Solo-ish Italy: Self-Launched Florence to Venice
9 days · Italy
G Adventures charges £2,200
No-markup version: ~£795 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, train-based 9-day solo-friendly run through northern Italy covering exactly what G Adventures' "Solo-ish Italy" covers: Florence (pasta class, city walk, migrant-led cultural walk and market), Pisa's Leaning Tower, the Cinque Terre coastal trails, Lake Como with the Brunate funicular and a ferry day to Menaggio/Bellagio, and finally Venice with a walking tour and optional Murano/Burano hop. Instead of a CEO, twin-share hotels and a group minibus, you book a hostel or budget guesthouse, join a small-group pasta class and a couple of cheap walking tours on GetYourGuide/Klook or direct, and move entirely by Trenitalia regional trains and public ferries. Note: the original was a solo-only group departure — travelling independently is cheaper but you'll need to make your own connections (hostel common rooms, day-tour groups, cooking classes are all good for that).
Day-by-day
Florence: arrive, settle in, pasta-making class
Florence
Land at Florence Peretola (or take the tram/T2 from the airport, ~£1.60) and check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Santa Croce or San Lorenzo. Spend the afternoon on a gentle wander to Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria to get your bearings. Book a small-group fresh pasta class in the evening (most 3-hour classes in a Florentine kitchen or market kitchen run £45-65 including dinner and wine) — the perfect way to meet other travellers and eat a meal you made yourself. Walk home over the Arno at dusk.
🚌Airport tram T2 to Santa Maria Novella ~£1.60; everything else on foot
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse (Santa Croce / San Lorenzo), £30-40 private single or £25 dorm
- →Self-guided orientation walk of the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Signoria square
- →Small-group fresh pasta-making class (book via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct)
Florence: city walk, market tasting, migrant-led cultural tour
Florence
Join a free/pay-what-you-want walking tour of the Renaissance core in the morning (tips of £5-10 are expected) or a paid small-group tour (~£20). Afterwards work the stalls of Mercato Centrale and the San Lorenzo market for pecorino, prosciutto and lampredotto sandwiches (~£8). In the afternoon take a community-led walking tour focused on Florence's migrant communities (search 'Florence migrant tour' or book via a social-tourism operator such as Migrantour/GetYourGuide, ~£15-20). Book Uffizi or Accademia tickets online in advance if you want them (from ~£22) — otherwise just enjoy the streets.
🚌Entirely on foot (tram/bus day pass ~£4.20 if needed)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Florence
- →Pay-what-you-want walking tour of central Florence
- →Mercato Centrale / San Lorenzo market tasting
- →Migrant-led community walking tour
- →Optional: Uffizi or Accademia (pre-booked)
Florence → Pisa → La Spezia
La Spezia / Cinque Terre
Take a regional train from Firenze S.M. Novella to Pisa Centrale (~1h, £7-9 booked on Trenitalia). Walk 20 minutes to Piazza dei Miracoli to see the Leaning Tower and Cathedral (cathedral entry free, Tower climb ~£20 if you want it). Hop back on a regional train down the coast to La Spezia (~1h15, ~£7). Base yourself in La Spezia (cheaper than the villages) and spend the evening wandering the harbour and Via del Prione with a plate of mesciua or farinata (~£10).
🚌Trenitalia regional trains: Florence→Pisa ~£8, Pisa→La Spezia ~£7
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in La Spezia, £28-40
- →Piazza dei Miracoli and Leaning Tower photo stop
- →Optional: Pisa Duomo / Baptistery entry
- →Evening walk in La Spezia old town
Cinque Terre: hike the villages
Cinque Terre
Buy the Cinque Terre Trekking Card at La Spezia station (~£25-30) — it covers the coastal trail and unlimited regional trains between the five villages. Hike Monterosso → Vernazza → Corniglia (SVA2 coastal path, ~3-4 hours total, closed sections reopened seasonally — check the Parco Nazionale site or at the station). Alternatively do the easier, flatter section between Manarola and Riomaggiore (Via dell'Amore) and use the train to reach the rest. Swim at Monterosso or Vernazza, eat a cone of anchovies and a slice of farinata (~£10), and take the train back to La Spezia in the evening.
