Taste of Italy — Venice to Rome on a Budget (Self-Launched)
7 days · Italy
CIE Tours charges £2,240
No-markup version: ~£1,695 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of CIE Tours' popular "Taste of Italy" coach tour, tracing the classic Venice–Bologna–Florence–Orvieto–Rome route independently. Travel between cities by train, stay in well-located hostels and budget hotels, and book the same headline sights — St Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, a Murano glass demonstration, the Accademia's David, the Colosseum and Forum, the Vatican Museums and St Peter's — on your own schedule and at your own pace. Expect great Italian food, fast trains and real flexibility, for a fraction of the group price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Venice & evening in St Mark's
Venice
Fly or take the train into Venice and check into a budget hotel or hostel in the historic centre (Mestre on the mainland is cheaper and well connected by frequent vaporetto and bus). In the evening take a self-guided orientation walk around Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge, grab an aperitivo, and settle into canal life.
🚌ATVO/ACTV airport bus or train to Venice ~£8
🛏Hostel/genergia hotel near Venice (e.g. Generator Venice or a guesthouse in Castello), ~£55-75/night
- →Orientation walk around Piazza San Marco
- →Rialto Bridge & Grand Canal stroll
- →Welcome apertivo with fellow travellers at a canal-side bar
Murano glass & Venice's Grand Canal
Venice & Murano
Take the public vaporetto (Line 3 or 4.1/4.2) from Fondamente Nove across the lagoon to Murano Island. Visit the island's famous glass factories where you can watch live glass-blowing demonstrations free or for a small fee. Return to Venice and spend the afternoon doing a walking tour of Piazza San Marco and visiting the magnificent Doge's Palace.
🚌Vaporetto day pass ~£20
🛏Same budget hotel/hostel in Venice
- →Public ferry to Murano Island
- →Glass-blowing demonstration at a Murano furnace
- →Doge's Palace skip-the-line ticket
- →St Mark's Basilica visit
Train via Bologna to Florence
Venice → Bologna → Florence
Take a high-speed Frecciarossa or Italo train from Venice to Bologna (~£30, 1h20). Stretch your legs with a short walk to the iconic Due Torri (Two Towers) and grab a quick lunch in this famous food capital — try tortellini or tagliatelle al ragù. Then continue by train to Florence (~£20, 40min) and take an evening orientation walk around the historic centre.
🚌Frecciarossa Venice-Bologna ~£30, Bologna-Florence ~£20
🛏Budget hotel or hostel near Florence's Santa Maria Novella station (e.g. Plus Florence or a city guesthouse), ~£55/night
- →Bologna stopover: Due Torri & food market
- →Orientation walk of Florence at sunset
- →Evening along the Arno & Ponte Vecchio
Renaissance Florence: Duomo, David & city centre
Florence
A full day exploring Renaissance Florence on foot. Start at the Duomo (climb Giotto's bell tower for panoramic views), then visit Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio. Pre-book a timed ticket to the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David up close (avoid peak hours). Enjoy a long local lunch in the heart of the city — a trattoria near the Mercato Centrale is ideal.
🚌Walking city; short buses
🛏Same budget hotel/hostel in Florence
- →Florence Duomo & Giotto's bell tower climb
- →Palazzo Vecchio & Piazza della Signoria
- →Accademia Gallery — Michelangelo's David (pre-booked)
- →Long local lunch at a city-centre trattoria
Orvieto stop, then Colosseum & Roman Forum
Florence → Orvieto → Rome
Take a regional train from Florence to Orvieto (~£15, 2h), the dramatic hilltop Umbrian town. Ride the funicular up to the cliff-top centre, see the spectacular Gothic cathedral, and taste the region's famous white Orvieto Classico wine. Continue by train to Rome (~£15, 1h40), check in, then head straight to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Book skip-the-line tickets in advance.
🚌Regional trains Florence-Orvieto ~£15, Orvieto-Rome ~£15; Rome metro
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Rome Termini (e.g. The Yellow or a Monti guesthouse), ~£55-65/night
- →Orvieto funicular & Gothic cathedral
- →Wine tasting of Orvieto Classico
- →Colosseum skip-the-line ticket
- →Roman Forum & Palatine Hill ruins
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's
Rome
A full day in the Vatican. Pre-book an early morning slot for the Vatican Museums so you can walk through its galleries to the Sistine Chapel and admire Michelangelo's ceiling relatively calmly, then cross into St Peter's Basilica (free entry, but dress respectfully) and, if you like, climb the dome for a view over Rome. Spend the evening at a local trattoria in Trastevere for a final group-style dinner.
🚌Metro Line A to Ottaviano
🛏Same budget hotel/hostel near Rome Termini
- →Vatican Museums skip-the-line entry
- →Sistine Chapel — Michelangelo's frescoes
- →St Peter's Basilica & dome climb
- →Trastevere dinner at a local restaurant
Depart Rome
Rome
Enjoy a final Italian breakfast at your hotel or a neighbourhood café before checking out. Depending on your flight, squeeze in one last walk around the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps for a free send-off, then head to Fiumicino or Ciampino airport via the Leonardo Express train or Terravision coach.
🚌Leonardo Express to Fiumicino ~£15
🛏None (check-out day)
- →Morning walk: Pantheon, Trevi Fountain & Spanish Steps
- →Farewell Italian coffee & cornetto
Self-launched vs. CIE Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CIE Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,695 | £2,240 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £545 per person (24%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more CIE Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,695
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 Taste of Italy — Venice to Rome on a Budget (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,695 per person for 7 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 CIE Tours?+
Yes — CIE Tours charges around £2,240 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,695 — a saving of roughly £545 (24%) per person.
How long is the Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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 city-breaks, culture, 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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