12-Day Italy Itinerary:
Rome, Florence & the Amalfi Coast
If you’ve been dreaming about Italy, this is the route I design over and over again for my clients.
Twelve days. Three iconic regions. Smart pacing.
This sample itinerary highlights how I structure a trip through Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast - blending history, food, wine, and coastal beauty without feeling rushed.
It isn’t a package. It’s a starting point.
When we plan together, every hotel, guide, and experience is customized around you. But this flow works beautifully time and time again.
A Quick Note Before We Dive In
This is the route I design over and over again — for families, couples, and graduation trips. Twelve days. Three iconic regions. Paced in a way that actually feels good rather than exhausting.
This isn't a package. It's a starting point. When we plan together, every hotel, guide, and experience gets built around you. But this flow works beautifully time and time again — and it'll give you a real sense of what a well-planned Italy trip looks like.
Days 1–4: Rome Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Gentle Exploration
Private driver from the airport. Drop bags, freshen up, then a curated walking route to ease in — Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, gelato. The goal is simple: stay awake, move your body, adjust naturally.
Day 2: Orientation — Golf Cart or Food Tour
First full day is about getting your bearings. A private golf cart tour covers major sites efficiently. A food-focused walking tour experiences Rome through its flavors. Both are excellent. Rome starts to feel manageable instead of overwhelming.
Day 3: Colosseum & Roman Forum (With a Guide)
Without context, it's ruins. With the right guide, you understand the politics, the spectacle, the daily life — and how the space actually looked in ancient Rome. Completely different experience.
I always request underground Colosseum access for my clients. It runs on a lottery system and is extremely limited — when I secure tickets, my clients are prioritized immediately.
Day 4: Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica
We will not stand in the Vatican line. A guided tour covers the Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, and the Gallery of Maps — my personal favorite. And yes, I'll tell you exactly where to grab lunch when you exit. You'll need it.
Days 5–8: Florence & Tuscany Itinerary
Day 5: High Speed Train to Florence
Assigned seats. I walk my clients through how to read the train boards, find the platform, and locate seats so you feel confident. Florence is where we slow down.
Day 6: Florence Highlights
Timed entry to the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David. Florence Cathedral complex. And I'll point you to my favorite leather shops — one splurge-worthy, one more budget-friendly. Florence is steaks and gelato. Repeatedly.
Day 7: Tuscany Day Trip
A private driver takes you into the countryside to explore Siena and San Gimignano.
Wine tasting. A long vineyard lunch. Rolling hills that feel almost unreal.
This is often the surprise favorite day of the trip.
Day 8: Market-to-Table Cooking Experience
A chef takes you to a local market to select ingredients, then you cook the meal together. Phones down. Aprons on. Real connection.
Days 9-12: Amalfi Coast
Day 9: Train South + Pompeii Stop
Train to Naples, private driver toward the coast. En route, a guided stop at Pompeii — preserved homes, bakeries, and streets that make it feel human rather than just historic. Then on to your hotel along the coast. This is where the trip shifts.
Where you stay on the Amalfi Coast matters
Positano — iconic and dramatic. Amalfi — historic and central. Sorrento — easier logistics and strong value. I match the base to your travel style, mobility needs, and budget. This is one of the most important decisions of the whole trip.
Day 10: Private Boat Day to Capri
If you splurge on one experience, this is it. Cruise past the Faraglioni rocks. Swim stops in impossibly blue water. Optional time on the island. Seeing the coast from the water changes your entire perspective.
Day 11: Slow Coastal Living
Intentionally unscheduled. Beach club, Positano's staircases and boutiques, a long seaside lunch, lemon groves, or just your terrace view. This is the exhale portion of the trip.
Day 12: Departure
Private transfer to Naples Airport or a train back to Rome depending on your flights. Logistics built around comfort, not just convenience.
Ready to build your Italy trip?
Italy is not a trip you want to piece together from blog posts and guesswork. If this itinerary feels like your kind of trip, let's build it the right way — right hotels, right guides, right pacing for how you actually travel.
Planning fee: $250 per family for trips up to two weeks. \