Itinerary posts seem to do pretty well with you lot, so I figured I would go back in time and tell you about a multi-stop trip in Northern Italy I did a couple of years ago. It’s the trip that ignited my love for this gorgeous country! And it stops at lots of different places so it feels quite well-rounded and full of delicious food, pretty architecture and some Italian culture.
It’s essentially a dreamy trip and you should definitely do it.
The itinerary does include 4 stops in a week, which I realise is ambitious, but trust me, it’s totally worth it. If you’re looking for a relaxing week in Italy, this ain’t for you, hun. But if you want to see a nice chunk of North-West Italy and you only have a week’s annual leave to use, this is ideal. Also, train travel is so cheap and easy in Italy that it doesn’t feel like a massive effort to get to each place. So it’s not as mental as it sounds.
Oh and I’ve said a week but really you need 8 days, just because the first day tends to be purely travelling there in my experience. So I’ve kinda duped you with the ‘1 week itinerary’ thing. Soz.
Take a look and let me know what you think – would you be interested in doing a trip like this? (DO IT, DO IT.)
A One Week Itinerary in Italy
Day 1: Levanto
You want to fly into Genoa to start your trip. Ryanair do some pretty cheap flights here, but they normally land in the afternoon from my experience. So this first day is all about getting to your first destination, Cinque Terre.
I’ve written about this a lot in my Ultimate Guide To Cinque Terre, so go read that if you’re keen on visiting this colourful riviera. But in a nutshell, your job today is to navigate your way from Genoa Airport to Genova Sestri Ponente on foot, and get a train to Levanto. (I also have a post about train travel in Italy if you’re interested.)
This is essentially why I’ve made this itinerary 8 days instead of 7. You spend this day getting to your first stop in your itinerary, and then we spend the next week looping through Liguria and Tuscany and back round to Genoa.
I always recommend staying in Levanto if you’re visiting Cinque Terre. It’s really close, just 5 mins by train to the first of the riviera towns, but it’s also a lovely little town in it’s own right. (Read more about Levanto over here.)
On your first night in Levanto, I recommend pizza at La Picea for dinner. Oh and I stayed at a lovely apartment I would recommend for a great base and a cute balcony with sunset views – Benedetta Apartment. But there are lots of options available in Levanto.
Day 2: Cinque Terre
Time to explore Cinque Terre today! You can definitely do it in a day but it would be quite rushed. And as this is literally one of my favourite places in the world, I’ve allocated two days instead.
Before you go, grab a focaccia for breakfast from Focacceria Domè in Levanto, then hop on the train to the first of the Cinque Terre towns, Monterosso.
Monterosso is the only stop on this itinerary with a beach, so soak up some of those Italian Riviera vibes, grab an ice-cream and have a glass of wine overlooking the sea if you fancy it. You’re on holiday after all. This is also a great stop to wander the cute shops and visit one of Liguria’s infamous black and white striped churches.
Next up is Vernazza, the next stop on the train. (Make sure you pick up a copy of the timetable as trains can be one per hour.)
In Vernazza, the main street down to the marina can be quite busy, so try to get away from the main strip and wander the back alleys up to the houses. You can find some lovely spots and get great views if you go high enough.
If you’d rather chill, just hang out at the marina and take in the A+ view of the colourful town, with it’s bell tower and lush green mountains.
The last stop for today is the third Cinque Terre town, Corniglia. This one is not for the faint-hearted as there are a LOT of steps to walk up from the train station. But hey, you’ll work off that massive plate of pasta you inevitably ate for lunch.
Corniglia is definitely quieter than the other towns, but it’s USP is that it has panoramic views as it’s set so high on the cliffs. Oh and great wine because it’s surrounded by vineyards. So you can’t complain.
Head back to Levanto for apperitivo at Crystal and amazing lasagne at Trattoria Cavour.
This sounds like a very busy day, but it’s essentially just wandering pretty coastal towns and drinking wine, so it’s all good.
Day 3: Cinque Terre
Oh hello more of Cinque Terre again! (Can you tell I love this place?!)
Today you’ll visit the remaining two Cinque Terre towns, Manarola and Riomaggiore (arguably the best two.)
Start off in Manarola. This is the one to bring your camera to for those amazing views of colourful houses all toppled on top of one another on a dramatic cliff. Seriously, it’s amazing. When you walk down from the train, make sure you walk to the right of the bay and go up along the main path. Here is where you get the amazing views but also walk through some pretty gardens on Via Del Bambino.
There’s not much else going on in Manarola, but it’s worth visiting just for the insta-gold. Stop here for a coffee or a gelato and you’ll be happy to just chill.
Finally it’s time for Riomaggiore. The biggest and in my opinion best of the 5 coastal towns. There’s more to explore here, lots of winding lanes and epic views of the sunset from the top of the town (where I got engaged just FYI.) There are shops and cafes and restaurants so you can spend the afternoon just wandering. Oh and there’s a cute pebble beach round to the left if you want to catch some rays.
