Ultimate Italy: Self-Launched (Rome to Venice)
12 days · Italy
Luxury Gold charges £8,940
No-markup version: ~£1,242 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 12-day run from Rome to Venice hitting everything Luxury Gold's "Ultimate Italy" covers — Vatican and Colosseum, Pompeii and Capri, Perugia and Assisi, San Gimignano and Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, and three days of Venice — but with hostel and guesthouse beds, regional trains and buses instead of a coach, and self-booked walking tours, cooking classes and skip-the-line tickets instead of a tour concierge. Expect roughly a tenth of the tour price, a lot more freedom, and the same bucket-list sights. All costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Rome: Wander the Ancient Core
Rome
Land, drop your bag at a hostel near Termini or Monti, and ease in with a free self-guided loop of the ancient centre. Cross the Tiber on Ponte Fabricio, walk the Circus Maximus, then circle the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum exterior (free from outside — book a ticket in advance for Day 2 if you want inside). Finish at the Pantheon (€5 entry) and a cheap trattoria dinner in Monti. Most hostels run a free evening walking tour if you want a guide on night one.
🚌Airport bus (Terravision/SIT, ~£6) or Leonardo Express train (~£12) from Fiumicino; walkable city day
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Termini/Monti
- →Self-guided walk: Circus Maximus, Arch of Constantine, Colosseum exterior
- →Pantheon entry (€5)
- →Free hostel walking tour (optional, tip-based)
- →Dinner in Monti
Rome: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Colosseum
Rome
Pre-book a Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel skip-the-line ticket direct on the Vatican Museums website for the earliest slot (roughly €20–25). After lunch, use a pre-booked Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill combined ticket (€18) — the 2-day validity means you can split the visit if it's hot. A GetYourGuide or Walks of Italy small-group ancient Rome tour costs ~£35–45 if you'd rather have a live guide for the Forum. Evening: cheap pizza al taglio and a walk to Trevi Fountain.
🚌Metro Line A to Ottaviano (single ticket €1.50)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse near Termini/Monti
- →Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (pre-booked entry)
- →Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill combined ticket
- →Optional guided ancient Rome walking tour (~£40)
- →Trevi Fountain at night
Rome → Sorrento via Pompeii
Sorrento
Take a Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train Rome → Naples (~1h10, €20–35 booked in advance), then the Circumvesuviana commuter train to Pompeii Scavi (€3). Leave your pack in the left-luggage at the site and spend 3–4 hours in the ruins with an audio guide (~€10) or a GetYourGuide 2-hour guided entry (~£22). Continue on the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento (~€4.50, 45 min) and check into a guesthouse or hostel in the old town.
🚌High-speed train Rome–Naples (~£25) + Circumvesuviana train (~£6)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Sorrento old town
- →Pompeii archaeological site (€18 entry + optional audio guide)
- →Optional Mount Vesuvius crater bus + entry (~£22)
- →Evening stroll through Sorrento old town
Capri by Public Ferry & Funicular
Capri / Sorrento
Catch the early hydrofoil from Sorrento to Capri (Caremar/Snav, ~€22 each way, 20 min) before the day-tripper crowds. Take the funicular up to Capri Town (€2.20) and wander the Piazzetta. For the coast, book a shared boat tour around the island (the classic giro dell'isola, ~€20–25, includes the White Grotto and Faraglioni) at the Marina Grande ticket kiosks — far cheaper than a private cruise. Grab a lemon granita and, if you want the Michelin-style meal without the bill, eat at a moderate Capri trattoria or ferry back for dinner in Sorrento.
🚌Public hydrofoil Sorrento–Capri return (~£40) + funicular
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Sorrento old town
- →Hydrofoil to Capri
- →Funicular to Capri Town
- →Shared boat circuit incl. White Grotto (~£22)
- →Piazzetta and Belvedere di Tragara walk
Sorrento → Perugia (via Naples)
Perugia
Train back to Naples, then a Frecciarossa/Intercity north to Foligno or direct to Perugia via the regional line (~5–6 hours total, ~£40–50 booked ahead). Perugia's centro storico is compact and steep — pick a guesthouse just inside the walls. Afternoon: walk Corso Vannucci, the Piazza IV Novembre fountain, and the underground Rocca Paolina. Dinner on Umbrian staples: strangozzi pasta, lentils, and a glass of Sagrantino.
🚌Regional + high-speed trains via Naples/Foligno (~£45)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Perugia centro storico
- →Perugia old town walk: Piazza IV Novembre, Fontana Maggiore
- →Rocca Paolina underground passages
- →Umbrian dinner
Assisi Day Trip + San Gimignano Overnight
San Gimignano
Morning bus or train to Assisi (~45 min, €5–8) to see the Basilica of St. Francis and its fresco cycle — free entry, with a €3 audio guide standing in for the local historian. If you'd rather do the food angle, swap for a walk-up Umbrian tasting in Perugia (olive oil, truffle salami, wines, ~£18). Mid-afternoon, take the train Perugia → Siena and then the bus to San Gimignano (~3h, ~£18), arriving for golden hour on the towers and a Vernaccia glass at a wine bar.
