Italian Treasures: Rome to Venice, the Lakes & San Marino (Self-Launched)
11 days · Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Genoa, Portofino, Milan, Lakes, Verona, Venice, San Marino, Perugia)
Europamundo charges £1,090
No-markup version: ~£905 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Europamundo's 11-day "Italian Treasures" coach circuit — same loop (Rome → Florence → Pisa & Cinque Terre → Genoa & Portofino → Milan & the Lakes → Verona → Venice → San Marino → Perugia & Assisi → Rome) but built on Trenitalia regional trains, hostel and guesthouse beds, and self-bookable walking tours. You'll move independently on roughly the same rail corridors, spend a third less time waiting in coach parks, and pocket well over £500 versus the packaged price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP; the 4* hotels become private hostel rooms or budget guesthouses in similar locations.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Rome — settle into Trastevere-side digs
Rome
Land at Fiumicino or Ciampino and take the Leonardo Express train (€14, ~32 min) or the FL1 regional + metro combo (~€8) into the centre. Skip the package airport transfer — the train is faster than a coach in Rome traffic. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse on the Trastevere / Termini side (private twin in a hostel from ~£35–45/night, dorm bed £18–25). Afternoon free: wander Trastevere's cobbles, cross Ponte Sisto, grab a pizza al taglio slice (£3–4) and a gelato, and watch the evening passeggiata on Piazza Navona. Book your Colosseum and Vatican tickets online tonight for the next days — official sites only (Coopculture / Musei Vaticani), which are far cheaper than reseller tours.
🚌Leonardo Express Fiumicino→Termini €14 (~£12); walking + metro/bus day ticket €7 (~£6)
🛏Private double in a Trastevere or Termini hostel (e.g. hostel-private room or budget guesthouse), approx £40/night
- →Trastevere evening stroll
- →Piazza Navona & Campo de' Fiori
- →Book Colosseum/Vatican tickets online
Ancient Rome and the Vatican on your own schedule
Rome
Do the Europamundo panoramic coach loop on foot and by metro — you'll actually see more. Morning: Metro B to Colosseum, then the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on a combined ticket (€18, book ahead; free first Sunday of the month). Walk Via dei Fori Imperiali to Piazza Venezia, over to the Pantheon (€5) and Trevi Fountain. Afternoon: Metro A to Ottaviano for St Peter's Basilica (free, queue early or late) and the Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel (€20 official online, or €8 on the last Sunday of the month). A GetYourGuide small-group Vatican tour runs £35–45 if you want the commentary — still cheaper than the operator's €70 add-on. Evening: cheap trattoria dinner in Testaccio (£12–15).
🚌Metro/bus day pass €7 (~£6)
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse, Rome
- →Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine €18
- →Pantheon €5
- →St Peter's Basilica (free)
- →Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel €20
Free Rome day — Baroque squares or a Borromean-free day trip
Rome
The operator leaves this day completely free, and so should you — but use it well. Option A: a self-guided Baroque walk (Piazza del Popolo → Spanish Steps → Trevi → Piazza Colonna → Pantheon → Piazza Navona), free with a £4 audio-guide app. Option B: a GetYourGuide Baroque Rome walking tour (£30–35) if you want a local's context. Option C: day-trip to Ostia Antica (regional train €1.50 each way, site €18) or Tivoli's Villa d'Este (bus/train ~£8 return, villa €13). Evening: aperitivo in Monti (£8) and dinner (£12).
🚌Local trains/metro ~£8
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse, Rome
- →Self-guided Baroque squares walk
- →Optional Ostia Antica or Tivoli day trip
- →Optional GetYourGuide Baroque tour ~£33
Train to Florence — Renaissance on foot
Florence
Book a Trenitalia Frecciarossa Rome Termini → Firenze S.M. Novella (~1h35, £25–35 booked 2–4 weeks ahead; regional alternative ~£18 but 3h45). Drop bags at a hostel near Santa Maria Novella (private room £35–45). Climb or bus to Piazzale Michelangelo for the classic view, then walk down through San Niccolò to the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, the Straw Market and Piazza della Repubblica — the exact route the coach group does, minus the queue to reboard. Optional: GetYourGuide Florence walking tour (£20–25) or climb the Duomo cupola (€30, book ahead). Dinner: a lampredotto sandwich (£6) or trattoria in Oltrarno (£14).
