For couples wanting the classic Italian arc done at the highest level — Rome's history, Tuscan slowness, the Amalfi Coast's drama, and Venice's quiet decadence.
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Best for
Couples and design-led travellers
Trip length
14 nights
Ideal budget
A$38,000–A$80,000 (couple, all-in)
Best time to visit
May–June or September–October
Style of travel
Grand hotels, private villas, and Belmond properties
Editor's Top Pick
Hotel de Russie, Rome · Italy
From €1,400 per night
Editor's top pick for this itinerary. Check current rates and terms with the booking provider.
The hotel's official site
Jump to any day. Each day includes morning, afternoon, evening, where to stay, and our insider tips.
Begin in Rome for four nights, drive to Tuscany for three, fly to Naples and the Amalfi Coast for four, then take the train to Venice for three final nights before flying home.
Day 1
Rome
Morning
Land Fiumicino. Pre-arranged Mercedes transfer to Hotel de Russie or Hotel Hassler. Settle in.
Afternoon
Lunch in the de Russie's Stravinskij courtyard garden — quiet and a perfect first impression.
Evening
Aperitivo at the Hassler rooftop. Dinner at Pierluigi (book ahead). Easy first night.
Where to stay
Hotel de Russie or Hotel Hassler
Insider tip
Both are excellent; de Russie has the better garden, Hassler the better view of the Spanish Steps.
Day 2
Rome
Morning
Pre-opening private Vatican Museums tour — Sistine Chapel before crowds. Arranged through your hotel concierge.
Afternoon
Lunch at La Pergola or quietly exceptional trattoria like Roscioli.
Evening
Walking tour of Trastevere with a private guide; dinner at Trecca.
Where to stay
Hotel de Russie
Insider tip
Pre-opening Vatican access is the single best splurge in Rome. Worth every euro.
Day 3
Rome
Morning
Private guide for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Two hours, then coffee at Sant'Eustachio.
Afternoon
Galleria Borghese — book the 1pm slot, the timed entry is mandatory.
Evening
Dinner at Il Pagliaccio (two Michelin stars).
Where to stay
Hotel de Russie
Insider tip
Galleria Borghese tickets must be booked weeks ahead. Your concierge cannot magic these on the day.
Day 4
Rome → Tuscany
Morning
Private chauffeured Mercedes to Tuscany via Orvieto for lunch. Three hours of driving total.
Afternoon
Check in at Castello di Reschio or Borgo San Felice. Pool, garden, slow afternoon.
Evening
Estate dinner. The transition from Rome to Tuscany should be felt — slower, quieter.
Where to stay
Castello di Reschio
Insider tip
Reschio is run by the Bolza family; the experience is meaningfully more personal than a corporate hotel.
Day 5
Tuscany
Morning
Private tasting at a single-estate Brunello producer — book through your hotel.
Afternoon
Truffle hunt with a local family and a long, slow lunch in their farmhouse.
Evening
Quiet hotel dinner. Most days will be too full; build a quiet one in.
Where to stay
Castello di Reschio
Insider tip
Decline the cellar visit if you've done many — request the vineyard walk and a private vertical tasting instead.
Day 6
Tuscany / Florence
Morning
Private car to Florence (1.5 hours). Pre-opening Uffizi tour.
Afternoon
Lunch at La Cucina del Garga, then craft shopping in Oltrarno — leather, gold, paper.
Evening
Return to the estate for dinner. Florence as a day trip is better than Florence as a stay for many travellers.
Where to stay
Castello di Reschio
Insider tip
The Uffizi 'after-hours' private tour costs around €600 and is genuinely worth it for serious art-lovers.
Day 7
Tuscany → Amalfi Coast
Morning
Drive to Florence, short flight to Naples, private car along the Amalfi coast (90 minutes from Naples airport).
Afternoon
Check in at Hotel Caruso, Ravello. The pool is one of the most photographed in Italy and deserves the reputation.
Evening
First Amalfi dinner. Belmond Hotel Caruso's terrace at sunset is unbeatable.
Where to stay
Belmond Hotel Caruso
Insider tip
Stay in Ravello, not Positano, for serenity. Day-trip to Positano if you want it.
Day 8
Amalfi Coast
Morning
Private gozzo boat with a captain — Capri, Faraglioni, blue grotto if conditions allow.
Afternoon
Lunch at Da Gemma or Lo Scoglio (book ahead via the captain).
Evening
Long, slow swim back to Amalfi. Dinner at Glicine in Hotel Santa Caterina.
