Treasures of Rome and Tuscany: A 10-Day Journey

10 Day Tour of Rome and Florence

Overview
Trip Map
Itinerary
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10 Days 9 Nights

Best Time: Jan-Dec

Local Cuisine & Wine

Exploring Scenic Countryside

This 10-day adventure takes you to the very heart of Italy, exploring the rich history and breathtaking beauty of Rome, Florence, and the Tuscan countryside. Start your journey in Rome, where private guided tours reveal the secrets of ancient ruins and Renaissance wonders. Stroll charming medieval streets, and visit iconic landmarks like the Colosseum and Vatican City. Next, travel by train to the enchanting region of Tuscany, where picturesque hill towns, world-renowned wineries, and the artistic masterpieces of Florence await. Enjoy detailed travel guidance throughout your trip via our Go Real Travel mobile app.

See Rome’s ancient ruins on a private guided tour, visiting the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Discover medieval charm in San Gimignano and enjoy a Tuscan winery lunch at a stunning vineyard.
Marvel at Michelangelo’s David and the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Tour the impressive Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa on a relaxing day trip to Tivoli.
Experience the culture of Florence, from Renaissance villas to concerts in historic settings.

See Rome’s ancient ruins on a private guided tour, visiting the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Discover medieval charm in San Gimignano and enjoy a Tuscan winery lunch at a stunning vineyard.
Marvel at Michelangelo’s David and the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Tour the impressive Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa on a relaxing day trip to Tivoli.
Experience the culture of Florence, from Renaissance villas to concerts in historic settings.

Colosseum

Historic Landmarks

Vatican City

Churches & Monasteries

Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Historic Landmarks

Trevi Fountain

Historic Landmarks

Piazza del Duomo

Churches & Monasteries

Uffizi Gallery

Museums & Galleries

Ponte Vecchio

Architecture

Galleria dell'Accademia

Museums & Galleries

Oltrarno & Piazzale Michelangelo

Cultural

Must see sights

Colosseum

Historic Landmarks

Vatican City

Churches & Monasteries

Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Historic Landmarks

Trevi Fountain

Historic Landmarks

Piazza del Duomo

Churches & Monasteries

Uffizi Gallery

Museums & Galleries

Ponte Vecchio

Architecture

Galleria dell'Accademia

Museums & Galleries

Oltrarno & Piazzale Michelangelo

Cultural

Starting from

$2199

per person

4.8 (365 reviews)

Not included

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Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Rome

Day 1

Arrive Rome

11:30 AM

Private Transfer from Rome Fiumicino to Hotel

For your arrival in Rome, we will provide information on the customs and passport procedures. We will schedule a pick up for your flight's arrival time. You will be met at arrivals inside the terminal by a driver holding a sign with your name on it. The transfer is for your party only - you will not be sharing a vehicle. The cost of the ride will be included in your itinerary package and you will be taken directly to your hotel. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware the car service can fit up to 1 checked item of luggage and 1 personal item per person, such as a purse or small backpack. If you think you will have more baggage, please inform your travel consultant as this may result in an additional fee.

Day 1

Arrive Rome

11:30 AM:

Private Transfer to your Hotel

Mid-Day/Afternoon:

Rome's Historic Center

Late Afternoon/Early Evening:

Spanish Steps

Day 1

Arrive Rome

Day 1

Arrive Rome

11:30 AM

Private Transfer from Rome Fiumicino to Hotel

Mid-Day/Afternoon

Exploring Rome's Historic Center (Centro Storico)

Rome's tangled historical center is packed full of some of the most fascinating and incredible sights. Explore elegant squares and piazzas, centuries-year-old churches, and baroque fountains and wander at leisure the labyrinth of ancient Roman cobbled lanes. Highlights include the Baroque grandeur of Piazza Navona and the great and endlessly copied Roman Pantheon.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Spanish Steps and surroundings

The streets spreading out from grand Piazza del Popolo (People's Square) form a trident that hosts some of the most popular shopping and tourist sights in Rome. These include the Spanish Steps, the adjacent Keats-Shelley House where Keats died of tuberculosis in 1821, Trevi Fountain where Anita Ekberg jumped into the water in the famous scene from Frederico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, and the Mausoleum of Emperor Augustus.

Day 2

Rome

Day 2

Rome

Day 2

Rome

Day 2

Rome

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

In the Heart of The Empire - Private Guided Tour of Ancient Rome

On this 3-hour private guided tour, you will explore the imposing remains of ancient Rome. Your guide will explain the extraordinary history of the birth of Rome, life in the city and everything about the fall of the Empire. Visit the Colosseum, the monumental ruins of the Roman Forum, and end the tour on the Capitoline Hill, the smallest and most important of the seven hills of Ancient Rome.