🚌Frecciarossa Rome→Florence £30
🛏Private room in a Santa Maria Novella hostel or guesthouse, Florence, ~£40
- →Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint
- →Duomo exterior & Piazza della Signoria
- →Ponte Vecchio & Straw Market
- →Optional Duomo cupola €30
Pisa + Cinque Terre by regional train, bed in Genoa
Pisa → Cinque Terre → Genoa
The big-hitter day, done properly with a Cinque Terre Card. 07:30 regional train Florence → Pisa Centrale (£8, 1h); 15-min walk or local LAM bus to Piazza dei Miracoli to see the Leaning Tower, Baptistery and Cathedral (Cathedral free with timed ticket; tower climb €20 optional). 11:00 train Pisa → La Spezia (£5–7, 1h). Buy the Cinque Terre Treno MS Card (€19.50) for unlimited village trains + trail access — this replaces the operator's booked train ride into Vernazza. Hop to Vernazza for lunch, on to Manarola for the classic harbour shot, and a quick stop at Corniglia or Riomaggiore. 17:00 train La Spezia → Genoa Brignole (£8–10, ~1h20). Hostel near Genoa's Porto Antico, £35–40.
🚌Regional trains Florence→Pisa £8, Pisa→La Spezia £6, Cinque Terre Treno MS Card €19.50 (~£17), La Spezia→Genoa £9
🛏Private room in a Genoa Porto Antico hostel, ~£38
- →Piazza dei Miracoli & Leaning Tower
- →Vernazza harbour & church
- →Manarola viewpoint
- →Village-hopping on the Cinque Terre Card
Genoa's caruggi, then the boat to Portofino for Milan
Genoa → Portofino → Milan
Morning wandering Genoa's UNESCO caruggi lanes: the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, Piazza De Ferrari, Palazzo Ducale and the Porto Antico waterfront (all free). Mid-morning regional train Genoa → Santa Margherita Ligure (£3.50, 45 min — the operator's coach route, but faster on rail) and take the public ferry across to Portofino (£9–12 return, weather dependent) for the harbour, the piazzetta and the short walk to Castello Brown (£5 entry, optional). Lunch back in Santa Margherita (£10). Afternoon train Santa Margherita → Milan Centrale (£12–16, ~2h). Evening stroll to the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Navigli canals for an aperitivo (£8). Milan hostel near Loreto or Navigli, £40.
🚌Genoa→Santa Margherita £3.50, Portofino ferry £10, Santa Margherita→Milan £14
🛏Private room in a Milan hostel/guesthouse (Loreto or Navigli area), ~£42
- →Genoa caruggi & Porto Antico
- →Portofino harbour & piazzetta
- →Milan Duomo & Galleria
- →Navigli aperitivo
Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore by train, then Verona
Milan → Lake Orta → Stresa → Verona
Milan Centrale → Orta-Miasino on the regional line via Novara (£6–8, ~1h50); the station sits above the lake and a funicular/short walk drops you into Orta San Giulio. The little electric train to the town (€2) and the boat to Isola di San Giulio (€5 return, Navigazione Lago d'Orta) are both bookable on the spot — no group launch needed. Midday train Orta-Miasino → Stresa on Lake Maggiore (£5, 40 min via Novara/Gravellona connection). Lunch on the Stresa lakefront (£10). Optional: Navigazione Lago Maggiore boat to Isola Bella (garden entry €19, boat €14) — the operator's paid add-on. Late afternoon train Stresa → Milan → Verona Porta Nuova (£20–25, ~3h total). Verona hostel near the old town, £35.
🚌Milan→Orta £7, Orta→Stresa £5, Stresa→Verona £22
🛏Private room in a Verona centro hostel or guesthouse, ~£36
- →Orta San Giulio old town
- →Boat to Isola di San Giulio €5
- →Stresa lakefront
- →Optional Isola Bella gardens €19 + boat €14
Verona morning, Venice afternoon & Murano glass
Verona → Venice
Before leaving, wander Verona: Juliet's balcony, Piazza delle Erbe, the Arena (€10 to enter, free from outside) and the Adige river bridges — the exact free time the coach group gets, but earlier and quieter. 11:30 regionale Verona Porta Nuova → Venezia Santa Lucia (£10–14, 1h10; Frecciarossa £18 faster). Venice beds: stay in Cannaregio or Mestre — Mestre hotels are cheaper (£35–45 private) and 10 min by train/bus to the historic centre. Afternoon: vaporetto (72h ACTV pass €45, or single €9.50) to St Mark's Square, see the Basilica (€3–5 entry) and Campanile, then take the Line 4.1/4.2 to Murano for a free glass-factory demo (the operator's included Murano visit — you can just walk into any fornace). Optional gondola: shared 30-min ride €35–40 via GetYourGuide, instead of a private €80+. Cicchetti dinner with an ombra of wine in Cannaregio (£12).
