FLORENCE ITINERARY

Planning Your Time in Venice,

Florence, Rome:
By Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw
So much to see, so little time. To help you plan your sightseeing, I've listed my
ideal itineraries for Florence, whether you're going for one day, two days, three
days, or more.
Florence deserves at least one well-organized day: see the Accademia (David),
tour the Uffizi Gallery (Renaissance art), visit the underrated Bargello (best
statues), and do my Renaissance Walk (outlined in my guidebook and available
for free as an audio tour). Art lovers will want to chisel out another day of their
itinerary for the many other Florentine cultural treasures. Shoppers and ice-cream
lovers may need to do the same.
Set up a good itinerary in advance. Do my recommended Renaissance Walk in
the morning or late afternoon to avoid heat and crowds. Keep in mind that some
sights close early and that Sundays and Mondays are not ideal for sightseeing, as
many places are either closed or have shorter hours. Sights may also have
shorter hours off-season.
Admittedly, the following day plans are jam-packed. While perfectly doable if
youre well-organized, they are not relaxing. If you have the luxury of more time,
spread out these priorities to give yourself some breathing room.
Skipping Lines at Major Sights
The plans outlined below assume that you'll use my strategies to avoid wasting
hours in line for the big attractions especially the Uffizi
Gallery and Accademia. These sights nearly always have long ticket-buying

lines, especially in peak season (AprilOct) and on holiday weekends. Crowds

thin out on off-season weekdays. (Note that both of these major sights are closed
on Monday.) You have two easy options for skipping lines: Buy a Firenze
Card or make reservations. Another place where you're likely to encounter lines
are the Duomo sights, especially for climbing to the top of the dome or the
Campanile (bell tower). These sights don't take reservations, but you can skip the
lines at each one with a Firenze Card or you can try visiting at a time when it's
less crowded.

Florence in One Brutal Day

8:30 Accademia (David) with a reservation.
10:00 Follow my Renaissance Walk through town center.
12:00 Bargello (best statues) or Duomo Museum (great bronze work).
13:30 Grab a quick lunch in or near Mercato Centrale.
14:00 Shopping at San Lorenzo Market (or elsewhere).
16:30 Uffizi Gallery (finest paintings) with a reservation.
19:30 Cross Ponte Vecchio and take the Oltrarno Walk (best local color) and
have dinner across the river at 21:00.

Florence in Two Days

Day 1

8:30 Accademia (David) with a reservation.

10:00 Museum of San Marco (art by Fra Angelico).
12:00 Explore Mercato Centrale and have lunch.
14:00 Medici Chapels (Michelangelo sculptures).
16:00 Visit Duomo interior and/or the Baptistery.
17:30 Follow my Renaissance Walk through heart of old town.
20:00 Dinner in the old center or tour the Palazzo Vecchio (open many evenings
until 23:00).

Day 2

9:00 Bargello (great statues).

10:30 Duomo Museum (statues by Donatello and Michelangelo), or the Galileo
Science Museum (if art's not your thing).
12:30 Lunch, then wander and shop.
14:00 Take a bike or walking tour.
16:30 Uffizi Gallery (best paintings) with a reservation.
19:00 Cross Ponte Vecchio for the Oltrarno Walk.
21:00 Dinner in Oltrarno.

Florence in Three (or More) Days

Day 1
8:30 Accademia (David) with a reservation.
10:00 Museum of San Marco (Fra Angelico).
12:00 Explore San Lorenzo Market area, shop, and have lunch in or near
Mercato Centrale.
14:00 Medici Chapels (Michelangelo) and Basilica of San Lorenzo.
16:00 Baptistery, Duomo interior, or climb the dome or Campanile.
17:00 Follow my Renaissance Walk through heart of old town.
19:00 Explore and shop the Piazza della Signoria/Ponte Vecchio area.
20:00 Dinner in the old center.

Day 2

9:00 Bargello (top statues).

11:00 Duomo Museum or Galileo Science Museum (if you prefer science to art).
13:00 Lunch, then wander and shop.
15:30 Uffizi Gallery (unforgettable paintings) with a reservation.
18:00 Cross Ponte Vecchio, take the Oltrarno Walk, and have dinner in Oltrarno.

Day 3
9:00 Whatever you didn't get to yesterday morning (Duomo Museum or Galileo).
13:00 Lunch and time to shop, relax, or get to any sights you haven't seen yet
(you could circle back to the daytime Oltrarno sights Brancacci Chapel and Pitti
Palace or tour the Church of Santa Maria Novella, near the train station).
16:00 San Miniato Church (Gregorian chants generally at 17:30), Piazzale
Michelangelo (city views), walk back into town.
Day 4
Side-trip to Siena (sights open daily; 1. 5 hours away by bus), or consider an
overnight stay to enjoy the town at twilight.

