12 Days in Italy: Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi Coast

Fly into Venice Marco Polo Airport. After passport control and customs, head to the shared water taxi desk in arrivals.

Two nights in the quiet Dorsoduro art district, a few minutes from the Accademia Bridge. There are no cars in Venice, so you walk or ride the water buses everywhere.

• Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica with skip-the-line entry
• Rialto Bridge, the markets and cicchetti (Venetian small plates) at local bacari
• An easy Dorsoduro walk: the Zattere waterfront, Campo Santa Margherita and Grand Canal views from the Accademia Bridge
• A 3-day vaporetto (water bus) pass for getting around

Where to stay and our insider tip for this stop are in the printable itinerary.

Two nights about a 12-minute walk from the Duomo, with a half-day escape into the Chianti hills.

• Brunelleschi's Dome climb with timed, skip-the-line entry to the Duomo complex
• Small-group Uffizi Gallery tour (Botticelli, Michelangelo, Caravaggio)
• Half-day Chianti wine tour: two wineries, a vineyard walk and a tasting with Tuscan cheese, olive oil, salami and bruschetta
• The Ponte Vecchio and the Oltrarno artisan neighborhood

Where to stay and our insider tip for this stop are in the printable itinerary.

Four nights in an apartment steps from the Trevi Fountain, with two guided mornings for the big sights and plenty of time to wander.

• Colosseum guided tour with the arena floor, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
• Early-entry Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica tour
• An afternoon in Trastevere: cobblestone streets, artisan shops and cacio e pepe
• A free day for the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and Campo de' Fiori
• Dinner at Alfredo alla Scrofa, the birthplace of fettuccine Alfredo

Where to stay and our insider tip for this stop are in the printable itinerary.

Your private driver meets you at the station for the drive south, with Pompeii built into the day.

A 3-hour stop with a private guide on the way to the coast. Without a guide the ruins are hard to read, with very little signage. An archaeologist shows you the House of the Faun, the plaster casts and the ancient bakeries, and explains daily Roman life.

• Private tour with an official guide
• The House of the Faun, the plaster casts and the bakeries
• About 3 hours at the site

Our insider tip for this stop is in the printable itinerary.

Three nights on the Amalfi Coast in a condo with sea views. Positano means stairs, lots of them, but the views are worth every step.

• A day trip to Capri by public ferry, no pre-booking needed
• The Path of the Gods hike from Bomerano to Nocelle: free, no booking, moderate difficulty
• Spiaggia Grande beach and the boutique shops on the winding streets
• A free day to take in the views

Where to stay and our insider tip for this stop are in the printable itinerary.

Fly out of Naples International Airport, about 75 to 90 minutes from Positano.