Mid-Day to Late Afternoon

Piazza Venezia & Surroundings

The Piazza Venezia is not only the central hub of Rome, but is also located at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, which is the ancient heart of Rome. Thus it was chosen as a fitting space for a memorial to the first king of modern Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, who led the unification of the Italian states in the 1860s. The gigantic monument now overlooks the Piazza Venezia in overwhelming marble glory, standing as an unmissable symbol of Italian unity. The open space and dramatic setting were used to great effect by Mussolini, who staged rallies here. However, the monument is just one of the several sights that can be found around Piazza Venezia, an area often overlooked by tourists who pass from the historic center directly to the Colosseum further down the street. For instance, just below it you'll find Trajan's Forum, containing some of Rome's most notable ruins, and just above it on the Capitoline Hill, an elegant square designed by Michelangelo.

Early Evening to Late Evening

Exploring & Dining Out in Trastevere

Stroll around Trastevere, a formerly working-class district which has now been transformed into one of its hippest neighborhoods. You'll discover a heady nightlife mostly free of the tourist traps which mar other parts of the center, and you'll discover hidden corners beloved by locals and visitors alike. We highly recommend dining out in one of the district's top-rated restaurants or cafes, but beware, this is Rome's most popular spot for dinner, so booking ahead or dining early is highly advised. If you don't make a reservation, here's one tip for finding a restaurant: if someone is standing outside trying to convince you to come in, it's not popular with the locals.

Day 3

Rome

Day 3

Rome

Day 3

Rome

Day 3

Rome

Early Morning to Late Afternoon

Explore the Vatican City's Many Wonders

Rome is unique in the world in that it contains an independent country within its city limits - the Vatican City, from where the Pope administers the Catholic Church. The symbolic center of Catholicism is St Peter's Basilica, the second-largest Catholic church in the world and among the most beautiful. The Vatican Museum contains one of the greatest collections of art in existence, including Michelangelo's jaw-dropping Sistine Chapel. The popes had a bigger influence on Rome than just the collection of art. The Pope's title is actually Bishop of Rome, and popes administed the city for centuries, shaping its architecture & public spaces. Rome was re-built to be an example of urban beauty, and the Vatican was meant to be the showcase within the showcase. Their success is evident from the throngs of visitors who flock here even today.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Castel Sant'Angelo

Designed and built by Emperor Hadrian as his own mausoleum, the great circular hulk of Castel Sant'Angelo provides one of the best routes to the Vatican and St Peter's via the Ponte Sant'Angelo bridge. Appropriated by the popes, the mausoleum was turned into a fortress and attached to the Vatican with a passageway for the popes to use as a refuge in times of siege or invasion - this is where Pope Clement VII sheltered during the Sack of Rome in 1527.

Day 4

Rome

Day 4

Rome

Day 4

Rome

Day 4

Rome

Morning to Early Evening

Escape the City to Delightful Tivoli

Tivoli was a celebrated holiday resort even in ancient times, thanks to its climate and its idyllic position, with scenic cascades and an abundance of water issuing from the Aniene River. The travertine stone used at sites like the Colosseum was quarried here, meaning it was also a convenient place to build big, fancy villas. During your day trip to Tivoli, you can visit the Villa d’ Este, which is famous for its terraced hillside Italian Renaissance garden. It was conceived to appear like a mythical garden of the ancient past and is unique for its incredible profusion of magnificent fountains. The town is also famous for its villa built by and for Emperor Hadrian, Villa Adriana.

Early Evening to Late Evening

Evening Concert in the Eternal City

Choose an evening concert to attend from a list of venues we will provide you with, including Rome's prestigious venue, the Auditorium/Parco della Musica, as well as Oratorio del Gonfalone, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, and Teatro Ghione. During the summer, performances are also held in the stunning setting of the ancient Baths of Caracalla. Famous Roman festivals include Roma Europa Festival from October to late November. At your request, we can help you select a performance and purchase tickets for you.

Day 5

Rome

Day 5

Rome

Day 5

Rome

Day 5

Rome

Morning/Mid-Day

Traveling the Via Appia on Foot or Bicycle

One of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic, the Via Appia (or Appian Way) once spanned 350 miles (563km), all the way from the Roman Forum in Rome to modern-day Brindisi. On the south side of Rome lies one of the best preserved stretches of the road, the Via Apia Antica. Take an afternoon to explore the ruins, catacombs, and sights along this infamously cobbled way. Exploring on foot is a relaxed and easy way to do it, made easier by the fact that bus stops along the way mean you don't have to backtrack. Bike rentals are also available and are a good way to cover as much ground as possible. But as an ancient cobbled road, sections of this walk are very bumpy, and depending on which route you take, you may encounter traffic. So you may want to consider if biking with a guided tour makes more sense.

