Italy makes you fall in love with it in a second, yet a lifetime is not enough to explore all its beautiful places. For a first time visitor, a week offers enough time to get a taste of La Bella Vita and get hooked for life.

There are so many things I love about Italy during winter and some many places in Italy to visit that it is a bit hard to narrow down some of them for this itinerary. But, someone has to do it, right?

2 days in Rome

Every time I’ve been to Rome, I’ve only stayed two days. There are quite a lot of free things to do in Rome and you can start by visiting Piazza Navona, the newly renovated Spanish Steps (finally!) and Fontana di Trevi. Pass by the Pantheon and just stroll the streets to enjoy the view.

On the second day, get a combined ticket for the Forum and Colosseum. The letter only takes about half an hour to an hour to visit so you can spend a lot more time checking out the Forum.

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Rome to Naples by train

Get a train ticket, from 16 USD one way, if booked in advance an in less than two hours, you are in Naples.

3 days in Naples with day trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum

Naples is one of those cities you either love or hate. It doesn’t allow for in between. A day is enough to check out its main sights, which are clustered in the Old Town – a UNESCO site – and around the port. Oh and when in Naples, eat that pizza!

On another day, take Circumvesuviana to Herculaneum . You only need about 2-3 hours (at a leisure pace) to visit the site, so once you are done, hop back in the train and go all the way to Sorrento, on Amalfi Coast. Catch the sunset, eat some dinner and get back to Naples in time to get to bed.

Allow an entire day to visit Pompeii . Again, Circumvesuviana will get you there in less than an hour. The site is huge so allow 4-5 hours to check it. Pack snacks and a water bottle as there are fountains where you can refill.

Yes, Pompeii and Herculaneum can be done in a single day – we did it! – but it is a shame to both rush through them and be dead tired by the end of the day.

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Naples to Bari by train

There aren’t any direct trains on the route, but you can connect via Caserta (or other cities). A regional and a high-speed train later – and about 4 hours total travel time – and you get from Naples to Bari. The ticket starts at 21 usd and of course depends on the route and train. Buses take about 3h and prices start at 12 usd.

2 days in Bari with a day trip to Alberobello

With a port, an airport and a train station, Bari is an important travel hub in Italy. It is also the gateway to Puglia, one of the country’s most beautiful regions. You can easily check out the Old and New Towns during a day. Of course, you can spend quite a bit of time walking on the narrow streets of the Old Town, or checking out the port. Some gelato will make you really happy.

Alberobello is , by far, one of our favorite places (and thus, you’ll see it in my suggested itineraries quite a lot!). During the week and on Saturday there are trains from Bari, while on Sundays you’ll be stuck on a bus. Regardless, it can be easily done as a half day trip but you may want to spend a bit longer. Again, we decided to leave by mid-day and come back in around 4 pm but , if I were to do it again, I would leave in the morning. The trullis area will keep you busy snapping photos, while the restaurants will keep your hunger at bay.

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Should you not want to head South after visiting Naples, here’s an idea of a 10 days itinerary in Italy which takes you, after Naples, to Pisa, Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice and Milan.

Important note: before planning your trip to Italy, check if you meet the visa requirements. Italy is part of the Schengen Agreement and European Union nationals can travel visa-free.

Do you like this itinerary and want to personalize it to fit your needs? Drop me a note. I can help.

Note: this article was updated as of September 2023.
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