Best of Italy: Tuscany, Cinque Terre & The Amalfi Coast — Self-Launched

Arrive in Florence at any time. Check into your hostel or budget hotel near the city centre. Spend the evening getting your bearings — stroll across the Ponte Vecchio, grab an Aperol Spritz on a piazza, and pick up a city map. The Santa Maria Novella train station is your transport hub for the trip.

🚌Arrive by flight into Florence (FLR) or Pisa (PSA) airport, then Shuttle/bus to city centre (~£5–10). Alternatively, train from Rome or Milan.

🛏Hostel Archi Rossi or equivalent budget guesthouse near Santa Maria Novella (~£25–35/night)

• →Self-guided walk to Ponte Vecchio (free)
• →Stroll to Piazzale Michelangelo for panoramic sunset views over the Arno (free)
• →Explore Piazza della Repubblica and grab dinner at a local trattoria

Start the morning with a self-guided walking tour of Florence's historic centre: the Duomo, Giotto's Campanile, Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the exterior of the Uffizi Gallery. Book a 2-hour guided walking tour via GetYourGuide if you want more context (~£15). Then take the train to Lucca (1 hr, ~£8), where you can walk the famous Renaissance walls and explore the medieval town centre at your own pace. Continue by train to La Spezia (the gateway to Cinque Terre, ~£10), then a short regional train to your chosen village.

🚌Train Florence → Lucca (~£8, 1.5 hrs via Pisa). Train Lucca → La Spezia (~£10, 1.5 hrs). Regional Cinque Terre train La Spezia → your village (~£4).

🛏Hostel or B&B in Monterosso al Mare or Vernazza, Cinque Terre (~£30–45/night)

• →Self-guided walk: Duomo, Baptistery, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi exterior (free)
• →Optional: Uffizi Gallery entry booked direct or via GetYourGuide (~£22)
• →Guided walking tour of Florence via GetYourGuide (~£15)
• →Lucca city walls walk and medieval town stroll (free)

Buy a Cinque Terre Card (~£8) which covers the coastal hiking trails and regional train hops between the five villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Start early at Riomaggiore and hike north through the villages at your own pace. The full trail takes around 5–6 hours. In the afternoon, relax on the small pebble beach at Monterosso, the largest village, or explore the clifftop terraces.

🚌Cinque Terre train card for hopping between villages (~included in Cinque Terre Card)

🛏Same as Day 2 — B&B or hostel in Cinque Terre (~£30–45/night)

• →Cinque Terre coastal path hike across all five villages (Cinque Terre Card ~£8)
• →Swimming stop at Monterosso beach (free)
• →Explore Vernazza harbour — the most photogenic village (free)
• →Optional: Boat trip along the coast via local ferry service (~£18 return)

A second day to explore at leisure. Hike the inland trails above the villages for vineyard and olive grove views, take a cooking class focused on Ligurian cuisine (pesto, focaccia, trofie pasta), or simply enjoy a leisurely morning in a village café before taking the boat along the coast. The afternoon is perfect for a cold Sciacchetrà wine tasting at a local cantina.

🚌On foot and Cinque Terre regional train

🛏Same as Day 2–3 (~£30–45/night)

• →Inland trail hike above Vernazza or Manarola for vineyard views (free with Cinque Terre Card)
• →Optional: Ligurian cooking class (pesto & pasta) via GetYourGuide (~£55)
• →Optional: Boat trip along the coastline (~£18)
• →Local wine and focaccia tasting at a village cantina (~£10)

Take the train from La Spezia to Rome (2.5–3.5 hrs with Trenitalia or Italo, ~£20–35 booked in advance). Rome is a stopover on the way south — use the afternoon and evening to explore around your accommodation area. Book your Rome stay near Termini station for easy onward connections.

🚌Train La Spezia → Rome Termini (Trenitalia/Italo, ~£20–35, booked in advance, 2.5–3.5 hrs)

🛏The RomeHello Hostel or budget hotel near Termini (~£25–40/night)

• →Afternoon stroll through Trastevere neighbourhood (free)
• →Visit the Pantheon exterior (free from outside) or pay entry (~£5)
• →Dinner: cacio e pepe at a local trattoria in Trastevere (~£15)

A full day in Rome. Book the Colosseum and Roman Forum in advance online to skip queues (~£18 combined). Walk to the Palatine Hill, toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain, and explore Piazza Navona. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel can be booked direct or via GetYourGuide for a guided visit (~£30). Rome is very walkable — wear comfortable shoes.

🚌Metro and walking within Rome

🛏Same as Day 5 (~£25–40/night)

• →Colosseum & Roman Forum entry (book direct online, ~£18)
• →Palatine Hill (included with Colosseum ticket)
• →Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps (free)
• →Optional: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£30)
• →Gelato tour of the centre (~£5)

Take an early Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train from Roma Termini to Naples (1 hr 10 min, ~£15–25 booked ahead). From Naples Centrale, hop on the Circumvesuviana regional train to Sorrento (~£4, 1 hr). Sorrento sits on clifftops overlooking the Bay of Naples — drop your bags and explore the old town, the lemon groves, and the harbour viewpoints.

🚌High-speed train Roma Termini → Naples Centrale (Italo/Frecciarossa, ~£15–25, 1 hr 10 min). Circumvesuviana train Naples → Sorrento (~£4, 1 hr).