🚌Verona→Venice regional £12; ACTV 72h vaporetto pass £39
🛏Private room in a Mestre or Cannaregio guesthouse, ~£42
- →Verona old town & Arena
- →St Mark's Square & Basilica
- →Murano glass factory demo
- →Optional shared gondola ~£35
Padua, San Marino and the Apennines to Perugia
Venice → Padua → San Marino → Perugia
A long transfer day — do it on trains and buses rather than a 475 km coach slog. 07:30 regional Venice → Padua (£3, 30 min); see the Basilica di Sant'Antonio and the Scrovegni Chapel (€16, book online ahead). 09:45 regional Padua → Bologna (£7, 1h10) and Bologna → Rimini (£9, 1h20). From Rimini station, the direct San Marino bus (Bonelli Bus, €6 each way, ~1h, runs roughly hourly) climbs to the fortified old town — free to explore, with the Guaita and Cesta towers (€10 combined) and sweeping views. Mid-afternoon bus back to Rimini, then train Rimini → Foligno → Perugia (£16–20, ~3h). Perugia hostel/guesthouse in the centro storico, £33.
🚌Venice→Padua £3, Padua→Bologna→Rimini £16, Rimini–San Marino bus £12 return, Rimini→Perugia £18
🛏Private room in a Perugia centro storico guesthouse, ~£33
- →Padua Basilica di Sant'Antonio
- →Optional Scrovegni Chapel €16
- →San Marino old town & towers
- →Apennine rail journey
Perugia underground, Assisi basilicas, back to Rome
Perugia → Assisi → Rome
Morning in Perugia: the Rocca Paolina's escalators carry you through the medieval underground city for free, plus the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and Palazzo dei Priori on Piazza IV Novembre — the operator's guided panorama, self-guided with a £4 audio app or a €15 GetYourGuide Perugia walking tour. 10:15 regional train Perugia → Assisi (£3.50, 25 min). Assisi: St Francis Basilica with the Giotto frescoes (free; dress code — cover shoulders and knees), the Basilica di Santa Chiara and a walk up to the Rocca Maggiore (£6, panoramic). Lunch of Umbrian strangozzi pasta (£10). 13:30 train Assisi → Foligno → Roma Termini (£10–13, ~2h30). Final night in Rome, £40; celebrate with carbonara in Trastevere (£15).
🚌Perugia→Assisi £3.50, Assisi→Rome £12
🛏Private room in a Trastevere or Termini hostel, Rome, ~£40
- →Perugia underground city (free)
- →Piazza IV Novembre & Palazzo dei Priori
- →Assisi St Francis Basilica (free)
- →Optional Rocca Maggiore €6
Slow breakfast and out
Rome
Breakfast at a bar with a cappuccino and cornetto (£3–4), leave luggage at the hostel and use any spare hours for the Pantheon area or Villa Borghese park. Leonardo Express back to Fiumicino (£12) or the FL1 to Ciampino via Termini (€1.50 + bus). Check-out is typically 10:00–11:00 but most hostels store bags free.
🚌Leonardo Express to Fiumicino £12 (or FL1+ATAC ~£4 to Ciampino)
🛏—
- →Last walk in Rome
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£905 | £1,090 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £185 per person (17%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£905
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 Italian Treasures: Rome to Venice, the Lakes & San Marino (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £905 per person for 11 days in Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Genoa, Portofino, Milan, Lakes, Verona, Venice, San Marino, Perugia). 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 Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £1,090 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £905 — a saving of roughly £185 (17%) per person.
How long is the Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Genoa, Portofino, Milan, Lakes, Verona, Venice, San Marino, Perugia) trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Genoa, Portofino, Milan, Lakes, Verona, Venice, San Marino, Perugia).
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, foodie, city-breaks trip through Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Genoa, Portofino, Milan, Lakes, Verona, Venice, San Marino, Perugia), 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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