All About Italy — Self-Launched Version: Milan to Rome in 8 Days

Land at Malpensa or Linate and take the Malpensa Express train (~£12, 50 min) or the Linate metro/bus (~£2) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Porta Romana or Loreto (dorms £25–35, private budget rooms £50–70). Spend the afternoon on a DIY walking loop: Duomo exterior and piazza, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Castello Sforzesco and Parco Sempione. In the evening head to the Navigli canals for a cheap aperitivo — one drink (£8–10) usually comes with a buffet snack, which doubles as dinner. Book any skip-the-line Duomo terraces ticket the night before on GetYourGuide (~£15).

🚌Malpensa Express train from airport (~£12)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, central Milan (£25–35 dorm)

• →Duomo & Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II walk
• →Castello Sforzesco and Parco Sempione
• →Navigli aperitivo

Take an early regional train Milan Centrale to Orta-Miasino (~£6, 1h15) then the local shuttle bus down to Orta San Giulio. Wander the medieval lanes and take the little public boat to Isola di San Giulio (£4 return, 5 min) — the Basilica and the 'Way of Silence' path are free to visit. Mid-afternoon, train back via Novara to Stresa on Lake Maggiore (~£7, 1h30) for a lakeside stroll and views to the Borromean Islands. If you want Isola Bella, the public ferry plus palace/garden entry costs around £30–45 — a fraction of the tour's €50 optional, and you can pick just one island. Evening train Stresa–Milano–Verona (~£25, 3h) or a direct regional to Milano then Frecciarossa; check Trenitalia for the cheapest combination. Sleep in Verona near the station (£25–35 dorm).

🚌Regional trains Milan–Orta-Miasino, Stresa–Milan–Verona (~£38 total)

🛏Hostel or budget B&B near Verona Porta Nuova (£25–35)

• →Orta San Giulio medieval centre
• →Public boat to Isola di San Giulio
• →Stresa lakefront
• →Optional Isola Bella ferry + palace

Start with a free self-guided Verona loop: Arena di Verona exterior, Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet's balcony courtyard, Ponte Pietra and Castel San Pietro viewpoint (all free). Late morning Frecciarossa Verona–Venezia Santa Lucia (~£12–18, 1h). Drop bags at a Mestre or Cannaregio hostel (Mestre is £22–30 dorm and 10 min by train from Santa Lucia; Cannaregio £30–40). Afternoon: join a GetYourGuide or Venice-tourism small-group walking tour of St Mark's area (~£25), or do it yourself with a vaporetto day pass (£9.50) up the Grand Canal. Take vaporetto line 4.1/4.2 to Murano for free glass-blowing demonstrations in the furnaces. Optional gondola: a shared 30-min ride from a traghetto-style shared booking is ~£28 pp vs the tour's €40 private rate. Evening: cicchetti crawl in Cannaregio (£12–15).

🚌Frecciarossa Verona–Venice (~£15) + vaporetto day pass (£9.50)

🛏Hostel in Mestre or Cannaregio (£22–40 dorm)

• →Verona old town self-guided walk
• →Venice walking tour or DIY Grand Canal vaporetto
• →Murano glass furnaces
• →Optional shared gondola

This is the tour's big transit day — honestly, it's brutal by public transport. Take an early regional train Venice–Padova (~£3, 30 min) and visit the Basilica di Sant'Antonio and the frescoed Scrovegni Chapel (book Giotto tickets ahead, ~£15). Then train Padova–Bologna (~£8) and Bologna–Rimini (~£12, 2h total). From Rimini station, the direct San Marino bus runs roughly hourly (~£4.50, 1h) up to the mountaintop — walk the Guaita and Cesta towers (£8 combined), Piazza della Libertà and the views. Return to Rimini, then train Rimini–Pesaro/Fano and onward to Perugia via Foligno (~£15–20, 2.5–3h). Gubbio is nearly impossible on this schedule by bus — either skip it or drop San Marino. Realistically, consider splitting this day: sleep in Rimini or Bologna instead and continue to Perugia next morning. Accommodation in Perugia old town (£25–35 dorm).

