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Italy End-to-End: Rome to Venice
Ten days rolling north by car, from Roman ruins through Tuscan hills, up the Ligurian coast, across the lakes, and finishing on the canals. Long but logical — every big drive has a worthy stop baked in.
10days
30stops
344km
DAY01
Depart hotel on foot → Trevi Fountain & Spanish Steps
5.2 km · 20m driving · Overnight in Trevi Fountain & Spanish Steps
- 09:00Depart hotel on foot· start
- 5.2 km · 20m
- 10:00Colosseum & Roman Forum
- 14:00Pantheon & Piazza Navona
- 17:00Trevi Fountain & Spanish Steps· overnight
Accommodation
Monti or Trastevere
DAY02
Vatican Museums & Sistine Cha… → Trastevere wander
4 km · 14m driving · Overnight in Trastevere wander
- 08:00Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel· start
- 1.4 km · 6m
- 12:30St. Peter's Basilica
- 2.6 km · 8m
- 16:00Trastevere wander· overnight
Accommodation
same place as Day 1
DAY03
Orvieto → Val d'Orcia viewpoints
89 km · 1h 27m driving · Overnight in Val d'Orcia viewpoints
- 10:30Orvieto· start
- 79 km · 1h 14m
- 15:00Pienza
- 10 km · 13m
- 17:30Val d'Orcia viewpoints· overnight
Accommodation
an agriturismo near San Quirico or Pienza
DAY04
Montalcino → Florence
118 km · 1h 47m driving · Overnight in Florence arrival
- 10:00Montalcino· start
- 45 km · 48m
- 13:00Siena
- 73 km · 59m
- 17:30Florence arrival· overnight
Accommodation
Oltrarno (south bank)
DAY05
Duomo complex → Ponte Vecchio & Oltrarno aper…
10 km · 26m driving · Overnight in Ponte Vecchio & Oltrarno aperitivo
- 09:00Duomo complex· start
- 0.8 km · 4m
- 13:00Uffizi Gallery
- 9.4 km · 22m
- 17:00Ponte Vecchio & Oltrarno aperitivo· overnight
Accommodation
same Oltrarno base
DAY06
Pisa → Manarola
95 km · 1h 23m driving · Overnight in Manarola
- 10:00Pisa· start
- 95 km · 1h 23m
- 14:30La Spezia / park car
- 16:30Manarola· overnight
Accommodation
Monterosso or Vernazza
DAY07
Vernazza → Riomaggiore
23 km · 46m driving · Overnight in Riomaggiore
- 09:00Vernazza· start
- 6.5 km · 15m
- 12:30Corniglia
- 17 km · 31m
- 15:30Riomaggiore· overnight
Accommodation
same Cinque Terre base
DAY08
Varenna → Bellagio
Overnight in Bellagio
- 14:00Varenna· start
- 17:00Bellagio· overnight
Accommodation
Varenna or Bellagio
DAY09
Como departure → Venice
Overnight in Venice mainland arrival
- 10:00Como departure· start
- 13:00Verona
- 18:00Venice mainland arrival· overnight
Accommodation
Venice proper (Cannaregio or Dorsoduro)
DAY10
St. Mark's Square & Basilica → Dorsoduro & gondola
- 08:00St. Mark's Square & Basilica· start
- 12:00Rialto & backstreets
- 15:30Dorsoduro & gondola
Accommodation
same Venice base, or head to Marco Polo airport if you're flying out early the next morning.
Booking timeline
Book these before you go- Day 8Ferry · Bellagio
Heads Up
- Day 8: 5h 7m driving — plan rest stops
- ZTL zones (limited traffic historic centers): Rome, Florence, Siena, Verona, Venice — fines by camera are automatic and arrive months later. Park outside and walk in.
- Book ahead non-negotiables: Vatican Museums, Uffizi, Florence Duomo dome climb, Colosseum. Weeks out for peak season.
- Rental car: pick up Day 3 in Rome (outside ZTL), drop off Day 9 in Venice-Mestre. No point paying for the car during Rome or Venice days.