and water, and prioritise the House of the Faun, the Forum baths and the amphitheatre.
Day 7
Herculaneum and the Archaeological Museum
Herculaneum in the morning, smaller and better preserved than Pompeii. Then the museum, where the mosaics and bronzes from both sites now live.
Day 8
Train to Florence
Three hours by high speed train. Afternoon in the Bargello for sculpture, which is quieter than the Uffizi and rewards the same attention.
Day 9
Uffizi and the Brancacci Chapel
Uffizi at opening with a reserved slot. In the afternoon, the Brancacci frescoes, where Masaccio worked out perspective that everyone after him copied.
Day 10
Accademia or San Marco, then departure
One last visit before the airport. San Marco and its Fra Angelico cells are calmer than the queue for the David.

Accommodation approach

Central three or four star hotels within walking distance of the main collections in each city. In Naples, stay around Chiaia or Toledo rather than directly beside the station.

Getting around

High speed trains between the three cities, regional Circumvesuviana or the newer Campania Express for Pompeii and Herculaneum. Metro and walking inside cities.

What to eat

Roman classics: cacio e pepe, carbonara, saltimbocca
Pizza in Naples, at least twice, from two different pizzerias
Sfogliatella from a Neapolitan pastry shop in the morning
Florentine tripe from a street cart if you are curious

Planning tips

Reserve the Borghese, Uffizi and Vatican before anything else. All three use timed entry.
Read one short chapter on Pompeii the night before you go. It changes what you notice enormously.
Mondays are closed days for many state museums. Use them for churches, which mostly stay open.
Audio guides in the archaeological sites are worth the 8 to 10 EUR, the signage is thin.