A free guide from Mayar & Ali, straight from the road
7 days in Italy, mapped out for you
Rome, Naples, Florence, Milan and Lake Como in one week: where we stayed, what we ate, how we moved between cities and what it all cost.
Written with Ali & Mayar | Rome to Lake Como
Before you go
Four things to lock in first:
Seven days, five cities and a handful of train rides. Here is how to set the trip up before you leave.
Where to start
Rome and Milan are the two big gateways, with flights and trains fanning out to the rest of Italy and Europe. We started in Rome and finished at Lake Como, close to Milan, so the whole trip runs in one line.
Search flights →Trains between cities
We booked every train on Omio, which works like Booking.com for transport: enter the places and date and it compares Italy’s private and state train companies in one list. Rome to Naples takes about an hour and a half, Rome to Florence about three hours, and Milan to Lake Como about one.
Check train times →A place to sleep
Naples is a day trip from Rome, so you only need four bases. One link per city:
Rome → · Florence → · Milan → · Lake Como →Data on arrival
You will want maps, train apps and tickets the moment you land, so arrive with an eSIM already active. Use code MAYAR10 at checkout for 10% off.
Get an eSIM →The 7-day route
| Day | City | Don’t miss |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Rome | Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon |
| Day 2 | Naples | A day trip: pizza, Galleria Umberto I, the seafront at sunset |
| Day 3 | Florence | Vivoli gelato, the market, the Duomo |
| Day 4 | Florence to Milan | Ponte Vecchio, All’Antico Vinaio, then the train |
| Day 5 | Milan | The Duomo, the Galleria, Spontini pizza |
| Day 6 | Milan to Lake Como | Sforza Castle, pasta, the train to the lake |
| Day 7 | Lake Como | Varenna, a ferry to Bellagio, a film-location villa |
Rome: the open-air museum
Roma Termini & the souvenir stop
A bus from Ciampino airport takes you straight to Roma Termini, the biggest station in Rome. Walk around it first: one shop sells fridge magnets, medals and more at prices we never found again in Italy.
Regoli & the ancient centre
Start with a maritozzo, the cream-filled bun, at Regoli Pasticceria, open since 1916. Then walk through the calm Parco del Colle Oppio to the Colosseum (free on the first Sunday of the month) and the Roman Forum, next to the Arch of Constantine and the giant Vittoriano monument.
Trevi, pizza & the Pantheon
A Neapolitan margherita near Trevi, then the fountain itself, Roman pizza and supplì at Alice, and finally the Pantheon, still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Queues are everywhere, so book fast-track tickets online. Full details in our 24 Hours in Rome guide.
Airport bus ≈ €8
Colosseum ≈ €18
Pantheon €5
Buy Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon tickets online ahead of time: the queues are enormous, and fast-track links are in the Before you go tab.
Naples: a day trip by speed train
Speed train from Rome
Naples works as a day trip from Rome. We took a fast train, about an hour and a half, booked through Omio.
Naples centre & Galleria Umberto I
Take Metro Line 1 from the station into the centre of one of Europe’s oldest cities, famous for narrow streets, old buildings and tiny shops. Galleria Umberto I surprised us: it has the same glass roof and grand bronze details as Milan’s famous gallery, only smaller.
Piazza del Plebiscito
A short walk away, a large square with a royal palace and a church, and a good place to pause between bites.
Pizza in Naples
Naples is where pizza lives, so we had to try it: very thin dough, a puffy crust and a classic margherita of tomato, basil and mozzarella. We went to a famous pizzeria called Sorbillo.
The seafront & Castel dell’Ovo
Walk down to the sea along the promenade and time it for sunset: the Castel dell’Ovo with the sea behind it was gorgeous. Then back to the station and on to Rome. The only thing we spent money on all day was the pizza, because most places in Naples are free to enter.
Florence: gelato, truffle & the Duomo
Rome to Florence by train
On day three we took the train from Rome to Florence, about three hours, booked on Omio.
Vivoli: gelato & affogato
Florence is where gelato started, so start here: Vivoli, for the affogato (vanilla gelato with espresso) and the classic and pistachio flavours. Do not ask for sugar and do not stir. Go early, because it gets very crowded.
Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio
The market where Italians shop in the morning. We came for cheese and truffle and spent about €100. Black truffle is the cheaper one, with a small jar around €8.
The Duomo & Piazza della Signoria
Brunelleschi’s dome is still the largest brick dome in the world. Entering the cathedral is free, while the dome climb costs over €30. Five minutes away, Piazza della Signoria is an open-air museum of statues, with the Medici palace on the square.
Florence at night
Do not miss the city after dark: it lights up and the music never stops. We ate pizza alla Norma, with eggplant, tomato, mozzarella and burrata, in front of the Duomo. Full details in our 48 Hours in Florence guide.
Ponte Vecchio, then on to Milan
Ponte Vecchio
Walk the liveliest part of Florence around the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge with shops on it for over 600 years. The Medici swapped the butchers for goldsmiths, and the small windows above the shops were their private passage across the river.
All’Antico Vinaio
One of the most famous sandwich shops in the world, known for its schiacciata bread and generous fillings. One sandwich can feed two. Most of the menu is not halal, so we built our own with burrata and dried tomatoes. For a shorter queue, use the branch at the train station.
Train to Milan
Then we took the train to Milan, the fourth city of the trip. Book it on Omio.
Sandwich feeds two
Station branch = shorter queue
Train booked on Omio
The queue at the original All’Antico Vinaio is long, so pick up your sandwich at the station branch on the way to the train.
Milan: Duomo, Galleria & pizza
Duomo di Milano
One of the biggest and most impressive cathedrals in Europe. Tickets can sell out months ahead, so book skip-the-line tickets through GetYourGuide, including the terraces, for around $30.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Right in front of the Duomo, one of the biggest and most famous shopping arcades in the world, packed with luxury brands. The restaurants and cafes inside are very expensive because it is a tourist attraction.
Spontini
Behind the Duomo, a place that serves just one kind of pizza: thick dough, lots of cheese and tomato sauce. We would go back to Milan just for this pizza.
Cioccolati Italiani
Right across from Spontini, another spot with a queue, but the tiramisu was superb: wonderful cream and a clear coffee flavour. They also sell plenty of gelato.
Milan morning, then Lake Como
Sforza Castle
A huge historic castle that was home to the Sforza family, who ruled the city. Walking in is free, but the museums inside, with many works by Leonardo da Vinci, are paid.
Mastro Tortello
Before leaving Milan we ate at a restaurant opened by a Michelin-starred pasta chef. We ordered the classic Bolognese and the ravioli in basil sauce. The Bolognese sauce was unbelievably fresh, and the pasta here is al dente. The ravioli, stuffed with cheese and topped with toasted bread for crunch, was the best pasta dish of our lives.
Train to Lake Como
Then we collected our bags and caught the train to our last destination, Lake Como, about an hour from Milan. Check times on Omio.
Lake Como: the finale
Varenna
Get off at Varenna-Esino, where most of the sights are. Walk the Lovers’ Walk right along the water and visit Villa Cipressi, whose door opens straight onto the lake.
Ferry to Bellagio
Take the public ferry to Bellagio, the pearl of the lake, with stepped lanes, colourful houses and silk shops. Queues are long, so go early, or hire a private wooden boat for more freedom.
A film-location villa
Ferry on to Menaggio and the lakeside villa that has appeared in many films. For us, the best place in all of Italy. Full plan in our 24 Hours in Lake Como guide.
Train from Milan ≈ 1 hour
Ferry ≈ €5
Villa tickets €13 to €30
Lake Como trains have no reserved seats, so arrive early or you may end up sitting on the floor, as we did.
Eat your way across Italy
The 7-day Italy checklist
Screenshot this and tick each one off as you go. The full week, with prices, is in the video below.
Ready to book
Lock in the trip
Flights
Compare fares into Rome or Milan.
Search Skyscanner →eSIM
Trains between cities.
Book on Omio →Tours & tickets
Colosseum, Pantheon and Duomo tickets. Code MAYARTRAVELS5 for 5% off.
See GetYourGuide →Guide by Ali & Mayar. Some links on this page are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.