🛏Hostel or budget B&B in Sorrento centre (~£30–45/night)

• →Explore Sorrento's old town, Via San Cesareo market street (free)
• →Visit the Belvedere di Sorrento viewpoint over the Bay of Naples (free)
• →Sample fresh limoncello and lemon granita at a local bar (~£5)

Spend the morning exploring Sorrento at leisure — visit the Duomo, browse the artisan workshops on Via San Cesareo, and soak up the cliff-top views. In the afternoon, join a limoncello-making or tasting experience at a local lemon farm or distillery — these are bookable directly with Sorrento lemon farms or via GetYourGuide. In the evening, enjoy a sunset aperitivo at a clifftop bar.

🚌Walking within Sorrento; local SITA buses for wider area (~£2–3)

🛏Same as Day 7 (~£30–45/night)

• →Limoncello tasting or distillery tour (book direct with local lemon farm or via GetYourGuide, ~£15–20)
• →Sorrento Duomo and old town streets (free)
• →Sunset aperitivo at a clifftop bar (~£8)
• →Optional: Boat trip to Capri from Sorrento port (ferry ~£20 return)

Take the SITA bus along the Amalfi Coast (one of the world's most scenic drives) from Sorrento to Positano (~£3, 1 hr), then continue to Amalfi town (~£2, 30 min). Explore Amalfi's cathedral and the Valle delle Ferriere gorge walk. Spend the afternoon in Positano, the postcard village of the coast, with its colourful stacked houses and small beach.

🚌SITA bus Sorrento → Positano → Amalfi (~£5 total). Ferry or bus back toward Agerola/Bomerano (~£5).

🛏Agriturismo or guesthouse near Bomerano or Agerola for the hike tomorrow (~£35–50/night)

• →SITA bus ride along the Amalfi Coast — Sorrento to Positano to Amalfi (scenic, ~£5 total)
• →Amalfi Cathedral of St Andrew (entry ~£3)
• →Positano beach and village stroll (free)
• →Fresh seafood lunch at a harbourfront restaurant in Amalfi (~£15)

Take the local bus up to Ravello, a hilltop village above Amalfi famous for its gardens and panoramic views over the coast. Visit Villa Rufolo or Villa Cimbrone and their cliff-edge terraces. Return to the coast for the afternoon and explore any villages you missed yesterday. This is a wonderful slow day to take in the scenery.

🚌Local bus Amalfi → Ravello (~£2). Bus back to coast (~£2).

🛏Same as Day 9 — agriturismo or guesthouse near Agerola/Bomerano (~£35–50/night)

• →Villa Rufolo gardens, Ravello (entry ~£8)
• →Villa Cimbrone terrace viewpoint (~£8)
• →Ravello Cathedral and main piazza (free)
• →Optional: Ceramics shopping in Vietri sul Mare (free to browse)

Set off early on the famous 'Sentiero degli Dei' — Path of the Gods — one of the most spectacular hikes in southern Italy. The trail runs from Bomerano (above Agerola) westward to Nocelle above Positano (~7.8km, 3–4 hrs, moderate difficulty). The route hugs dramatic ridgelines with sweeping views of lemon groves, gorges, deep valleys, terraced farmland, and the shimmering Tyrrhenian Sea below. Descend to Positano by steps and take the ferry or bus back.

🚌Bus from Agerola/Bomerano to trail start (local SITA bus, ~£2). Ferry or bus Positano → Sorrento (~£6). Circumvesuviana train Sorrento → Naples (~£4).

🛏Move to Naples — budget hotel or hostel near the historic centre (~£25–40/night)

• →Path of the Gods hike: Bomerano → Nocelle (~7.8km, 3–4 hrs, free trail access)
• →Descend from Nocelle to Positano by stepped path (free)
• →Celebratory swim and lunch in Positano after the hike (~£15)

Take the Circumvesuviana train from Naples Centrale to Pompeii Scavi station (40 min, ~£3). Book a guided tour of the Pompeii ruins in advance via GetYourGuide (~£20–25) to make the most of the site — a guide brings the ancient city to life. Walk through the remarkably preserved forum, bathhouses, amphitheatre, and Villa of the Mysteries. On your return, explore Naples' UNESCO-listed historic centre and try a classic Neapolitan pizza at a renowned local pizzeria.

🚌Circumvesuviana train Naples → Pompeii Scavi (~£3, 40 min) and return

🛏Same as Day 11 — budget hotel or hostel in Naples (~£25–40/night)

• →Pompeii ruins with guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£20–25, entry ~£16 included or booked separately)
• →Optional: Mount Vesuvius hike from Pompeii (guided tour ~£20 via GetYourGuide)
• →Naples Spaccanapoli street walk through the historic centre (free)
• →Authentic Neapolitan pizza at a local pizzeria (~£8–12)

Final morning in Naples. If time allows, visit the National Archaeological Museum, which houses the finest collection of Roman artefacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum (~£15). Head to Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP) for your departure flight, or take a train onward. Buon viaggio!

🚌Alibus from Naples Centrale to Naples Airport (~£5, 20–30 min)

• →Naples National Archaeological Museum — Pompeii artefacts collection (~£15, optional)
• →Last espresso and sfogliatella pastry at a local bar (~£3)
• →Airport transfer by bus (Alibus from Piazza Garibaldi, ~£5)