L'Heure du Voyage
🇮🇹 Itinerary · Italy · 14 days

2-week Italy itinerary 2026: the North and Tuscany

14 days from the North to Tuscany: Venice, Verona, the lakes, Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena and Rome. Fast train plus a car in Tuscany, detailed budget.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

7 places

Average budget

€1,800-2,800

Total distance

~1,400 km

Profile

Versatile

Season

Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

Venice 2d · Verona 1d · Lake Como 2d · Cinque Terre 2d · Florence 2d · Tuscany 3d · Rome 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Italy 2-week itinerary map: Venice, Verona, Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena, Rome

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€85/pers

Venice · Arrival in the lagoon

  • Morning Arrival at Marco Polo, vaporetto to the center (€8).
  • Afternoon St Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, first vaporetto on the Grand Canal.
  • Evening Bacaro tour in Cannaregio: cicchetti and ombra of wine.
🛌 🛌 Cannaregio · e.g. Hotel Antico Doge (2 nights)·🚤 Vaporetto and walking·Italy guide →
2

~€75

Venice · Islands and alleys

  • Morning Murano (glass) and Burano (colorful houses) by vaporetto.
  • Afternoon Dorsoduro, Punta della Dogana, Accademia Gallery.
  • Evening Fish dinner and sunset on the Zattere.
3

~€95

Venice → Verona → Lake Como

  • Morning Train to Verona (1h10). Roman arena, Juliet's balcony.
  • Afternoon Train to Milan then Lake Como (Varenna, 1h30 total).
  • Evening Check-in Varenna, dinner facing the lake.
🛌 🛌 Varenna · e.g. Albergo Milano (2 nights)·🚆 Regional trains
4

~€70

Lake Como · Villas and villages

  • Morning Ferry to Bellagio, the lake's pearl, and its sloping lanes.
  • Afternoon Villa Carlotta or Villa del Balbianello and their gardens.
  • Evening Aperitivo by the water in Varenna.
⛴️ Lake ferries
5

~€100

Lake Como → Cinque Terre

  • Morning Train Milan → La Spezia (3 h), then regional train to Monterosso.
  • Afternoon Check-in Monterosso, swim at the beach.
  • Evening Trofie al pesto dinner, the Ligurian specialty.
🛌 🛌 Monterosso · e.g. Hotel Pasquale (2 nights)·🚆 Train + Cinque Terre Card
6

~€65

Cinque Terre · The five villages

  • Morning Train or trail between Vernazza, Corniglia and Manarola.
  • Afternoon Riomaggiore, swim, coastal wine tasting.
  • Sunset Manarola in low light, the most photogenic of the five.
🚆 Regional train (Cinque Terre Card)
7

~€85

Cinque Terre → Florence

  • Morning Last swim, then train La Spezia → Florence (2h30).
  • Afternoon Duomo, baptistery, Ponte Vecchio.
  • Sunset Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the city.
🛌 🛌 Santa Croce · e.g. Hotel Davanzati (2 nights)·🚆 Regional train
8

~€70

Florence · Renaissance

  • 8:15am Uffizi Gallery at opening, booked slot (€25).
  • Afternoon Accademia Gallery (David), Pitti Palace, Boboli gardens.
  • Evening Bistecca alla fiorentina in an Oltrarno trattoria.
9

~€110

Florence → Tuscany · Pick up the car

  • Morning Pick up the car, drive to Chianti (vineyards).
  • Afternoon Siena: Piazza del Campo, cathedral, medieval lanes.
  • Evening Check-in at an agriturismo in the Val d'Orcia.
🛌 🛌 Val d'Orcia · e.g. agriturismo near Pienza (3 nights)·🚗 Rental car (Tuscany)
10

~€75

Tuscany · Val d'Orcia and villages

  • Morning Pienza (pecorino cheese) and Montepulciano (vino nobile).
  • Afternoon Cypress roads, Sant'Antimo abbey, Val d'Orcia photos.
  • Evening Pici dinner at the agriturismo.
11

~€75

Tuscany · San Gimignano and Volterra

  • Morning San Gimignano and its medieval towers, award-winning Dondoli gelato.
  • Afternoon Volterra (alabaster) or the thermal baths of Bagno Vignoni.
  • Evening Last Tuscan sunset.
12

