3 Week Italy Itinerary – Ultimate Road Trip
Are you planning to visit Italy? Undecided, where to visit in Italy? Or worried how many days are required to see the most beautiful cities in Italy? Is Italy road trip a great way to see the stunning areas of Italy? I have you covered what to see when visiting Italy with this blog on 3 weeks in Italy itinerary.
Europe Vacation in Italy
When it came to planning a trip to Europe for 3 weeks, we decided to focus on just one country and that was to see Italy. We planned a 3 week Italy itinerary, starting with Venice and ending at Rome, both rank in 3 top places to visit in Italy. We could more or less stick to our Italy itinerary with minimal deviations from our planned route.
Why Italy is Special
Based on our experience I have prepared this Italy road trip itinerary that covers the beautiful places in Italy and UNESCO sites of Italy. This travel plan is designed to align more with travellers who have a liking for iconic attractions, magnificent Cathedrals, delicious cuisines, historic monuments, Roman ruins, stunning art galleries, and medieval castles in Italy. Very much the reasons why Italy is so special and the 5th most visited country in the world!
Even the modern trends like fashion and luxury brands, opera, football team and automobile industry makes the young gen dream to visit Italy and even revisit. Italy is a great honeymoon destination too. I have known 4 out of 10 couples who have chosen foreign destinations for their honeymoon choose these most beautiful cities in Italy and that is an impressive statistic (Singapore is next fav.).
But here I am travelling with two young kids who are fond of pizza and pasta, the traditional food of Italy and the leaning tower of Pisa! Well, everyone has a reason to travel to Italy and these are mine.
Pisa – places to visit – 3 weeks Italy Road Trip Itinerary
Best way to travel in Italy
So what could be the best way to see Italy? Best way will depend on your interests, budget, and the amount of time you have.
Air Travel in Italy – One way would be by air; in that case one has to go airport hopping. Only the top tourist cities in Italy like Venice, Milan, and Rome have airports with many international flights. If your pocket is deep enough you can choose to travel by air in Italy.
Train travel – For solo travellers, travelling by train in Italy is the best option. Budget travellers can travel by train or by bus. There are several train services and bus services that run frequently between the different towns in Italy.
Road trip – Renting a car and driving through the country is a great way to see the more rural and off-the-beaten-path destinations of Italy. We rented the car in Venice and drove till our final destination Rome. It allowed us to have flexibility and freedom to stop and see things. One downside is that driving in Italy was a bit challenging due to narrow roads and heavy traffic in some areas.
Since I travelled by road I will be concentrating on road travel and walking tours in this blog.
Roads of Italy – Sunset picture – taken during 3 weeks Italy vacation
Tips for Italy Road Trip
License to Drive in Europe – Check that you have the correct license to drive; get an International Driver’s License (IDL). For Indian travellers the Automobile Association of India (AAI) can issue one. Carry all important documents throughout the road trip in Italy.
Expensive to Drive in Italy – Be warned that driving in Italy can cost a lot with high road tolls and high fuel costs. Since we were a family of four the divided cost worked out cheaper than the total cost of train tickets for the four of us. The bonus was we saw some beautiful landscapes in Italy.
How to Travel between Places to Visit in Italy
Public transportation is the best way to travel in Italy. We hired a car at Venice airport from AVIS car rentals. In big cities we would park the car at the hotel parking lot and take the local transport. It saved us a lot of headache searching for a spot to park the car.
Buy city tourist passes – Tourist passes for cities like Rome can save you a lot of money. They usually span for two or three days, include, train travel, and visits to museums and popular destinations. You can save on time by avoiding long queues.
Buy food and water in bulk – Most fuelling stations would have a supermarket too. We would replenish our stocks of snacks and water here. Buying water in bulk saved us a lot of money.
Possible Travel Disaster – Beware of Pick-picketers especially in crowded areas, buses and trains. We had a bad experience in Lisbon, Portugal, though Italy trip went fine.
