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Italy in 7 Days: Rome to the Lakes
A slow-paced loop through Italy's greatest hits — fewer stops, longer lingering, real meals. Picking up a car in Rome and dropping it in Milan works smoothest (one-way fees are worth it vs. backtracking).
7days
21stops
Day 1: Colosseum & Roman Forum → Pantheon & Piazza Navona → Trevi Fountain
3 stops
Colosseum & Roman Forum
09:30
Pantheon & Piazza Navona
14:00
Trevi Fountain
17:30
Day 2: Pick up car & depart → Orvieto → Arrive Florence
3 stops
Pick up car & depart
09:00
Orvieto
11:30
Arrive Florence
16:30
Day 3: Uffizi Gallery → Lunch + Ponte Vecchio stroll → Duomo climb
3 stops
Uffizi Gallery
09:00
Lunch + Ponte Vecchio stroll
13:30
Duomo climb
16:00
Day 4: Depart Florence → Siena → Drive into Val d'Orcia
3 stops
Depart Florence
10:00
Siena
12:00
Drive into Val d'Orcia
17:00
Day 5: Slow morning → La Spezia → Vernazza & Monterosso
3 stops
Slow morning, then drive
08:30
La Spezia
13:00
Vernazza & Monterosso
14:30
Day 6: Morning swim → Arrive Varenna → Aperitivo by the lake
3 stops
Morning swim, then drive
09:00
Arrive Varenna
13:30
Aperitivo by the lake
18:00
Day 7: Ferry across to Bellagio → Drive to Milan → Duomo & Galleria
3 stops
Ferry across to Bellagio
09:00
Drive to Milan
12:30
Duomo & Galleria
15:00
Heads Up
- 1. Italian historic centers have camera-enforced restricted zones. Always park outside and walk in. The fines arrive months later by mail.
- 2. Reservations to lock NOW: Colosseum, Uffizi, Duomo dome (Florence). Everything else is flexible.
- 3. One-way car rental: Rome pickup → Milan drop-off has a fee (~€150-300) but saves you a day of backtracking. Worth it.
- 4. Cash: Mostly card-friendly, but small agriturismi and rural trattorias sometimes prefer cash.