Afternoon to Evening

Visiting the Ruins of Ostia Antica

Just 20 miles from Rome lies one of the largest and most interesting excavation sites and preserved ruins of the Roman Empire outside of Pompeii; the former port city of Ostia Antica. As one of Rome’s most overlooked and undervalued site by tourists visiting the city, it's a must-do day trip for anyone interested in the Roman history and life as it was in one of Rome's original port cities. It is especially nice to be able to enjoy the ruins in quiet and contemplation without the crowds which fill the ruins of Pompeii. Getting there is easy. A suburban commuter train service (or overground metro) runs several times an hour from central Rome to the coast and stops at Ostia Antica station. Since the train is part of Rome's Metro Network, you won't even need to purchase additional tickets if you have a Roma Pass.

Day 6

Rome to Florence

Day 6

Rome to Florence

Day 6

Rome to Florence

Day 6

Rome to Florence

Morning

Exploring the Villa Borghese Gardens

The Villa Borghese Park acts as the main respite and sanctuary for Romans and tourists alike away from the din of central Rome. Overlooking Piazza del Popolo and only a stone's throw from the Spanish Steps, the area was a district of market gardens, olive groves, and patrician villas until taken over as summer estates by the city's wealthy during the Renaissance. The most notable is Villa Borghese, which now houses one of the city's best non-Vatican art collections. The adjacent Pincio Gardens offer a grand vista over Rome.

12:35 PM

Private Transfer to Rome Termini Train Station

A private transfer service will pick you up from the N/A and deliver you to Rome Termini Train Station. Your itinerary will provide detailed information on navigating the train station and finding your train, making the whole process simple and stress-free.

13:35 - 15:11

Rail Journey to Florence

Your approximately hour-and-a-half-hour rail journey to Florence will leave Rome behind and shortly enter the picturesque region of Umbria, where you can watch for the medieval hilltop town of Orvieto. You'll then travel through the famously beautiful countryside of of Tuscany, where you'll enjoy a landscape of green hills covered by vineyards, fields, and forests, and see winding roads lined by the iconic cypress trees. Be sure to keep an eye out for more medieval hilltop towns, such as Montepulciano and Arrezo. The journey is especially convenient since you can take a direct, high-speed train - the Frecciarossa, which reaches speeds of up to 250 miles per hour (400 km/h) and offers maximum comfort.

3:11 PM

Arrival and Transfer by Taxi or Public Transport

Most trains arrive in Firenza S.M.N. (i.e. Florence Santa Maria Novella Station) station, the largest station in the city. Before spending money on a transfer, be sure to check whether your hotel is within easy walking distance. Also consider that public transport is the cheapest and sometimes fastest option, and trams and buses pick up next to the station. Uber is not available in Florence, but taxis are available at all rail stations and are usually honest (but certainly not always). Some private transfers even meet you directly on the platform to help with bags.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Piazza Santa Maria Novella & Surroundings

You can step back in time as you explore the narrow streets near the River Arno, around the Piazza Santa Trinita. This area of Florence best retains its former medieval character and taking a stroll here will give you some idea of how Florence felt in when every big house was an urban fortress (although the tall defensive towers that rich families built to protect against attacks from their neighbors have long gone). You'll squeeze your way through streets with names like Via dell'Inferno and Via del Purgatorio. Once done exploring, admire the fresco masterpieces of the Church of Santa Maria Novella juxtaposed next to the 1930s Italian rationalist architecture of the railway station of the same name. A few minutes' walk away there's also the church of Ogissanti where you can see masterpieces by the likes of Botticelli.

Day 7

Florence

Day 7

Florence

Day 7

Florence

Day 7

Florence

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Half Day Excursion to San Gimignano and lunch stop at a local vineyard

Drive through the scenic Tuscan countryside to San Gimignano, one of the most charming and picturesque Tuscan hill towns with medieval towers built for the richest families of the time. You can choose to visit the Cathedral, climb the “Torre Grossa”, take pictures of the gorgeous landscape and enjoy a delicious gelato in the Cistern Square. After, you will be driven to a local Tuscan winery for lunch and some wine tasting. IMPORTANT NOTE : This excursion does not include a guide.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Visit Italy's Greatest Display of Art at the Uffizi Gallery

As the capital of the Renaissance, it's only fitting that Florence should also host Italy's greatest art gallery at the Uffizi. It's understandably busy throughout the year, but it's nevertheless worth the crowds to see to see some of the most sumptuous masterpieces of Renaissance art, including Botticelli's Primavera and Venus, and works by Michelangelo and Da Vinci. If you're planning to visit other galleries and museums in Florence, then it's definitely worth investing in a Firenze Card, which gives you free entry and priority access to 72 venues in the city. At a minimum, you should book ahead for the Uffizi to avoid very long queues.