Travel Destinations in Italy
I sat staring at the map of Italy trying to figure out the best route that would cover best destinations in Italy. It would be near impossible to see all top vacation spots in Italy, that too in 21 days. I wanted to include the prettiest cities in Italy, the UNESCO sites of Italy – as many as possible (Italy has the most UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world), and the must see attractions in Italy.
So, here is how the plan for Italy road trip turned out…
3 Week Italy Itinerary
21 days spent in Italy spent visiting the famous places of Italy – Day 1-3 Venice, Day 4 Verona, Day 8 in Milan, Day 9 in Turin, Day 10 in Mantua and Modena, Day 11 in Bologna, Day 12 and 13 in Florence, Day 14 in Pisa, Day 15 in San Gimignano and Pienza, Day 16 in The Vatican City, Day 17, 18 in Rome, Day 19 in Tivoli, Day 20 in Pompeii, and Day 21 in Rome.
Week One of Italy Itinerary
First three Days in Venice, the starting point of Italy road trip, 4th Day in Verona, 5th, 6th and 7th day unplanned trip to Lucerne
Day One of Italian Road Trip, Day one in Venice
• Spend a day a day exploring the bridges of Venice,
• Take the water bus (vaporetto) to the Rialto Bridge and Explore the Rialto Market. I was eyeing the Venetian masks; they stunned me, each one of them
• Walk through the narrow streets of Venice and make your way to the Ponte dei Sospiri
• Visit the Ponte degli Scalzi (Bridge of the Barefoot).
• Stroll through the Jewish Ghetto; see the synagogues and Jewish Museum of Venice.
Gondola in Venice – things to do – 3 week Italy itinerary
Day Two in Italy, day two in Venice
• Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs
• Walk through Piazza San Marco and visit the Basilica di San Marco
• Visit the Campanile di San Marco
• Take a gondola ride through the smaller canals of Venice
• Visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia, an art museum with important collection of Venetian paintings
Day Three in Italy, day three in Venice
• Start your day by visiting the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, that houses an important collection of Tintoretto’s paintings.
• Take a boat trip to the islands of Murano and Burano.
• (You can add Torcello for its ancient mosaics if you have the time and energy).
• Return by three to check out of the hotel.
Drive to Verona. Initially we intended to halt in Padua but realized it would be too tiring. So we skipped Padua and headed to Verona.
Distance from Venice to Verona is 120.9 km
Day 4 in Italy, One day in Verona
Walking is the best way to explore any city. If the distance between the top sights would be more, use the car or local transport. Walk through these top tourist attractions of Verona:
• Piazza delle Erbe and Historic center of Verona
• Piazza dei Signori, a beautiful square with Palazzo del Governo and the Palazzo della Ragione
• Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore.
• Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheater.
• Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House).
• Castelvecchio, a castle that houses a museum of art and archeology
• Take a stroll along the Adige River and enjoy the beautiful views of the city
Verona amphitheater – places to visit – 3 week Italy road trip
Day 5 in Italy, Road trip from Verona to Lucerne
This change in itinerary was totally unplanned. We were supposed to stop in Milan, but we got tempted to visit Lucerne in Switzerland. Travel from Verona to Lucerne, a distance of 392.9 km. It took us little more than 7 hours including all the small halts we made along the way for our tummies and for the vehicle.
Distance from Verona to Lucerne is 392.9 km.
Day 6 and day 7 in Switzerland
Day 6 in Lucerne. I have written a few travel blogs about my trip experiences in Lucerne.
Day 7 Drive from Lucerne to Milan
We halted at Visconti Castle in Locarno and fairy tale castle Castelgrande in Bellinzona
Week Two of Italy Road Trip
The top places to visit in Italy in the second week were Milan, Tivoli, Mantua, Modena, Bologna and Florence – the famous places in Italy which we couldn’t give a miss.
Day 8 in Italy, One day in Milan
We had to reduce two days from the planned visit to Milan. The happiness of getting to visit Switzerland covered up for the disappointment. Following is the brief itinerary for one day in Milan.
• Visit the iconic Cathedral of Milan (Duomo di Milano). Get to the terrace for panoramic views of the city
• Head to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest shopping malls.
• Stroll through the beautiful Sempione Park
• (We missed visiting the famous Last Supper painting by Leonardo da Vinci at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie because of a change in travel plans.