Planning Your Time in Venice:

Venice in One to Four Days
By Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw
So much to see, so little time. To help you plan your sightseeing, I've listed my
ideal itineraries for Venice, whether you're going for one day, two days, three days,
or more.
Venice is small. You can walk across it, from head to tail, in about an hour. Nearly
all of your sightseeing is within a 20-minute walk of the Rialto Bridge or St. Mark's
Square. Remember that Venice itself is its greatest sight. Make time to wander,
explore, shop, and simply be. When you cross a bridge, look both ways. You may
be hit with a lovely view.

Key considerations: Ninety percent of tourists congregate in a very narrow zone in

the center. But even the most touristy stretches of the city are almost ghostly
peaceful early and late. Maximize your evening magic, and avoid the midday
crowds around St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. If you arrive in Venice
late in the day, try taking my guidebook's Grand Canal cruise and St. Mark's
Square tour (both are also included in my Italy guidebook and Mediterranean
Cruise Ports guidebook). These sights are more romantic and much less
crowded after dark and they provide a wonderful welcome to the city.
Depending on when you visit, you may have to juggle the itineraries below, as
sights' visiting hours will vary by season and day of the week.

Venice in One Busy Day

9:00 Take the Grand Canal Cruise, hopping off at the San Tom stop to tour the
Frari Church (except on Sun, when Frari doesn't open until 13:00).
11:00 From Frari Church, take a 20-minute stroll toward the Rialto Market, then
enjoy the market action and browse for lunch. Catch the vaporetto (boat) to your
next stop.
13:00 Tour two of the following three museums: the Accademia (Renaissance
Venetian art, closes at 14:00 on Mon), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (modern
art, closed Tue, near the Accademia), and Correr Museum (overview of Venetian
art and history, ticket bought here includes Doge's Palace; both are on St. Mark's
Square).
15:30 Head to then tour St. Mark's Basilica (closes at 17:00 in summer, at
16:00 in winter; modest dress required).
17:00 Visit the Doge's Palace (in summer closes at 19:00, last entry at 18:00;
closes 1.5 hours earlier in winter).
18:00 Tour St. Mark's Square.
19:30 Dinner.

21:00 Gondola ride. If you don't mind eating late, flip-flop this with dinner, as the
gondola at sunset is best.
22:00 Enjoy the dueling orchestras with a drink on St. Mark's Square.

Venice in Two or More Days

Day 1
9:00 Take a vaporetto or walk to the train station and over the Calatrava Bridge to
Piazzale Roma. Then catch the slow-boat vaporetto (line #1) to take my selfguided Grand Canal Cruise.
10:30 Interrupt the tour, hopping off at Mercato Rialto to explore the market. Eat
an early lunch of cicchetti (Venetian tapas) at some of the nearby bars.
13:00 Continue the Grand Canal Cruise, ending at St. Mark's Square.
13:30 Tour St. Mark's Square.
14:30 Correr Museum (ticket here includes Doge's Palace).
15:30 St. Mark's Basilica (closes at 17:00 in summer, at 16:00 in winter).
17:00 Doge's Palace (closes at 19:00 in summer, last entry at 18:00; closes at
17:30 in winter).
19:00 Go up the Campanile bell tower for the city view (JulySept only, when it's
open until 21:00; in other months, squeeze it in on the afternoon of Day 2).
20:00 Dinner (make a reservation).
22:00 Enjoy the dueling orchestras with a drink on St. Mark's Square.
Day 2
9:00 Shopping or exploring. (My guidebook's Rialto to Frari Church walk is a
good spine for exploring the market en route to the next sight.)
10:00 Visit the Frari Church. If you like Tintoretto, follow the Frari with the Scuola
San Rocco (just behind the church), nudging the rest of your day back an hour.
11:30 Tour Ca' Rezzonico (Museum of 18th-Century Venice, closed Tue).
13:00 Lunch (pizza next to the Accademia Bridge?).
14:00 Your choice, all in the same neighborhood: Tour the Accademia (closes
Mon at 14:00), explore the Dorsoduro district (wander back lanes to the Zattere

promenade), or visit La Salute Church (opens for afternoon visits at 15:00) or

Peggy Guggenheim Collection (closed Tue).
18:00 Commence pub crawl (perhaps on a pub tour with Alessandro).
20:00 Concert and/or gondola ride.

Day 3: Lagoon Tour

10:00 Catch boat at Fondamente Nove to San Michele (old cemetery), then
continue to Murano.
11:00 Tour Murano, and (on weekdays) see glassworks.
13:00 Boat to Burano for lunch and browsing.
15:00 Boat to Torcello, tour church, back to Burano.
18:00 Zip back to Fondamente Nove in 45 minutes, or if you'd like to see more
of the lagoon take the long way back by boat via the island of Sant'Erasmo and
the Lido (no need to stop there just enjoy the cruise).
20:00 Dinner and/or concert in Venice.