🚌Regional trains Venice–Padua–Bologna–Rimini (~£23) + San Marino bus (£4.50) + Rimini–Perugia trains (~£18)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Perugia old town (£25–35)

• →Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
• →Scrovegni Chapel (pre-book)
• →San Marino towers & old town
• →Optional: swap San Marino for Gubbio via Foligno

Morning in Perugia: the Rocca Paolina and the underground city with its moving walkways are free, and the Corso Vannucci and Piazza IV Novembre make for a great self-guided stroll — the local tourist office runs cheap guided walks (~£10) if you want the history. Around midday, regional train Perugia–Assisi (~£3, 25 min) and walk or take the local bus up to the Basilica di San Francesco (~£1.30), free entry, with Giotto's frescoes in the Upper Basilica. Late afternoon train Assisi–Foligno–Roma Termini (~£12–15, 2h). Either overnight in Rome (£28–40 dorm) or push straight on with a Frecciarossa/Italo Roma–Napoli (~£15–25, 1h10) for two nights based in Naples. Overnighting in Naples saves you the day-7 shuffle.

🚌Regional trains Perugia–Assisi–Foligno–Rome (~£16) + optional Rome–Naples high-speed (£15–25)

🛏Rome hostel (£28–40) or Naples hostel (£22–32)

• →Rocca Paolina & Perugia underground walkways
• →Corso Vannucci & Piazza IV Novembre
• →Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi

Early hydrofoil from Naples Beverello to Capri (~£20–23, 50 min). Take the funicular up to Capri town (£1.80) and walk to the Gardens of Augustus and the Via Krupp viewpoint (viewpoint free, gardens ~£1.70). The Blue Grotto is a shared rowing-boat add-on (~£15 plus entry) if sea conditions allow — or skip it and hike the Belvedere di Tragara. Hydrofoil back to Sorrento (~£18) and stroll the town and Marina Grande. Late afternoon, the local Circumvesuviana train Sorrento–Salerno (~£5, 1h40) is slow but scenic, or a ferry along the coast (~£15) if you prefer the sea. Sleep in Salerno (£25–35 dorm) — cheaper than Sorrento and a good base for Pompeii.

🚌Hydrofoils Naples–Capri–Sorrento (~£38) + Circumvesuviana train to Salerno (~£5) + funicular (£1.80)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Salerno (£25–35)

• →Capri funicular & Gardens of Augustus
• →Belvedere di Tragara hike
• →Sorrento Marina Grande
• →Optional Blue Grotto boat

Regional train Salerno–Pompei (~£3, 40 min), then the Circumvesuviana from Pompei Scavi to the Porta Marina entrance. Book a GetYourGuide or Klook Pompeii small-group tour with an archaeologist (~£30–45 including the £15 site ticket) — far better value than audio-guide wandering. Allow 3 hours. Then Circumvesuviana to Naples (~£2) for a self-guided old-town walk: Via dei Tribunali, the Veiled Christ in Sansevero Chapel (~£8, book online), Spaccanapoli and a sfogliatella stop. Skip Cassino Abbey unless you're adding a day — it's a 1.5h detour each way by regional train plus a bus. Evening Frecciarossa/Italo Napoli–Roma Termini (~£15–25, 1h10). Sleep near Termini or Monti (£28–40 dorm).

🚌Regional/Circumvesuviana Salerno–Pompei–Naples (~£5) + high-speed Naples–Rome (£15–25)

🛏Hostel near Rome Termini/Monti (£28–40)

• →Pompeii small-group guided tour
• →Naples old town & Spaccanapoli
• →Veiled Christ, Sansevero Chapel (pre-book)
• →Optional Cassino Abbey detour

Colosseum and Roman Forum combo ticket (~£17, must pre-book on the official CoopCulture site — they sell out), then walk up to the Pantheon (free, or ~£5 online reservation), Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Throw a coin, grab a cheap pizza al taglio lunch (£5–7) and finish at Trastevere for the vibe. If you have time, the Vatican Museums are ~£18 pre-booked (closed Sundays except the last Sunday of the month, which is free but packed). Trains from Termini to Fiumicino run every 15 min (~£12, 32 min) — or the slower FL1 regional for £2.30. No included transfer, same as the original tour.

🚌Local buses/metro day ticket (£6) + Leonardo Express to FCO (£12)

🛏Hostel near Rome Termini/Monti (£28–40)

• →Colosseum & Roman Forum (pre-book)
• →Pantheon, Trevi, Piazza Navona walking loop
• →Trastevere evening
• →Optional Vatican Museums