The Ultimate 7 Day Italy Itinerary

Italy is one of those countries where you visit and on the way home, you’re already planning a return trip.  To fit in as much as possible, it’s best to have an itinerary so that you can get the most out of your Italian vacation.  Do you have a trip to Italy planned and need ideas of where to go?  Maybe what cities around Rome you can visit?  Are you wondering how you can navigate your way around Rome without getting lost and confused?  You can also cure the FOMO you got while looking at Kylie Jenner’s Birthday pics on Instagram, because we visited Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. This blog will highlight the 5 cities we visited from Rome.  All the cities I have on the list are easy to get to by car or train.  I will also include links to the blogs I wrote about the specific cities we visited.

Day 1 on the itinerary starts by flying into Fiumicino Airport.  My family (my husband and I, 4 kids and my mother) went on the first week of June and we had a wonderful time with perfect weather.  Not one single rainy day.

Tip- I booked our flight so that we fly overnight and get to Rome in the afternoon.  This worked out for us, especially our 3-year olds.  All of us were able to sleep most of the flight. My youngest son Max slept for 8 hours!  We all had very little jet lag.  

We picked up our car at the airport.  Word of advice…do not let the travel forum sites deter you from driving in Italy.  It’s not as bad as people might say it is.  If you have survived driving through Houston, New York City or Washington D.C. area, then you are more than qualified to drive in Italy.  We decided to rent a car, because it was cheaper to rent then pay for all seven of us to buy train tickets to visit 6 different cities.

After dropping off the luggage, we went for a walk to a lot of free sites.  Our free walking tour included Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Trastevere for dinner at Tonnarello.  

Day 2- We drove to Tuscany.  We visited Montepulciano first, then drove 20 minutes to Cortona.  Both cities are lovely, and the people are so friendly and welcoming.  

Day 3- Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica, Parco Adriano which is next to Castel Sant’Angelo and shopping on Via del Corso. St. Peter’s is majestic and there’s so much to see.  If you want to beat the crowds, get there before 9am.  I know it’s early, but when we arrived, we only waited 15 minutes to get through security and inside the Basilica.  My husband and I did not visit the Vatican Museum, because we didn’t think our 3-year olds will enjoy it.  We opted to take them to the park and my mother and son visited the museum.

Day 4- Naples and Sorrento.  We drove to Naples and parked the car in a public parking garage that was close to the best pizza in Italy, Pizzeria L’Antica da Michele.  You will recognize this Pizzeria from the movie Eat, Pray, Love.

Tip- Get in line right before they open, which is 11am.  We timed our drive and walk so that we would be one of the first groups in line.  

After lunch, my family walked to the train station and bought round-trip tickets to Sorrento for 7 euros each.  After an hour train ride, we arrived in Sorrento.  This city is a beautiful coastal town overlooking the bay of Naples.  We swam, shopped then ate some delicious seafood.  Don’t forget to try the Limoncello while you’re there.  

Day 5- Campo di Fiori and a tour of the Colosseum.  Campo di Fiori is an open-air farmers market close to Piazza Navona.  We visited a couple of days in the morning to buy fresh fruit cups.  They have a variety of fruits and vegetables, pasta, sauces, pesto, a variety of Italian food items.  This is a great way to pick up something to eat, walk around and enjoy the morning.

We booked a tour with the Roman Guy for a special access gladiator entrance tour of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill.

Day 6- Basilica Santa Croce Gerusalemme, Mouth of Truth, and Malta Keyhole.  I called this day the “hidden gems of Rome” walking tour.  

Day 7- Euroma 2 shopping mall and a pasta making class in Frascati, Italy.  You can’t go to Italy without adding to your wardrobe, am I right?  We spent early afternoon shopping at Euroma 2.  It’s about a 15-minute drive outside of Rome.  Very easy to get to and lots of parking.  In the evening we drove to Frascati for a pasta making class.  I highly recommend this activity for families.  My kids loved it and they say it was one of their favorite parts of our Italian Vacation.  

Technically there is a day 8, but that’s a travel day going home.  This itinerary is jam packed with activities, shopping, and adventures.  You can choose to do it all or just pick a few days to copy.  I say go for it all!  We came back home with so many beautiful pictures and priceless memories.  Italy is one of those countries where you can’t see it all in one trip.  We will definitely return to keep exploring this wonderful country. Take a look at my other blogs to read more details about our days in Italy.  If you have any questions that I can answer, please leave a comment below.