Head to Bar O’Netto for apperitvo tonight and Il Grotto for dinner – it has my favourite spinach and ricotta ravioli in a beef ragu sauce. What a winning combo.
Day 4: Pisa
Ok, you’ve done your relaxing couple of days, wandering coastal towns, eating everything delicious. Now it’s time for a bit of a touristy day, because we’re going to Pisa.
The train from Cinque Terre to Pisa takes just over an hour and is really cheap at around €8-9.
This is the one place I’m going to slightly adapt the itinerary from the one I did. Because I did the journey to Pisa, stayed the night there and then went to Florence the next day. But to be honest, I’m not Pisa’s biggest fan, so I’m going to reduce the time spent there for this itinerary. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s worth spending a few hours in Pisa, but then I’d get straight back on the train to go to Florence same day.
You can keep your luggage at the train station and make the journey down “Walking Street” to get to the main reason we’re here, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Let’s face it, it’s the only reason we’re here.
It can be extremely touristy with restaurants serving overpriced tourist menus and pickpockets in operation. But it’s worth getting that photo with the tower and having a look at the surrounding architecture, which is really quite pretty.
Try to stray away from this main street for lunch and then, like I said, head back to the train station!
I feel like I’m doing Pisa an injustice here but I’m being honest, the tower is really the only thing you need to see.
The train to Florence is around an hour and I recommend staying at PLUS Florence – it’s cheap and cheerful!
Day 5: Florence
Because you got here the night before, it means there’s more time to explore Florence!
Florence’s main attractions can be pretty crowded, so to avoid the queues, I’d recommend visiting them as early as possible. Today start with Il Duomo, the cathedral of Florence and main landmark of the city’s skyline. It’s gorgeous from the outside but you can go in and get fab views of the city from the top.
There are an infinite amount of amazing restaurants in Florence so take your pick for lunch. But afterwards I definitely recommend eating gelato on the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval bridge lined with little shops. You just don’t get anymore Florence than that.
In the afternoon, soak up the arts scene in Florence and head to a gallery. I’ve popped the most famous two in tomorrow morning’s slot so that you can beat the crowds. But there are so many galleries that don’t have queues, so use this time to wander one of them. I visited an exhibit at Palazzo Strozzi and thought it was pretty cool.
Also, if you’re not planning on seeing Michaelangelo’s ‘David’ at Galleria dell’Accademia in tomorrow’s art slot (sometimes big queues) then stop by Piazza della Signoria to see the replica in the square. I mean, that was good enough for me, but it’s your call.
I know this is an action-packed day, but if you have time, try to also check out Piazzale Michaelangelo for gorgeous views of Florence at sunset.
Tonight I recommend dinner at the charming Osteria Vecchio Vicolo for the bruschetta of your life. Follow this with drinks at La Menagere, a really cool bar that feels like you’re in East London – surrounded by flowers, cool lights and vintage furniture. Definitely my vibe.
Day 6: Florence
This morning is the “art slot” I was on about. Get up early to avoid the queues at the Uffizi Gallery and check out ‘The Birth of Venus’ by Botticelli. Or go see the real David at Galleria dell’Accademia.
If you’d rather spend your morning outdoors then head to Boboli Gardens for beautiful Italian gardens with renaissance scupltures and an ampitheatre.
This afternoon it’s time to get the train to Genoa. This train is a bit longer than the others so try to leave by 3pm in order to make it there for dinnertime. It should be about 3 and a half hours’ journey as you’re going back the way you came. But it’s a nice journey with lovely Tuscan countryside to look at so it’s not that bad. Just don’t forget snacks.
You’ve had a mad couple days so I’d say have an easy one in Genoa. Just check into your hotel, grab some pizza and have an early night. (Wait, am I old now?)
Day 7: Genoa
Today is your day for exploring Genoa!
It’s a fairly underrated city so there’s lots to explore and discover. Start by walking down the historical Via Garabaldi to look at the pretty architecture of the palaces. Then head up to the Spianata di Castelletto, a gorgeous look out point with panoramic views of the city.
Then spend your day wandering down through the back streets towards the port. They’re so winding and historic with lots of little piazzas to enjoy a drink or a snack al fresco. It’s definitely the best thing about Genoa, these streets just feel so authentic and not-at-all touristy.
Down at the old historic port there’s lots to explore with waterside restaurants, an aquarium and even a pirate ship! It’s also a great place to people-watch and chill.
For dinner you HAVE to go to Cavour 21 Trattoria for the best pesto of your life. It’s non-negotiable in this part of Italy.
There are also lots of hidden little bars in Genoa. I’d recommend Kamun Lab if you like your beers.
Day 8: Genoa
It’s your last day in Italy!
Today is essentially your getting-home-day so there’s nothing big to tick off on the agenda. Just explore a bit more of Genoa if you have a later flight, or if you don’t want to stray too far just hang out near the train station where you’ll find lots of cafes to try.
What an awesome week in Italy, huh?
That’s my 1 week itinerary in Northern Italy, folks. Writing it actually made me really miss doing this trip, it was so awesome!
Would you do a trip like this in Italy? Let me know in the comments, lads.
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