• Visit the Sforza Castle, which houses several museums including the Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Musical Instruments.
• Add above two tourist attractions of Milan to your itinerary.)
Milan Italy – must see places in Italy – 3 weeks in Italy
Day 9 in Italy, Road trip from Milan to Turin
Distance from Milan to Turin is 144 km.
Turin is a beautiful city in northern Italy with a rich history and culture. Things to do and see in Turin are:
• We started our tour from Piazza Castello. Major historical monuments of Turin like Palazzo Madama and Palazzo Reale are located here
• Royal Palace of Turin
• Turin Cathedral famous for housing the housing the Shroud of Turin
• Stroll down Via Roma, shopping street in Turin
• National Museum of Cinema, located inside the Mole Antonelliana, the symbol of Turin
• Visit historic cafes like Caffè al Bicerin or Caffè Torino to enjoy a cup of the famous Italian coffee
• (If you have time enough visit the Egyptian Museum, one of the most important Egyptian museums in the world. It has a good collection of Egyptian artifacts, including the famous Papyrus of Turin.)
Day 10 in Italy, Road trip from Milan to Bologna,
halting in Mantua and Modena on the way. Both figured in my road trip itinerary of Italy for their UNESCO Heritage site status.
Distance from Milan to Mantua 162 km
The top tourist attractions of Mantua are clustered and within short distance of each other. It is easy to cover them all in a short span of time. We left Milan quite early in the morning and reached Mantua at around 9 when the sites were open for visits to tourists.
• Sant’Andrea Church
• Palazzo Ducale
• Rotonda di San Lorenzo, an impressive 16th-century circular church
• Palazzo di Tè – is a palace in the suburbs of Mantua
• St Pietro Church
Next we set off from Mantua to Modena.
Distance from Mantua to Modena 71 km via A22/E45
Top Tourist Attractions of Modena – Like Mantua, the UNESCO sites of Modena are clustered around one place.
• The Cathedral of Modena, Ghirlandina Tower and Piazza Grande – This UNESCO World Heritage Site can be toured in 2 hours.
• Visit the Enzo Ferrari Museum dedicated to the life and work of the famous Italian car designer and manufacturer.
• You can visit the local food markets, or taste the local specialties like delicious balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Parma ham in the traditional trattorias and osterias.
Distance from Modena to Bologna 41.2 km
Day 11 in Italy One day in Bologna
One day itinerary for Bologna, Italy. Check this: Top Tourist Attractions of Bologna
• Visit Piazza Maggiore, the Palazzo Comunale and the Basilica di San Petronio all located close by.
• Stroll through the medieval streets of the city center, known as the Quadrilatero
• Stop for lunch at one of the many Ristorante in the city center. You get traditional dishes like lasagne or tagliatelle al ragù. Sample some local wines and cheeses
• Visit the Bologna National Gallery that has works by famous Italian artists.
• Take a walk along the beautiful Porticos of Bologna, a series of covered walkways that run throughout the city
• (You can add this sight too – Climb the 498 steps of the Asinelli Tower for a panoramic view of the city.)
Neptune fountain Bologna – 3 weeks Italy Road trip Itinerary
Late evening we started off for Florence from Bologna. We planned 2 nights and one day in Florence.
Distance from Bologna to Florence is 115 km.
Day 12 in Italy Day 1 in Florence
Two days in Florence is pretty sufficient to visit Florence’s most famous sites, taste Florence’s best food and even relax in one of the city’s beautiful piazzas. Florence is a beautiful city in Tuscany, Italy that is known for its art, history, and culture.
• Started our day by visiting the Duomo and explored the nearby monuments like Campanille and Baptistry
• Strolled through Piazza della Signoria, which is home to many famous sculptures and the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall.
• In the afternoon, we visited the Uffizi Gallery
• Ended our day by taking a walk across the Ponte Vecchio, the famous medieval bridge
Day 13 in Italy, Day 2 in Florence
• Started the second day in Florence with a visit to your the Accademia Gallery
• Next we strolled through the beautiful Boboli Gardens, which are located behind the Pitti Palace
• In the afternoon, we visited the Palazzo Pitti, a grand palace that was once the residence of the Medici family; it now houses the Palatine Gallery, the Silver Museum and the Costume Gallery.