🚌Cinque Terre Card covers trains between villages + trail entry
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in La Spezia
- →Coastal village-to-village hike (Monterosso–Vernazza–Corniglia)
- →Swim at Monterosso or Vernazza
- →Optional: boat hop between villages (~£12)
La Spezia → Como → Brunate funicular
Como
Take the train to Como via Milan (La Spezia→Milano Centrale ~2h, then Milano→Como San Giovanni ~40min; total ~£25-30 booked in advance). Check in, do an orientation loop of the lakeside promenade, the Duomo di Como (free) and the old town, then ride the historic Como–Brunate funicular (~£6 return) for panoramic views over the lake and toward the Alps. Dinner of risotto or pizzoccheri by the water (~£15).
🚌Trenitalia/Italo trains La Spezia→Milano→Como ~£28; funicular ~£6
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Como, £30-42
- →Duomo and old town orientation walk
- →Como–Brunate funicular for Alpine views
Lake Como by public ferry: Menaggio and Bellagio
Lake Como
Buy a mid-lake ferry ticket for the day (~£18-22 on Navigazione Lago di Como; a day pass covering Menaggio–Bellagio–Varenna is best value). Ride to Menaggio for a lakefront coffee, then Bellagio to climb the stepped lanes and peek into the silk and designer shops. Have a long lunch at a lakeside trattoria (~£14) and finish with the crossing to Varenna for the Villa Monastero gardens if time allows. Ferry back to Como for the evening.
🚌Navigazione Lago di Como public ferry day pass ~£20
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Como
- →Ferry hop to Menaggio and Bellagio
- →Bellagio lanes and lakeside walk
- →Optional: Varenna and Villa Monastero gardens (~£8)
Como → Venice + guided walking tour
Venice
Train from Como to Milano Centrale (~40min) then a Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed to Venezia Santa Lucia (~2h20). Book 3-4 weeks ahead for fares around £25-35 instead of £55+. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio or Santa Croce (cheaper than San Marco), then join a small-group or pay-what-you-want walking tour of the canals, Rialto and hidden campi in the late afternoon (~£20 or tips). Complete the Venice Access Fee exemption form online if you're visiting on a fee date — overnight guests are exempt with the QR voucher.
🚌Regional Como→Milano ~£5, Frecciarossa Milano→Venezia ~£30, vaporetto single ~£8
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Cannaregio / Santa Croce, £38-50
- →Small-group or tip-based Venice walking tour
- →Rialto Bridge and canal-side evening wander
Venice: Murano and Burano, or a free day
Venice
Do it yourself rather than on a tour: a 24-hour vaporetto pass (~£22) covers Line 3/4.1 to Murano for glass furnaces (free demos in many shops) and Line 12 to Burano for the coloured houses and lace. Alternatively stay in Venice: climb the Campanile San Marco (~£8), visit Doge's Palace (~£17 pre-booked) or the free San Marco Basilica, and take a shared gondola (~£7-10 per person on a 30-min shared ride from a traghetto-style operator). Wrap up with cicchetti and an ombra of wine in Cannaregio (~£12).
🚌24h ACTV vaporetto pass ~£22
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Venice
- →Murano glass workshops (self-guided via vaporetto)
- →Burano coloured houses and lace shops
- →Optional: Campanile, Doge's Palace, shared gondola
Venice: depart
Venice
A slow breakfast and a last walk along the Zattere or through the Castello neighbourhood, then head out. Venezia Santa Lucia connects directly by regional train to Treviso, or take the Alilaguna boat / ATVO bus to Marco Polo airport (~£10-15). If you're continuing solo, Verona (1h10, ~£10) makes a great add-on.
🚌ATVO bus or Alilaguna to Marco Polo airport ~£12
🛏None (departure day)
- →Morning walk in Castello / Zattere
- →Optional onward train to Verona
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£795 | £2,200 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,405 per person (64%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£795
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 Solo-ish Italy: Self-Launched Florence to Venice cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £795 per person for 9 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £795 — a saving of roughly £1,405 (64%) per person.
How long is the Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, foodie, hiking 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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