Evening

Concert Evening

Florence is well-known as the home of the Renaissance but many are unaware that it also lies at the heart of the Western musical tradition, as it was here that the first operas were performed in the mid-16th century. Today, the musical tradition remains strong, and you can see a performance in one of several theaters. Notable among them are the Teatro Niccolini, the oldest in Florence and one of the oldest in Europe, and the stunning Teatro della Pergola, one of the first theaters to use box seating. Famous Florentine festivals include Estate Fiesolana from mid-June to late August and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (i.e. the Florence Musical May).

Day 8

Florence

Day 8

Florence

Day 8

Florence

Day 8

Florence

Morning to Afternoon

Explore Renaissance Villas in the Nearby Hills of Florence

The Medicis and other powerful families of Renaissance Florence constructed magnificent country villas in the foothills surrounding the city and surrounded them with elaborate gardens populated with rose bushes, manicured hedgerows, and citrus trees. You can explore these beautiful villas which are concentrated in an area just a short bus ride from the city center of Florence. The villas served several functions, first and foremost as country palaces demonstrating power and wealth. They were also recreational resorts for the leisure and pleasure of their owners; and, more prosaically, they were the center of agricultural activities on the surrounding estates.

Afternoon to Early Evening

Galleria dell'Accademia & North of the Center

Take the opportunity to visit Galleria dell'Accademia to see Michelangelo's statue of David and his unfinished Slaves, then pop by the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, the first grand palace built by the Medici family, followed by the Church of San Lorenzo to see more masterpieces by Michelangelo in the Medici Chapel and Old Sacristy. The Spedale degli Innocenti (Hospital of the Innocents) also contains a deeply moving museum dedicated to the social conditions in medieval Florence and the treatment of its unwanted children. We highly recommend the Firenze Card to facilitate easy entry into museums and galleries like Galleria dell'Accademia.

Early Evening to Late Evening

Dining Out In Santa Croce

While the focal point of Santa Croce is its exquisite Franciscan basilica, there are a number of culinary gems scattered around the quarter demanding the attention of gourmands and casual foodies alike. With fresh, high-quality ingredients on offer at the nearby Sant’Ambrogio market and a treasure trove of historical architecture as a backdrop, this neighborhood has all the necessary requisites to be a culinary paradise. You can choose from dynamic restaurants with innovative menus serving a hip clientele, or more formal restaurants hewing closely to Florence's strict culinary mores of the past. You can also discover plenty of unpretentious traditional mom-and-pop trattorias serving regional classics such as ribollita and bistecca all Fiorentina.

Day 9

Florence

Day 9

Florence

Day 9

Florence

Day 9

Florence

Early Morning to Early Evening

Excursion to the Medieval Hilltop Town of Siena

For beauty and interest in Tuscany, only Siena comes close to Florence. Only an hour-and-a-half from Florence by train, it makes for a perfect day trip. The mesmerising brick-built medieval town with its narrow streets winding down into the valleys below was once a great regional power which rivaled Florence, and famously defeated the larger town in the legendary Battle of Montaperti. Its main square, the Campo, is one of the most satisfying urban spaces ever built, playing host to the annual Palio horse race in which each of the town's 17 contrade (i.e. city districts) participate. The traffic-free streets have been wonderfully preserved and its great Gothic buildings still exhibit the artistic masterpieces of the Sienese school of painting commissioned for them during the town's heyday in the 14th century.

Day 10

Depart Florence

Day 10

Depart Florence

Day 10

Depart Florence

Day 10

Depart Florence

To Be Determined

Private Transfer from Hotel to Florence Airport

A private transfer service will pick you up from the N/A and take you directly to Florence Airport. This is a private transfer for you and your travel party. You do not need to pay the driver as the cost of the transfer is included in your itinerary. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware the car service can fit up to 1 checked item of luggage and 1 personal item per person, such as a purse or small backpack. If you think you will have more baggage, please inform your travel consultant as this may result in an additional fee.

Click to See Details

Treasures of Rome and Tuscany: A 10-Day Journey

10 Day Tour of Rome and Florence

$2199

Secure Your Customizable Trip Enter your details to embark on a journey that can be tailored just for you.

Craft Your Own Itinerary Select your interests and destinations for a trip plan inspired by you.

Trip Map & Itinerary

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Private Transfer from Rome Fiumicino to Hotel

Secure Your Customizable Trip
Enter your details to embark on a journey that can be tailored just for you.

Craft Your Own Itinerary
Select your interests and destinations for a trip plan inspired by you.