Day 4 and Beyond

Shop and browse some of Venice's more characteristic areas
(such as the zone between Campo Santa Margarita and Campo San
Barnaba; the back lanes of Cannaregio, near the Jewish Ghetto; or the
sleepy part of Dorsoduro behind the Accademia and Guggenheim).
Take a Venicescapes tour or other tour.
Visit the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore.
Follow additional self-guided neighborhood walks in my
guidebook.
Side-trip to Padua (3050 minutes away by train).

Planning Your Time in Rome

By Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw

With smart planning you can pack a lot of sighteeing into your Roman visit, but
there's no point in overloading your trip with any luck, you'll keep coming back
to Rome. After several dozen visits, I still have a healthy list of excuses to return.

Rome in a Day
Some people actually "do" Rome in a day. Crazy as that sounds, if all you have is
a day, it's one of the most exciting days Europe has to offer. Start at 8:30 at the
Colosseum. Then explore the Forum, hike over Capitoline Hill, and cap your
"Caesar Shuffle" with a visit to the Pantheon. After a quick lunch, taxi to the
Vatican Museums (the lines usually die down mid-afternoon, or you can reserve a
visit online in advance). See the Vatican Museums, then St. Peter's Basilica (open
until 19:00 AprilSept). Taxi back to Campo de' Fiori for dinner. Finish your day
lacing together all the famous floodlit spots. Note: This busy plan is possible only
if you ace the line-avoidance tricks outlined in my guidebooks.

Rome in Two to Three Days

On the first day, do the "Caesar Shuffle" from the Colosseum to the Forum, then
over Capitoline Hill to the Pantheon. After a siesta, join the locals strolling from
Piazza del Popolo to the Spanish Steps. On the second day, see Vatican City (St.
Peter's, climb the dome, tour the Vatican Museums). Have dinner near the
atmospheric Campo de' Fiori, then walk to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
With a third day, add the Borghese Gallery (reservations required) and the
Capitoline Museums.

Rome in Seven Days

Rome is a great one-week getaway. Its sights can keep even the most fidgety
traveler well entertained for a week.

Day 1
Do the "Caesar Shuffle" from the Colosseum to the Forum, Capitoline Museums,
Victor Emmanuel Monument viewpoint, and Pantheon. Spend the late afternoon
doing the Heart of Rome Walk. While its an exhausting day, you now have your
bearings and have seen the essential Rome.
Day 2
Morning National Museum of Rome and the nearby Baths of Diocletian. In the
afternoon do my Jewish Ghetto Walk (outlined in my Rome guidebook) followed
immediately by the Trastevere Walk. Enjoy dinner in Trastevere.
Day 3
Vatican City St. Peters Basilica, dome climb, and Vatican Museums. Spend the
early evening shopping and enjoying the local passeggiata by doing what I call the
"Dolce Vita Stroll" along Via del Corso (start at Piazza del Popolo and end up at
Piazza Venezia for great sunset views).
Day 4
Side-trip to Ostia Antica (closed Mon). In the evening, you could repeat my
guidebooks' "Heart of Rome" walk from Campo de Fiori to the Spanish Steps to
enjoy the after-dark scene.
Day 5
Borghese Gallery (reservation required) and Pilgrims' Rome: the churches of San
Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Clemente.
Day 6
Side trip to Naples and Pompeii.
Day 7
You choose Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli, Appian Way with catacombs, E.U.R.,
Testaccio sights, a food tour, shopping, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Castel
SantAngelo, or more time at the Vatican.

Planning Your Time in Paris: Paris

in One to Seven Days
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/paris-itinerary

By Rick Steves, Steve Smith, and Gene Openshaw

Paris is magnificent, but it's also super-sized, crowded, and fast-paced. These
suggested itineraries from my Paris guidebook will help you prioritize the many
sights, whether you're spending one day, two days, three days, or up to a week in
Paris. With the proper approach and a measure of patience, you'll fall head over
heels for Europe's cultural capital.
In the day plans below, I've listed sights in descending order of importance. If you
have only one day, just do Day 1; for two days, add Day 2; and so on. When
deciding where to plug in Versailles, remember that the main palace is closed on
Mondays and especially crowded on Sundays and Tuesdays try to avoid these
days.

Paris in One, Two, or Three Busy Days

To fit in Versailles on a three-day visit, try it either on the morning of the third day
or the afternoon of the second day.

Day 1
Morning: Follow my Historic Paris Walk, featuring Ile de la Cit, Notre-Dame,
the Latin Quarter, and Sainte-Chapelle.
Afternoon: Tour the Louvre.

