From Cinque Terre to Rome: An Italian Tapestry

Trip Length: 14 Days / 13 Nights

Trip Type: City Immersion + Slow Village Days — Food, Art, Connection

Best For: Couples, families, creatives, slow seekers, food lovers

Best Seasons: Spring & Fall (shoulder seasons); summer is beautiful but crowded and hot

Getting Around: Trains between cities; local buses/boats in Cinque Terre; taxis on arrival/departure

✨ Introduction – The Story Behind the Journey

Italy is a mosaic of moments: a cornetto in a sunlit piazza, the hush of a chapel, sea-salt air on cliffside paths, and late-night laughter over bowls of pasta. We’re especially tied to Florence and Lucca — places that feel like a second heartbeat. In summer, trains run full and streets thrum with life; the bustle is part of the soul. Even so, every corner offers beauty, culture, and flavor when you move with intention and let the day open slowly.

Trip Overview

Destinations / Flow: Venice (Days 1–3) → Florence (Days 4–6) → Lucca (Days 7–10; day trips to Pisa & Cinque Terre) → Rome (Days 11–14)

Journey Pace: City immersion balanced with unhurried village days

Highlights: Venice canals & islands, Renaissance Florence, Lucca’s walled city, Cinque Terre train-hopping & coastal trails, Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli, Rome’s ancient forums & Trastevere evenings, pasta/pizza class, gelato tasting

🗺️ Itinerary at a Glance

Day	Destination / Title	Theme
1	Arrive Venice – Settle by the Canals	Land & Orient
2	Venice – San Marco to Dorsoduro	Art & Water
3	Venice – Islands Day (Murano/Burano)	Color & Craft
4	Venice → Florence – Oltrarno Evening	Tracks & Tuscan Light
5	Florence – Uffizi & Arno	Renaissance & River
6	Florence – Duomo & Markets	Heights & Flavor
7	Florence → Lucca – Walls & Wheels	Village Rhythm
8	Day Trip – Pisa	Piazza dei Miracoli
9	Day Trip – Cinque Terre	Coast & Connection
10	Lucca – Slow Day	Bikes & Botteghe
11	Lucca → Rome – Twilight Walk	Arrival & Awe
12	Rome – Ancient Heart	Forum & Colosseum
13	Rome – Vatican to Trastevere	Art & Evening Strolls
14	Depart Rome	Carry It Home

🌞 Day-by-Day Journey

Day 1 – Arrive Venice: Settle by the Canals

Glide in by vaporetto. Check into a small apartment near a quiet campo. Evening wander over bridges with cicchetti (small bites) and your first gelato.

Day 2 – San Marco to Dorsoduro

Early San Marco (beat crowds), Basilica & Campanile views; then drift toward Dorsoduro: Peggy Guggenheim, Zattere promenade. Sunset along the Grand Canal.

Day 3 – Islands Day: Murano & Burano

Morning ferry to Murano for glass artisans; continue to Burano for lace and bright facades. Late return; dinner near your neighborhood campo.

Day 4 – Venice → Florence; Oltrarno Evening

High-speed train to Florence (~2h). Settle in. Cross the Ponte Vecchio toward Oltrarno’s crafts. Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo; dinner in Santo Spirito.

Day 5 – Uffizi & Arno

Timed-entry morning at the Uffizi. Afternoon Arno stroll and café journaling. Optional gelato tasting: compare two classic gelaterie.

Day 6 – Duomo & Markets (+Cooking Class)

Climb the Duomo or Giotto’s bell tower (book ahead). Browse Mercato Centrale for lunch. Evening pasta-and-pizza cooking class.

Day 7 – Florence → Lucca; Walls & Wheels

Regional train to Lucca (~1.5h). Check into an AC-equipped apartment (summer must). Late-afternoon bike loop on the Renaissance walls; dinner under plane trees.

Day 8 – Pisa Day Trip

Short train to Pisa (~30m). Piazza dei Miracoli: Leaning Tower (reserve climb), Cathedral, Baptistery acoustics. Return to Lucca for an easy evening.

Day 9 – Cinque Terre Train-Hopping

Early train to La Spezia, then hop the Cinque Terre local between the five villages. Walk a short trail segment if open; swim cove-to-cove; pesto lunch. Return to Lucca.

Day 10 – Lucca Slow Day

Slow morning in a piazza with a cornetto and caffè. Stroll artisan shops, Guinigi Tower with oak trees up top, and a second sunset bike ride on the walls.

Day 11 – Lucca → Rome; Twilight Walk

Fast train via Florence to Rome (3–3.5h). Check in. Twilight passeggiata: Piazza Navona → Pantheon → Trevi Fountain → Spanish Steps.

Day 12 – Ancient Heart of Rome

Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill (book timed entries). Afternoon Trastevere lanes and river stroll.

Day 13 – Vatican to Trastevere

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (early access helps), St. Peter’s Basilica dome climb. Evening across the Tiber for a long, laughter-full dinner.

Day 14 – Carry It Home

One last espresso. Pack a little slower. Depart with Italy’s cadence in your bones.

🌿 Local Wisdom & Connection

Slow Mornings: Start in a piazza with a cornetto and caffè; let the day find you.

Summer Reality: Crowds and heat are part of the soul — book major sites, hydrate, and rest mid-day.

Trains: They’re great but can be busy or delayed in peak season; give buffer time and avoid tight connections.

Gelato Ritual: Pistachio test — if it tastes like real nuts and not neon, you’re in the right place.

Converse Kindly: A “Buongiorno” and “Grazie” open doors; linger and chat with shop owners.

🏡 Stays & Lodging Style

Apartment rentals in walkable cores (verify air-conditioning for summer).

Venice: near a quiet campo away from San Marco.

Florence: Oltrarno or Santa Croce for craft and calm.

Lucca: inside the walls for bike-able ease.

Rome: historic center or Trastevere for evening strolls.

🚆 Getting Around (approx. times)

Venice → Florence: ~2h (Frecciarossa/Italo)

Florence → Lucca: ~1.5h (regional)

Lucca ↔ Pisa: ~30–35m (regional)

Lucca → La Spezia (Cinque Terre gateway): ~1.5–2h (regional)

Lucca → Rome (via Florence): ~3–3.5h total (HS + regional)

Within Cinque Terre: local trains & coastal paths

In Venice: vaporetto boats

In Rome/Florence: walk + metro/taxis as needed.

🎒 Packing with Intention

Walking shoes; small handheld fan (summer); refillable water bottle; light layers and scarf; compact umbrella; reusable tote for markets; modest attire for churches; journal and pen.

🌅 Reflection & Closing

Italy is a gentle teacher of joy: slow down, taste fully, and notice how art hides in everyday life. Let this journey reconnect you to simple beauty — one piazza, one seaside breeze, one shared meal at a time.

Live Wild. Create With Intention. Tell Stories That Matter.

A pre-traveled, pre-curated journey by Harmony in the Wild — Greg & Jena Pomeroy.