• (Add Medici Chapels, which is a complex of tombs and chapels that were built for the Medici family and feature beautiful sculptures and artworks to this itinerary if you have more time.)
In the evening we set off for Pisa.
Distance from Florence to Pisa is 83.1 km covered in little more than an hour.
Florence – Italy road trip
Day 14 in Italy, one day in Pisa
If you are travelling with kids, Pisa is one of the best places to go in Italy. The wonder of leaning tower of Pisa never ceases! Here is how you can spend the day:
• Visit the Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Book in advance to climb to the top of the leaning tower for a panoramic view of the city.
• Visit the adjacent Cathedral of Pisa
• Visit the Pisa Baptistry. All are within the same complex.
• Stop for lunch at one of the local trattorias and try traditional Tuscan dishes
• (Take a walk along the beautiful Lungarni, the promenade along the Arno River. If you linger on till late in evening you can see the beautifully illuminated monuments. Add this if you do a full day tour of Pisa. )
After the major sights were done in the morning, we decided to take leisurely drive through Cinque Terre, Portovenere and Lerici and explore the Italy’s pretty scenes and colourful villages, the best region of Italy. No monument hopping but simply soaking in the fact that Italy is beautiful! If you are still in doubt where to visit in Italy, don’t fail to include this stretch to get the best views of Italy.
Cinque Terre – 3 week Italy Itinerary
Week Three of Italy Road Trip
15th Day in Italy – Road Trip through San Gimignano and Pienza to Rome, 16th, 17th, and 18th, three days in Rome, 19th Day – Day trip to Tivoli, 20th day – Day trip to Pompeii. We were in the last week of our vacation in Italy, slightly sad, yet excited to visit the remaining Italian sites.
Day 15 in Italy, Road trip from Pisa to Rome
Leave Pisa, set off for Rome, halting on the way at San Gimignano and Pienza. Some of the best sites to see in Italy are clustered along this route. Sienna too can be included, but I skipped it for Pienza.
Distance from Pisa to San Gimignano is 79.1 km covered in 1 hour 20 min.
San Gimignano is a small town in Tuscany, a beautiful place to visit in Italy. The well-preserved medieval architecture and beautiful views are reasons good enough to visit San Gimignano even if it is for a short while. Take a walking tour of:
• 14 medieval towers that are a unique feature of the town and a symbol of the town’s former wealth and power
• Palaces, and museums, which are filled with works by famous medieval and Renaissance artists and offer a glimpse into the town’s rich history
• Enjoy the beautiful views of the Tuscan hills and countryside that surround the town
• Shop for traditional crafts and souvenirs, such as pottery and leather goods
Distance from San Gimignano to Pienza is 93 km
Pienza is located in the heart of the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful places to see in Italy. It’s beautiful valley with rolling green hills, cypress trees, and picturesque vineyards, forms a very nice part of Italy. This is where you will get to see the beautiful landscapes in Italy.
Pienza is a popular destination for photography and nature lovers. It is a small town and you can explore it on foot, easy to navigate and can be done in a couple of hours.
Pienza is also famous for its delicious pecorino cheese, which is made from sheep’s milk.
Distance from Pienza to Rome is 188 km
Day 16 in Italy, Day one in Rome
Rome is among the most popular places in Italy. No one fails to add it to the list of places to vacation in Italy. While three days are not enough to see ‘everything’ in Rome, they are sufficient to visit Rome’s most famous sites, taste Rome’s best food and even relax in one of the city’s beautiful piazzas.
• Start the day with a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica, which is one of the most important churches in the world. Plan ahead of time to avoid long queues (2 hours)
• Next visit the Vatican Museums, which are home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections, including the Sistine Chapel. We lost track of time here, it was more than 4 hours when we finally exited the museum.
• In the afternoon, visit the Trevi Fountain, which is one of Rome’s most famous landmarks and is said to bring good luck to those who throw a coin into it.