Where to stay
Belmond Hotel Caruso
Insider tip
The boat experience is the trip. Charter a private gozzo with a captain rather than booking a group tour.
Day 9
Amalfi Coast
Morning
Private archaeologist guide for Pompeii. The depth a real archaeologist brings is incomparable.
Afternoon
Late lunch in Sorrento, return to Ravello.
Evening
Hotel terrace dinner. Quiet day to recover.
Where to stay
Belmond Hotel Caruso
Insider tip
Visit Pompeii early — heat and crowds make the afternoon visit far less pleasant.
Day 10
Amalfi Coast
Morning
Long spa morning at Caruso — the steam, the massage, the pool.
Afternoon
Wander Ravello village. Villa Cimbrone gardens at golden hour.
Evening
Quiet dinner at the hotel; an early night before the train day.
Where to stay
Belmond Hotel Caruso
Insider tip
Villa Cimbrone's terrace of infinity is best at 6pm in summer; the light is unreal.
Day 11
Amalfi → Venice
Morning
Private car to Naples, Frecciarossa first-class to Venice (5.5 hours, comfortable).
Afternoon
Water taxi from Santa Lucia to Aman Venice or Belmond Cipriani. Both are extraordinary.
Evening
Aperol at Harry's Bar (the original). Dinner at Quadri (two Michelin stars).
Where to stay
Aman Venice
Insider tip
If budget allows, Aman Venice's Papadopoli Garden suite is the most extraordinary hotel room in Italy.
Day 12
Venice
Morning
Private guide before crowds — St Mark's, Doge's Palace, hidden Sestiere walking.
Afternoon
Vaporetto to Murano and Burano with a private boat (better than scheduled).
Evening
Dinner at Met Restaurant (Hotel Metropole) — quietly excellent.
Where to stay
Aman Venice
Insider tip
St Mark's Square at 7am is a different city. The 9am tourist version is something else entirely.
Day 13
Venice
Morning
Cicchetti tour with a serious food guide — bacari, tramezzini, ombre.
Afternoon
Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Final shopping in Dorsoduro.
Evening
Final big dinner at Local (one Michelin star) or Quadri.
Where to stay
Aman Venice
Insider tip
Skip the gondola. Take a private water taxi at sunset — same money, far more dignified.
Day 14
Venice → Marco Polo
Morning
Final canal-side breakfast.
Afternoon
Private water taxi to Marco Polo airport (35 minutes).
Evening
Departure.
Where to stay
—
Insider tip
Allow 90 minutes for water-taxi transfer in summer high season — boat traffic on the lagoon is real.
Editorially selected by Only5Star. We never accept payment for placement.
Similar stay styleThe Stravinskij garden is the best urban hotel courtyard in Italy. Service is consistently exceptional.
Similar stay styleAn 11th-century palazzo with the most photographed pool on the Amalfi Coast — and the substance to match the picture.
Similar stay styleA 16th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal with frescoed ceilings and Aman's exceptional service. There is no better hotel in Venice.
Similar stay styleA restored 1,000-year-old castle on a 3,700-acre estate. The most personal high-end hotel experience in Italy.
Pierluigi
Rome · Roman seafood
Outdoor terrace on a piazza, exceptional fish, locals still go.
Il Pagliaccio
Rome · Modern Italian
Two Michelin stars, refined without being precious.
Da Gemma
Amalfi · Coastal Italian
70 years on the same square. The pasta with sea urchin alone justifies the trip.
Quadri
Venice · Modern Venetian
Two Michelin stars in St Mark's Square. The view alone, but the food matches.
Worth considering for milestone trips. Check availability and arrangements with the provider.
Upgrade
Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums before opening hours, with a private art historian.
From €1,200
Upgrade
Full-day Amalfi/Capri exploration with chef-prepared lunch onboard.
From €2,800
Upgrade
Replace the road transfer with a 12-minute helicopter — saves three hours and is genuinely scenic.
From €3,400
May–June and September–October. July–August is hot, crowded, and aesthetically poorer. Easter through April is excellent in Rome and Florence but unreliable on the coast.
No — two weeks is when you can move at the right pace. Less than ten days and you'll be on planes constantly.
Always chauffeur for road transfers. Italian autostrada and ZTL zones make self-drive a poor use of luxury holiday time.
Many of the famous ones, yes. Many more excellent ones are unknown to the international press — your hotel concierge is the differentiator.
Both deserve their own trip. Trying to add either to a 14-day classic Italy trip dilutes the experience.
Next steps
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