Premium Rome to Venice, Self-Launched
8 days · Italy
Intrepid Premium charges £5,470
No-markup version: ~£1,470 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of Intrepid Premium's "Premium Rome to Venice" — same cities, same headline sights, booked independently. You'll cover Rome (Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain), medieval San Gimignano, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Florence (Accademia/David, Duomo) and finish with the high-speed train to Venice for glassblowing and a traghetto ride. Instead of a 4-star hotel-and-coach package, you'll stay in private rooms in hostels and budget guesthouses, book skip-the-line entry and small-group tours direct via GetYourGuide/Klook or the official museum sites, and use Italy's excellent regional trains and buses. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-budget estimates per person, excluding flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Rome — piazza-hopping and first pizza
Rome
Land at Fiumicino or Ciampino and take the Leonardo Express train into Termini (~£13, 32 mins) or the Terravision/SIT bus (~£6). Check into a private room in a hostel or guesthouse near Termini or Monti. Ditch the group welcome dinner and instead do a self-guided evening wander: Trevi Fountain at dusk (throw a coin), the Pantheon's exterior, Piazza Navona, then a cheap dinner of pizza al taglio and gelato in Monti — roughly £14. Buy a 72-hour ATAC transit pass (~£16) if you plan on buses/trams.
🚌Leonardo Express train Fiumicino → Termini ~£13, or Terravision bus ~£6
🛏Private double in a Monti/Termini hostel or guesthouse (e.g. The RomeHello, Generator Rome area) — ~£70/night
- →Self-guided evening walk: Trevi Fountain, Pantheon exterior, Piazza Navona
- →Pizza al taglio and gelato dinner in Monti
Ancient and Baroque Rome in a day
Rome
Start early at the Colosseum — book a skip-the-line entry + Roman Forum/Palatine combo on GetYourGuide or coopculture.it (~£22-30). Follow with a self-guided Baroque walk: Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, then the Pantheon (entry now ticketed, ~£5, book ahead). Grab lunch at Campo de' Fiori market (porchetta sandwich ~£7) and a coffee granita at a local bar (~£3). Evening: free or cheap walking tour tip (~£5-10) or just wander Trastevere for dinner (~£15).
🚌Walking plus ATAC buses/trams on your 72-hour pass
🛏Same Rome hostel/guesthouse
- →Colosseum + Roman Forum skip-the-line entry (book on GetYourGuide)
- →Pantheon entry ticket
- →Campo de' Fiori market visit
- →Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona walking loop
- →Coffee granita at a local bar
Vatican early entry, then train to Tuscany
San Gimignano region (via Monteriggioni)
Book the earliest Vatican Museums slot (official site museivaticani.va ~£18, or a GetYourGuide skip-the-line + Sistine Chapel tour ~£30-40) to beat the crowds. After lunch (~£10), head to Termini and take a regional train to Florence Santa Maria Novella (~£25-35, 1h35), then a bus/train onward toward Poggibonsi and San Gimignano. Base yourself in a San Gimignano hostel or country agriturismo guesthouse (~£60/night, private room). Stop at Monteriggioni en route if timing allows — a short bus from Poggibonsi (~£3). Dinner of Tuscan ribollita and a glass of Vernaccia (~£18).
🚌Regional train Rome → Florence ~£28; bus Florence/Poggibonsi → San Gimignano ~£8
🛏Private room in a San Gimignano hostel or agriturismo guesthouse — ~£60/night
- →Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel early-entry ticket
- →Monteriggioni medieval walled town stop (optional)
- →Tuscan dinner in San Gimignano
San Gimignano towers, Siena and a vineyard tasting
Siena
Morning climbing San Gimignano's Torre Grossa (~£8) and wandering the UNESCO old town, then bus to Siena (~£6, 1h). Drop bags at a Siena hostel or guesthouse inside the walls (~£60/night). Do the Duomo and Piazza del Campo on foot, then take a local bus to a nearby agriturismo for a vineyard tour and cheese/olive oil/bruschetta tasting — book direct with the winery or via GetYourGuide (~£35-45). Evening dinner at an osteria near Piazza del Campo (~£18).