• (if you still have some enthusiasm take a walk through the beautiful Borghese Gardens, which feature stunning sculptures and fountains)
Vatican Museum – Italy Tourist Attractions – 3 weeks Italy road trip Itinerary
Day 17 in Italy, Day 2 in Rome
• Visit the Colosseum that makes Rome the most popular destination in Italy.
• After visiting the Colosseum, head to the Roman Forum
• Visit Palatine Hill
• Walk towards Trajan Column
• This was one tiring day in Rome with a lot of walking. We retired very early to our hotel rooms.
• (If you have energy left, end your day by taking a walk through the charming Trastevere.
• If you have ample time add the 4th day itinerary of Rome given in the end.)
Colosseum arch Rome – 3 weeks Italy road trip Itinerary
Day 18 in Italy, Day 3 in Rome
The major sights covered in the first two days, you can plan your third day according to your personal choice. Rome has many churches, palaces and museums. Visiting just a couple of them can take up a major part of the day. Here are some places you can choose from
• Visit to Castel Sant’Angelo
• Visit the National Gallery of Ancient Art, an art museum in Rome, Italy
• Walk through the beautiful Piazza del Popolo
• Visit the Villa Borghese, a beautiful villa that is now a museum
• (If you have time enough add a stroll through the historic Jewish Ghetto, which is known for its synagogues, shops, and restaurants.)
Day 19 in Italy – Road trip from Rome to Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli
Distance from Rome to Tivoli is 33.6 km.
Hadrian’s Villa is an ancient Roman villa built in the 2nd century AD for the Roman Emperor Hadrian. The villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the very reason why it was in my list. Hadrian’s Villa is a vast complex and we took long pauses while exploring the site.
Typically, it would take at least two to three hours to visit the main areas of the villa, such as the Canopus, the Maritime Theater, the Pecile, the Serapeum, the Library, the Palace, the Villa’s thermal baths, and the many statues and sculptures. However, if you want to explore the whole complex and the Hadrian’s Villa Archaeological Park, it would take at least four to five hours.
Hadrian’s Villa Tivoli – Day trip from Rome – 3 week Italy Road Trip Itinerary
Day 20 in Italy – Road trip from Rome to Pompeii
Distance from Rome to Pompeii is 239 km
Pompeii is one of the most tragic places I visited during my travels around the world, and purely on that basis I will say that Pompeii ruins is one of the must visits in Italy. We had a long delay due to a huge traffic jam and lost some precious hours waiting in the jam! We reached Pompeii quite late and missed out on some planned sightseeing of Pompeii. Nevertheless we got to see the main sights.
• Visit the Pompeii Archaeological Park, which has the well-preserved ruins of the ancient Roman city.
• Highlights are: the Forum, the Basilica, Villa of the Mysteries, the House of the Faun, and the Temple of Apollo.
• (If you have time enough, visit the Amphitheater and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, which houses many artifacts and frescoes that were excavated from Pompeii)
Pompeii – Places to Visit in Italy – 3 weeks Italy Road Trip Itinerary
Day 21 in Italy, Day 4 in Rome
We still had half a day to spend in Rome before we flew back home to Bangalore, India.
• Visited the Spanish steps
• Walked towards Pantheon (1.1 km)
• Strolled through the beautiful Piazza Navona
Concluding thoughts of my Italy road trip
We enjoyed our Italy tour of three weeks! Italy is a stunning country with rich cultural heritage and delicious food. I particularly loved the relaxed atmosphere and laid-back way of life that makes Italy perfect tourist destination for a stress-free vacation.
How many days to trip Italy?
I covered the major tourist attractions of Italy in this blog. The itinerary is more country specific. If you don’t have time constraints like me you can spend more time exploring the different regions of Italy.
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Indrani Ghose is an Indian Travel Writer and Blogger based in Bangalore, India. She has written for numerous publications across the globe – including Lonely Planet, The National UAE, Whetstone Asia, Deccan Herald. You can follow her on her social media handles Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook to see the wonderful destinations, beautiful offbeat places and get instant updates about them.
