13 Best Things to Do in Italy: Rome, Florence & Venice

Quick answer

The essential things to do in Italy are the Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums and St Peter's in Rome, the Duomo and Uffizi in Florence, and the Grand Canal and St Mark's Square in Venice. With more days, add Cinque Terre, Pisa, a Tuscan winery tour or Pompeii. Book Colosseum and Vatican tickets the day they open.

13 things worth your time in Italy

01
Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Landmark
The amphitheatre where 50,000 Romans watched gladiators, plus the ruins of the city's political centre next door, on one ticket.
3–4 hoursAbout ₹1,850 (€18) standard; about ₹2,450 (€24) with the arena floor and underground
Official slots open about 30 days ahead and sell out quickly in summer. Wear good shoes; there's almost no shade.
02
Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
Museum
Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement at the end of seven kilometres of galleries.
3–4 hoursAbout ₹2,550 (€25) online, including the booking fee
Closed on Sundays except the last Sunday of the month. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and photographs aren't allowed in the Sistine Chapel.
03
St Peter's Basilica and dome
Landmark
Michelangelo's Pietà inside and the city's best view from the top: 551 steps, or 320 if you take the lift partway.
1.5–2 hoursBasilica free; dome climb about ₹1,000–1,750 (€10–17)
Get to the security line by 7:30 am in summer.
04
Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona
Neighbourhood
A 2,000-year-old dome, Rome's most famous fountain and its grandest square, all within a 15-minute walk.
Half dayPantheon about ₹500 (€5); Trevi and Navona free to view
Visit Trevi before 8 am or late at night. Rome has been adding crowd controls at the fountain, so check current access rules.
05
Florence Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome
Landmark
The red-tiled dome that defines Florence's skyline. The climb is 463 steps through the space between the dome's two shells.
2–4 hoursCathedral free; dome climb pass about ₹3,050 (€30)
Dome slots must be booked in advance and sell out days ahead in summer.
06
Uffizi Gallery
Museum
Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera and works by Leonardo, Raphael and Caravaggio.
2–3 hoursAbout ₹2,550–3,000 (€25–29) in high season
Closed on Mondays. Book the first slot of the day.
07
Accademia Gallery — Michelangelo's David
Museum
The original David, 5.17 m tall, is bigger and more striking in person than most people expect.
1 hourAbout ₹1,650–2,050 (€16–20) with booking fee
08
Pisa and Lucca
Day trip
The Leaning Tower and Field of Miracles, then Lucca's walled old town, which you can cycle round.
Full day from FlorenceLeaning Tower climb about ₹2,050–2,750 (€20–27); trains about ₹1,000–1,500 (€10–15) each way
Children under eight aren't allowed up the tower.
09
Siena, San Gimignano and a Chianti winery
Day trip
Siena's shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, San Gimignano's medieval towers and a farm lunch in the Chianti hills.
Full daySmall-group tour about ₹9,200–14,300 (€90–140)
Non-drinkers can ask for an olive-oil tasting instead; most farms offer one.
10
Venice — Grand Canal and St Mark's Square
Landmark
Ride water-bus line 1 the length of the Grand Canal, then visit St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace.
Full dayVaporetto 24-hour pass about ₹2,550 (€25); Doge's Palace about ₹2,550–3,050 (€25–30)
Day-trippers pay an access fee on peak days; overnight hotel guests are exempt but may need to register. Add Murano and Burano by vaporetto on a second day.
11
Gondola ride
Experience
Expensive, but the quiet back canals are the part of Venice most visitors never see.
30 minutesAbout ₹9,200 (€90) per boat by day, about ₹11,200 (€110) after 7 pm; up to five people
Agree the route and price before you step in; these are the city's official rates at the time of review.
12
Cinque Terre
Day trip
Five cliffside fishing villages linked by trains, ferries and coastal paths.
Full dayCinque Terre Train Card about ₹2,000–3,350 (€19–33) per day depending on season
It's a long day from Florence. One night in La Spezia or Levanto is much better.
13
Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast
Extension
A Roman town frozen by Vesuvius in AD 79, then Positano, Amalfi and Ravello along one of Europe's most dramatic coastal roads.
2–3 daysPompeii about ₹2,050–2,250 (€20–22)
A day trip from Rome is possible but exhausting. Two nights in Sorrento works far better.

What should you see on a first trip to Italy?

Most first-timers do Rome, Florence and Venice in 7–9 days, linked by fast trains: Rome to Florence takes about 1h30 and Florence to Venice about 2h15. That gives you the Colosseum and Vatican, Renaissance Florence and the canals, with one day trip — Pisa, Tuscany or Cinque Terre.

Book these the day they open

Colosseum: official slots open about 30 days ahead and summer dates go fast. Third-party sellers charge more once the official site is sold out.
Vatican Museums: about €25 online. Resellers charge €35–60 for the same entry.
Florence's dome and the Accademia: timed slots only.

Every ticket is in your name, so carry your passport.

Mind the dress code and the heat

Churches, including St Peter's, require covered shoulders and knees; carry a light scarf. From June to August, start sightseeing by 8 am, keep museums for the afternoon and drink from Rome's free public fountains.

What do Indian travellers get wrong?

Too many cities: adding Milan, Naples and the Amalfi Coast to a week means more time on trains than in piazzas.
Skipping the small things: an evening walk in Trastevere, gelato on the Ponte Vecchio and a vaporetto at sunset cost little and often stay with you longest.
Pickpockets: Termini station, bus 64 to the Vatican and the Rialto Bridge are the hotspots.

See our Italy itineraries for day-by-day routes, and the best time to visit Italy before fixing dates.

For budgets see Italy trip cost; for Rome's neighbourhoods see where to stay in Rome; and for vegetarian eating, which is easy in Italy, read our Italy food guide. Italy needs a Schengen visa — start with our Italy visa guide.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Rome, Florence and Venice?

Eight days is the comfortable minimum: three nights in Rome, two to three in Florence with one day trip, and two in Venice. Seven days works if you skip the day trip. Fewer than six days means most of your time goes on trains and queues.

Do I need to book the Vatican and Colosseum in advance?

Yes. Both use timed entry and sell out in peak months. Colosseum slots open about 30 days ahead on the official site, and Vatican tickets cost about €25 online. Without a booking you risk long queues, sold-out days or paying a reseller nearly double.

Is a gondola ride worth it?

It is expensive at about €90 per boat by day and €110 after 7 pm for 30 minutes, but a boat takes up to five people, so it is better value for a family. For a cheaper view of the canals, ride vaporetto line 1 along the Grand Canal or take a traghetto crossing for a few euros.

What should I wear to the Vatican?

Cover your shoulders and knees for the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. Shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops can get you turned away at the door. A light scarf or shawl over a T-shirt is the easiest solution in summer.

How we checked this page

Last reviewed 28 October 2026

Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.