7 Day Italy Itinerary: Rome, Naples & Venice Travel Plan

This post is all about our unforgettable 7 day Italy itinerary, which includes visiting Rome, Naples, Venice. We also spent one morning visiting Pompeii and we drove through the Amalfi Coast and made a stop in Amalfi for gelato.

My husband, Zack, and I flew into Rome and arrived at 7 a.m. Yes, we had the entire day ahead of us, but we were very tired from the flight!

We ended up waiting three years after we got married to finally go on our honeymoon and this is exactly how we planned our honeymoon Italy itinerary trip.

7 Day Italy Travel Itinerary

Our one week Italy tour beginss with two days in Rome where we toured Vatican City, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. We also walked much of the city (yes, Rome is walkable!).

We then took a train from Rome to Naples where we spent another two days. We took an underground tour and explored the city center. Then we took a day trip visiting Pompeii where we explored the ancient ruins. Then we also took a drive along the Amalfi Coast where we ate gelato in Amalfi.

For the last part of our Italy vacation, we spent two nights in Venice. We took a day trip to explore the neighboring islands of Murano and Burano.

I think seven days in Italy is a great amount of time to spend if you’re looking to see several cities. I also think seven days is long enough to only use carry-on luggage. I was able to fit everything into my carry on and we didn’t have to buy anything extra. You can read more tips for packing for Italy and find a downloadable packing list at the end of this post.

Day 1: Arrive in Rome | 2 Days in Rome

While we only planned for two days in Rome, I think you might find that three days works better a vacation. I am really good at doing all the things, but you may want to take your time to relax and enjoy the city.

There are also many cities to plan day trips from Rome that really allows you to explore more of Italy. If you need some visual inspiration, add some of these movies set in Italy to your watchlist while you plan your trip!

We arrived at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport at 7 a.m. We took the Leonardo Express train from the airport to Roma Termini station.

It was too early for us to check into our hotel, but we were able to walk there from the train station to store our luggage. We stayed at Hotel Canada in Rome.

The first thing we did was purchase a 48-Hour Metro/Bus Ticket for convenient travel around the city. Don’t forget to validate it!

We had afternoon tickets for a guided tour of Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. I talk about all the sights to see in my top things to do in Vatican City post.

I made this simple list below of some simple sight-seeing options for us before we headed out, but I have a full list of everything a first-timer in Rome should see that has more details.

Sights to see in Rome:

• Villa Borghese: Stroll through the beautiful gardens.
• Pantheon: Marvel at the ancient architecture.
• Trevi Fountain: Toss a coin and make a wish.
• Spanish Steps: Climb to enjoy a fantastic view of the city.
• Castel Sant’Angelo: Explore this historic fortress.

We had a gelato break with some cones from Giolitti, a famous gelateria. Then we finished our evening with delicious Italian meal at Il Ristoro dal Patriota.

Day 2: Ancient Rome and Landmarks | 2 Days in Rome

Breakfast was included in our hotel package, so we didn’t have to seek out any restaurants in the morning. We did seek out some fresh espresso!

We had a guided tour booked for Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. It’s better to pre-book tickets to avoid long queues. If you don’t want to book anything, the be sure to check out my list of free things to do in Rome.

We had lunch quickly, but there are many options to choose from! Try one of these local favorites: Grazia & Graziella, Ristorante Aroma, or Ristorante Arlù.

Afternoon Stroll

• Pincio Promenade: Enjoy panoramic views of Rome.
• Ponte Umberto I: Take a walk across this picturesque bridge.

In the evening we returned to the hotel for a to relax and pack up for our next leg of the trip: Naples.

Day 3: Travel to Naples | 2 Days in Naples

On the morning of our third day in Italy, we checked out of our hotel, then headed to Rome Termini to Naples Centrale. We arrived in Naples in the late afternoon, which gave us some time to walk around. If you’re looking for help on where to stay in Naples, then be sure to check out my detailed post.

I kind of overbooked ourself for the next leg of our trip because we only had the evening to explore. I booked us an underground walking tour, so we had a time-table to stick to. Then the next day we had a tour planned to visit Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

We stayed at B&B Napoli Suite. So we didn’t have too much time in Naples, but we did get to eat at the pizza place from Eat, Pray, Love!

Sights to see in Naples:

• Galleria Umberto I: Admire the stunning architecture.
• Naples City Centre: Explore Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi and the ruins of San Lorenzo Maggiore, an art-filled cathedral.

We had dinner at the best pizza in Naples at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele – the pizza place in Eat, Pray, love. They’re open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

We explored the underground secrets of Naples with a Naples Underground Tour.

Day 4: Amalfi Coast and Pompeii | 2 Days in Naples

We started our day with a guided Amalfi Coast & Pompeii tour. We were picked up at a centrally located hotel at 8 a.m. The tour was only supposed to last around 8 hours, but our tour bus died (it overheated) while driving back to Naples. We probably spent about 10 hours on this tour.

We were tired and hungry, so we grabbed something to eat before heading back to our hotel and turning in.

Day 5: Travel to Venice | 2 Days in Venice

On the fifth day of our Italian trip, we left fairly early to get on a train for Venice, one of Italy’s most romantic cities. The ride was about 6 hours, but I think Venice is a beautiful city to see. So it was worth the time.

We stayed at Ca’ Sagredo Hotel, which was rated five stars when we booked it. I planned to be in Venice to celebrate our anniversary. I wanted to take a Gondola ride, but it rained most of our time in Venice.

We went on a guided walking tour at night, but because of the rain we were soaked. We had our ponchos from Pompeii on and our shoes and socks were wet.

Since our tour included stops for food at three different restaurants, we weren’t too hungry to seek out any restaurants.

Day 6: Venice Exploration | 2 Days in Venice

We planned a guided half-day tour of Murano and Burano, which was about 4-5 hours. We got to see a glass blowing demonstration in Murano, and we got to shop and have lunch in Burano.

I wanted to enjoy drinks at the iconic Harry’s Bar to try the famous Bellini, but we never went. Bummer!

We did visit Libreria Acqua Alta:, which is a quirky and charming bookstore.

We also had Doges’ Palace and climbing the Campanile di San Marco on our list, but we didn’t make those stops.

We finished the evening with a fine dining experience at our hotel. I had to make dinner reservations when we arrived because they didn’t offer it by email ahead of time.

Day 7: Departure

Check out of the hotel, get on a water taxi and head Venice Marco Polo Airport. While we said goodbye to Italy, we headed to England for another two nights exploring London. This really was our best trip to Italy!

Italy Packing List

Final Thoughts on this 7 Day Italy Itinerary

Our Italian adventure was so much fun! Even though we had a little mix-up with the travel time and got to Rome earlier than planned, it turned out great.

We spent two amazing days exploring Rome, and then went to Naples for more cool sights, like Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Venice was our final stop, and even though it rained a lot, we had a blast seeing the city and its nearby islands.

If you get the chance to visit Italy, take your time to enjoy every city and don’t worry too much about the schedule. Each place has its own special charm, and you’ll make lots of memories no matter what! What would be your dream itinerary if you had a week in Italy? Let me know in the comments!

If you’re counting down the days to your trip, dive into one of these books set in Italy to soak in the scenery before you even pack.

Where would you go if you had one week in Italy? Let me know in the comments below!

XOXO,
Katie

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More Italy Resources

If you’re interested in visiting Italy, be sure to check out my detailed 10 days in Italy itinerary. You can find quick information about various Italian cities in my one day guide to Venice, two day guide to Rome and one day guide to Naples.

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