🚌Local bus San Gimignano → Siena ~£6; local bus to agriturismo ~£4
🛏Private room in a Siena hostel/guesthouse inside the walls — ~£60/night
- →Torre Grossa climb, San Gimignano
- →Siena Duomo and Piazza del Campo
- →Agriturismo vineyard tour and wine tasting with regional cheese, olive oil and bruschetta (book direct or via GetYourGuide)
Pisa, Lucca and on to Florence
Florence (via Pisa and Lucca)
Train Siena → Empoli → Pisa (~£8, 1h30). Walk from Pisa Centrale to the Field of Miracles; climb the Leaning Tower if you've pre-booked (~£18, sells out — reserve on opapisa.it). Train Pisa → Lucca (~£4, 25 mins) and rent a bike or just walk the Renaissance walls (~£5). Late afternoon train Lucca → Florence (~£8, 1h20). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Santa Maria Novella (~£45/night dorm or ~£65 private). Cheap dinner of lampredotto sandwich or trattoria pasta (~£12).
🚌Regional trains Siena → Pisa ~£8, Pisa → Lucca ~£4, Lucca → Florence ~£8
🛏Private room in a Florence hostel/budget guesthouse near SMN station — ~£65/night
- →Pisa Field of Miracles orientation walk
- →Leaning Tower of Pisa climb (pre-book on opapisa.it)
- →Lucca Renaissance walls walk or bike hire
Florence: David, Duomo and rooftops
Florence
Pre-book Galleria dell'Accademia for the earliest slot (~£18, official site or GetYourGuide) to see Michelangelo's David before the queues. Do a self-guided Renaissance walk: Duomo exterior (climb Brunelleschi's Dome ~£25 if you want the view — book the combined pass), Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, then cross to Piazzale Michelangelo for the sunset skyline. Optional Uffizi (~£25) if you have the energy. Dinner in Oltrarno (~£15).
🚌Walking; occasional city bus ~£2
🛏Same Florence hostel/guesthouse
- →Galleria dell'Accademia early timed entry (David)
- →Duomo complex pass or dome climb (optional)
- →Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria walk
- →Piazzale Michelangelo sunset viewpoint
- →Uffizi Gallery (optional)
High-speed to Venice: canals, glass and traghetto
Venice
Take a Frecciarossa high-speed train Florence → Venezia Santa Lucia (~£35-50 booked in advance on trenitalia.com, 2h05). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Cannaregio (~£70/night private) — not San Marco, where everything is pricier. Do a self-guided orientation walk: Rialto Bridge, San Marco square exterior, then a traghetto gondola ferry across the Grand Canal (~£2, stand-up shared crossing). Book a Murano glass-blowing demonstration direct with a furnace or via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£15-25, often includes Murano boat). Optional: €2 vaporetto-friendly evening or the 24-hour ACTV pass (~£22). Farewell dinner of cicchetti and a spritz in Cannaregio (~£20).
🚌Frecciarossa high-speed train Florence → Venice ~£42; traghetto crossing ~£2; optional ACTV 24h pass ~£22
🛏Private room in a Cannaregio hostel/guesthouse — ~£70/night
- →Self-guided Venice orientation walk (Rialto, San Marco)
- →Traghetto gondola ferry across Grand Canal
- →Murano glass-blowing demonstration (book direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook)
- →Cicchetti and spritz farewell dinner
Venice farewell — islands or departure
Venice
If you have time before your flight, use an ACTV day pass (~£22) to hop to Murano and Burano in the morning, or just wander the Dorsoduro backstreets with a final espresso and pastry (~£5). Vaporetto to Marco Polo airport (Alilaguna ~£13, 1h) or bus 5 from Piazzale Roma (~£8, 20 mins). Travel insurance and flights are not included in these estimates.
🚌Alilaguna boat to Marco Polo ~£13, or ATVO/bus 5 from Piazzale Roma ~£8
🛏Check out (or extend independently if you want another night)
- →Murano & Burano island hopping (optional)
- →Final espresso and pastry in Dorsoduro
Self-launched vs. Intrepid Premium
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Intrepid Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,470 | £5,470 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £4,000 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Intrepid Premium-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,470
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Premium Rome to Venice, Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,470 per person for 8 days in Italy. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Intrepid Premium?+
Yes — Intrepid Premium charges around £5,470 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,470 — a saving of roughly £4,000 (73%) per person.
How long is the Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Italy.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, foodie trip through Italy, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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