Evening: Enjoy the Place du Trocadro scene and a twilight ride up the Eiffel
Tower.
Day 2
Morning: Follow my guidebook's self-guided Champs-Elyses Walk from the Arc
de Triomphe down the grand Avenue des Champs-Elyses to the Tuileries
Garden.
Midday: Cross the pedestrian bridge from the Tuileries Garden, then tour the
Orsay Museum.
Afternoon: Tour the Rodin Museum, or the Army Museum and Napoleon's
Tomb.
Evening: Take one of the tours by bus, taxi, or retro-chic Deux Chevaux car
recommended in my guidebook. (If you're staying more than two days, save this
for your last-night finale.)
Day 3
Morning: Catch the RER suburban train by 8:00 to arrive early at Versailles
(before it opens at 9:00), then tour the chteau and sample the gardens.
Afternoon: Versailles can take up a full sightseeing day, so be realistic. If you
plan to do anything once back in Paris, consider a sight near one of the RER-C
stations: the Army Museum and Napoleon's Tomb or Rodin Museum (near RER-C
stop: Invalides), or the Muse dOrsay or my guidebook's self-guided Left Bank
Walk (near RER-C stop: St. Michel).
Evening: Cruise the Seine River or have dinner on Ile St. Louis, then take a
floodlit walk by Notre-Dame.

Paris in Five to Seven Days Without Going In-Seine

Day 1
Morning: Follow my book's "Historic Paris" walk, featuring Ile de la Cit, NotreDame, the Latin Quarter, and Sainte-Chapelle. If you enjoy medieval art, visit the
Cluny Museum.

Afternoon: Tour the Opra Garnier, and end your day enjoying the glorious
rooftop view at Galeries Lafayette or Printemps department stores.
Evening: Cruise the Seine River.
Day 2
Morning: Tour the Louvre (arrive 30 minutes before opening). Have coffee or
lunch at Caf le Nemours (across the street from the Louvre).
Afternoon: Follow my book's Champs-Elyses walk from the Arc de Triomphe
downhill along the incomparable Avenue des Champs-Elyses to the Tuileries
Garden, and possibly the Orangerie Museum. Reversing the morning and
afternoon activities on this day could also work well.
Evening: Enjoy dinner on Ile St. Louis, then a floodlit walk by Notre-Dame.
Day 3
Morning: Tour the Orsay Museum (arrive 15 minutes before opening).
Midday: Tour the Rodin Museum (caf lunch in its gardens).
Afternoon: Visit the Army Museum and Napoleon's Tomb, then take my book's
Rue Cler walk and relax at a caf.
Evening: Take one of the nighttime tours by taxi, bus, or retro-chic Deux
Chevaux car recommended in my book.
Day 4
Morning: Ridethe RER suburban train to arrive early at Versailles and tour the
palace's interior.
Midday: Have lunch in the gardens at Versailles.
Afternoon: Spend the afternoon touring the gardens, Trianon Palaces, and
Domaine de Marie-Antoinette, or return to Paris and do this book's Montmartre
Walk.
Evening: Have dinner wherever you are in Versailles town or on Montmartre.
Day 5
Morning: Follow my book's Marais walk and tour the Carnavalet Museum. Have
lunch on Place des Vosges or Rue des Rosiers.

Afternoon: Choose from these Marias sights the Picasso Museum, Pompidou
Center, Jewish Art and History Museum, or Pre Lachaise Cemetery.
Evening: Enjoy the Place du Trocadro scene and a twilight ride up the Eiffel
Tower.
Day 6
Morning: Take an Impressionist escape to Giverny or Auvers-sur-Oise, or take a
day trip to historic Chartres, or Vaux-le-Vicomte. If you get back to Paris in time,
consider the following options:
Late Afternoon: If you get back to Paris in time, consider the following options:
Follow my book's Left Bank walk (featuring art galleries, boutiques, historic cafs,
and grand boulevards), mix in some shopping on a stroll from Svres-Babylone to
St. Sulpice, then relax in Luxembourg Garden or at a nearby caf.
Evening: Join the parade along the Champs-Elyses (which offers a different
scene at night than the daytime walk you enjoyed on Day 2). If you haven't hiked
to the top of the Arc de Triomphe yet, consider doing it by twilight.
Days 7

Choose from:
More shopping and cafs
My book's Bus #69 tour, followed by Pre Lachaise Cemetery
Montmartre and Sacr-Coeur
Marmottan or Jacquemart-Andr museums
Day trip to Vaux-le-Vicomte and/or Fontainebleau
Day trip to Disneyland Paris
Evening: Night bus or boat tour (whichever you have yet to do)