~€100

Tuscany → Rome · South

  • Morning Return the car in Florence or Chiusi, train to Rome.
  • Afternoon Frecciarossa or regional to Rome (1h30 to 3 h depending on departure).
  • Evening Check-in Rome, dinner in Trastevere.
🛌 🛌 Monti · e.g. The Beehive (2 nights)·🚗 Car return + 🚄 train
13

~€85

Rome · Ancient and Vatican

  • 8am Colosseum and Forum at opening (skip-the-line ticket, €18).
  • Afternoon Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica.
  • Evening Trevi fountain and Pantheon by night.
14

Flight

Rome → Return

  • Morning Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori market, last purchases.
  • Afternoon Leonardo Express to Fiumicino. Return flight to Paris.
🚆 Leonardo Express + ✈️ flight

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,800

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €180
  • 🏨 Hostels and rooms: €45/night
  • 🍕 Markets and pizza: €20/day
  • 🚄 Trains + Cinque Terre Card: €180
  • 🚗 Shared Tuscany car: €130
Recommended

Comfort

€2,300

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €220
  • 🏨 3★ hotels + agriturismo: €110/night
  • 🍽️ Trattorias: €35/day
  • 🚄 Trains: €200
  • 🚗 Tuscany car 4 d: €200

Premium

€4,200

per person

  • ✈️ Business flight: €700
  • 🏨 4-5★ and Tuscan relais: €250/night
  • 🍽️ Renowned tables: €65/day
  • 🚖 Upscale car + driver
  • 🎫 Private tours + tastings: €500

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Rome, Florence, Venice. The classic trio.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

The North and Tuscany, lakes and Cinque Terre.

1 month

1 month

From the North to Sicily, the grand tour.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

This itinerary mixes fast and regional trains between cities, ferries on Lake Como, and a 3-4 day rental car for Tuscany, poorly served by rail. Count ~€350 of transport over 14 days.

🚆

Trains Venice-Verona-Como

regional · €10-30 · book ahead

⛴️

Lake Como ferries

€5-12/trip · Varenna-Bellagio-Menaggio

🚆

Cinque Terre Card + train

~€20/day · unlimited trains between the 5 villages

🚗

Tuscany rental car

€35-60/day · watch the ZTL in towns

🚄

Frecciarossa Tuscany → Rome

€30-50 · 1h30 · book early

Adapt by season

Train for cities, car for Tuscany

This itinerary combines two logics: fast train between the big cities (Venice, Florence, Rome) and a car only for Tuscany and the lakes, poorly served by rail. Rent the car in Florence for 3-4 days (€35-60/day) then return it before Rome. In shoulder season (May-June, September), Tuscany is green and mild; in peak summer, set off early to dodge heat and crowds.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In June 2025, I took the Vernazza-Corniglia trail at 8am, before the heat and the groups: the coast was mine, whereas by 11am you had to queue on the stairs.
  • • Renting the car only for Tuscany, not before: three days are enough and avoid overpriced city parking.
  • • Staying at an agriturismo in the Val d'Orcia: waking up to the cypresses and unforgettable home-cooked dinners.
  • • Keep Rome for the end: Fiumicino airport simplifies the return.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Skip Verona if short on time, and give an extra night to Lake Como.
  • • Swap the Cinque Terre for Portofino if you want quieter and chicer.
  • • On 14 days, don't push to Naples: the pace would become too dense.
  • • Reverse the direction (Rome → Venice) if your flight lands in Rome.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Do you need a car for this itinerary? +
Only for Tuscany. Between Venice, the lake, the Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome, the train is faster and avoids the ZTL. Rent 3-4 days in Florence for the Val d'Orcia, then return the car before Rome.
Is two weeks too long for these regions? +
No, it's the right tempo: art cities, lakes, sea and Tuscan countryside without rushing. You enjoy each stop instead of racing through.
Are the Cinque Terre worth the detour? +
Yes, but in shoulder season or early morning: in peak summer and midday the villages saturate. The Cinque Terre Card gives access to trains and trails.
What budget for 14 days? +
Count around €1,800 backpacker, €2,300 comfort and €4,200 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.
What's the best period? +
May-June and September-October: green Tuscany, sea still swimmable, lower crowds. July-August are hot and packed, especially at the Cinque Terre.
How do you handle ZTL by car? +
City-center ZTL (limited-traffic zones) are camera-enforced and fined. Park at outer lots and walk in. In rural Tuscany, no worries, the roads are open.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

Profile →