🚌Bus/train to Assisi + train/bus Perugia–Siena–San Gimignano (~£25 total)
🛏Budget hotel or hostel inside San Gimignano walls
- →Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi (free / audio guide)
- →Optional Umbrian oil & truffle tasting (~£18)
- →San Gimignano towers and Porta San Giovanni at sunset
San Gimignano → Florence: Duomo & David
Florence
Start with Gelateria Dondoli in Piazza della Cisterna (the World Champion gelato spot from the original tour — €3 for two scoops, no booking needed). Morning bus to Florence (~1h15, €6). Pre-book the Accademia Gallery direct on the official B-ticket site (€16 + €4 booking) for Michelangelo's David, and buy the Brunelleschi Pass for the Duomo, Bell Tower and Baptistery (€30, climb dome reserved). Evening: walk across to Piazza della Signoria and Oltrarno.
🚌Regional bus San Gimignano–Florence (~£6), city on foot
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Santa Maria Novella / San Lorenzo
- →Gelateria Dondoli gelato tasting
- →Accademia Gallery & David (pre-booked)
- →Duomo, Giotto's Bell Tower & Baptistery (Brunelleschi Pass)
- →Piazza della Signoria & Ponte Vecchio
Florence → Pisa → Rapallo
Rapallo
Morning in Florence: do a self-serve food loop of Mercato Centrale (lampredotto, pecorino, espresso, ~£12) or book a GetYourGuide Florence cooking class in advance if pasta-making is your must-do (~£45–55; the ones run outside the city centre often include a vineyard setting). Then take the regional train Florence → Pisa (~1h, €9) and climb the Leaning Tower with a pre-booked timed slot (€20) plus the Duomo. Continue by train Pisa → Rapallo (~2h, €12) to a guesthouse near the harbour.
🚌Regional trains Florence–Pisa–Rapallo (~£20)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel near Rapallo harbour
- →Mercato Centrale food walk (self-guided)
- →Optional pasta-making class in Tuscany (~£50)
- →Leaning Tower of Pisa climb (pre-booked €20) + Duomo
- →Rapallo seafront evening
Cinque Terre on the Aperitivo Train Pass
Cinque Terre / Rapallo
Buy the Cinque Terre Treno MS Card from any La Spezia or Levanto station (€24.50 for 2 days incl. park entry and unlimited hop-on trains), train down to Manarola first thing, then walk the Via dell'Amore if it's open (booked slot, €10) or do the free upper paths. Hop to Monterosso al Mare for a swim and focaccia lunch. Time the day to finish on the Vernazza–Monterosso coastal stretch or a sunset paddle at Manarola. Return train to Rapallo in the evening.
🚌Regional train Rapallo–Levanto + park card (~£25 total)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel near Rapallo harbour
- →Cinque Terre Treno MS Card (2-day, €24.50)
- →Manarola viewpoint & Via dell'Amore (slot €10)
- →Monterosso beach & focaccia
- →Optional coastal hike Monterosso–Vernazza
Rapallo → Venice: Canals & Doge's Palace
Venice
Train Rapallo → Genova → Venezia Santa Lucia (~4h30, ~£35–45 with advance booking). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Cannaregio or Castello. Two cheap city moves: the vaporetto Line 1 down the Grand Canal (€9.50 single — or get the 24h ACTV pass for ~£22 if you'll ride repeatedly) as your own canal cruise, and a shared gondola ride booked via GetYourGuide (~£30–35, 30 min) instead of a private one. Pre-book the Doge's Palace evening/after-hours entry if available (~£30); otherwise an early-morning slot the next day.
🚌Trains Rapallo–Genova–Venice (~£40) + ACTV vaporetto pass
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio
- →Grand Canal by ACTV vaporetto Line 1
- →Shared gondola ride (~£32)
- →Doge's Palace timed entry (~£30)
- →St Mark's Square at dusk
Murano Glassblowing & Hidden Venice
Venice
Take vaporetto Line 3/4.2 to Murano and visit a working fornace — several workshops (e.g. Wave Murano Glass, Ferro Toso) run demonstrations and short glassblowing experiences for ~£25–35, with the added advantage that you're watching artisans rather than a stage show. Afternoon: get deliberately lost in Cannaregio and Castello — Fondamenta della Misericordia for bacari cicchetti (small plates + ombra of wine, ~£15 for a good crawl), the Jewish Ghetto, and the Arsenale gate. Final dinner at a trattoria in Cannaregio's back streets.
🚌ACTV vaporetto to Murano (covered by multi-day pass)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio
- →Murano glassblowing demonstration/experience (~£30)
- →Hidden Venice walk: Jewish Ghetto, Castello, Arsenale
- →Cicchetti and wine crawl in Cannaregio
Last Morning in Venice & Out
Venice
Sunrise wander to the Rialto Market (go by 8am before the fish hall closes), a last espresso at a standing bar, then head out. Alilaguna water bus to Marco Polo Airport (~£13) or the ATVO/Venezia Express bus from Piazzale Roma (~£9) if you're flying; trains to Treviso, Milan or onward Europe leave from Santa Lucia.
🚌Alilaguna water bus or ATVO airport bus (~£9–13)
🛏—
- →Rialto Market at sunrise
- →Final espresso at a standing bar
- →Optional Peggy Guggenheim or Accademia vaporetto stop
Self-launched vs. Luxury Gold
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Luxury Gold | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,242 | £8,940 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £7,698 per person (86%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Luxury Gold-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,242
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Ultimate Italy: Self-Launched (Rome to Venice) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,242 per person for 12 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 Luxury Gold?+
Yes — Luxury Gold charges around £8,940 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,242 — a saving of roughly £7,698 (86%) per person.
How long is the Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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, city-breaks 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.