Venice, Florence & Rome
in eleven days
The first trip to Italy, done properly: three nights in a palazzo in Venice, four in Renaissance Florence, four in a Baroque convent in Rome.
The Grand Tour, from three historic homes
For three centuries, travellers came to Italy for the same three cities. They were right. Eleven days is enough to see the essentials without rushing, and to sleep in homes that are part of the story: a palazzo on a Venetian campo, a Renaissance residence on Florence's most harmonious square, a convent designed by Borromini in Trastevere.
Each city has its own selection: historic homes in Venice and the Veneto, in Florence and Tuscany and in Rome. For a guided visit, a cooking class or a tasting along the way, see our experiences.
- 1Venice 3 nights
- 2Florence 4 nights
- 3Rome 4 nights
11 days, 3 homes
For every stop: what to see and where to go, the dishes to try and where to eat them. Below, two or three of our homes in the area, with live rates for your nights.
Venice, the city on the water
Arrive, drop the bags, and walk. Venice is best early in the morning and after dark, when the canals are quiet and the campi belong to the Venetians again.
Staying longer in the north? Follow Venice, Verona and Lake Garda or Venice, Asolo and the Dolomites. All our homes in Venice and the Veneto.
What to see & where to go
- St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, booked ahead
- The Gallerie dell'Accademia: Bellini, Titian, Giorgione
- The Frari and Tintoretto's Scuola Grande di San Rocco
- Burano and Torcello in the northern lagoon
- The Rialto market in the morning
- A gondola from a traghetto station, the Venetian way
What to eat
- Cicchetti with an ombra, a small glass of wine, at the bacari
- Sarde in saor, sweet-and-sour sardines with onions and raisins
- Risotto al nero di seppia
- Fegato alla veneziana, calf's liver with soft onions
Where to eat
- Cantina Do Mori, the oldest bacaro in Venice, for cicchetti
- Osteria alle Testiere, for lagoon fish
- Harry's Bar, for a Bellini where it was invented
Noble palazzo between Rialto and St Mark's.Why stay hereA noble palazzo on Campo Santa Maria Formosa, with frescoed ceilings and Murano chandeliers, between Rialto and St Mark's.See the home
Historic palazzo with a garden on the water.Why stay hereA historic palazzo directly on the Grand Canal, with its own garden on the water.See the home
Rooms in a walled vineyard next to Burano.Why stay hereRooms in a walled vineyard on the island of Mazzorbo: the quiet Venice, next to Burano.See the home
Florence, the Renaissance at walking pace
Four nights in Florence leave time for the great museums and for the city that the tour groups never see: the Oltrarno workshops, the gardens, the churches with a single masterpiece inside.
To add the countryside, see Florence, Chianti and Siena or Umbria and the Val d'Orcia. All our homes in Tuscany.
What to see & where to go
- The Uffizi and Michelangelo's David, booked ahead
- The Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome
- The Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo
- The Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti
- San Miniato al Monte at sunset
- A day in Chianti or in Siena, if you want the countryside
What to eat
- Bistecca alla fiorentina, a thick T-bone grilled rare over embers
- Ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, the Florentine bread soups
- Lampredotto, the tripe sandwich from the street carts
- Cantucci dipped in Vin Santo
Where to eat
- Trattoria Mario, near San Lorenzo, at lunch
- Cibrèo Trattoria in Sant'Ambrogio
- All'Antico Vinaio for a schiacciata, gelato at Vivoli
Renaissance residence facing Brunelleschi's loggia.Why stay hereYou wake up on Florence's most harmonious Renaissance square, 150 m from Michelangelo's David, in rooms furnished with period pieces.See the home
13th-century palazzo with a tower terrace.Why stay hereA 13th-century tower 100 m from Ponte Vecchio: its terrace is one of the finest views over the rooftops of Florence.See the home
Historic building with an inner courtyard.Why stay hereA 15th-century palazzo with an inner courtyard: quiet at night, and everything is within walking distance.See the home
Rome, the Eternal City
End with Rome: ancient in the morning, Baroque in the afternoon, and at night the piazzas fill with Romans having dinner outside.
To continue south, see Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast. All our homes in Rome.
What to see & where to go
- The Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine
- The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
- The Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain at night
- The Borghese Gallery, by reservation
- Trastevere and the Janiculum terrace
- The Appian Way and the catacombs
What to eat
- Cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana and gricia: the four Roman pastas
- Carciofi alla giudia, fried artichokes from the Jewish Ghetto (in spring)
- Supplì, fried rice balls with a mozzarella heart
- Maritozzo, the cream-filled bun for breakfast
Where to eat
- Roscioli, near Campo de' Fiori
- Armando al Pantheon
- Da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere
17th-century convent designed by Borromini.Why stay hereA 17th-century convent by Borromini in Trastevere, with vaulted halls and a peaceful garden.See the home
Historic villa with a garden and spa.Why stay hereA noble family villa with its own garden 200 m from the Quirinale: a rare quiet house in the centre of Rome.See the home
Rooftop terrace over the domes of Rome.Why stay hereA rooftop terrace over the domes of Rome and a complimentary spa, a short walk from Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori.See the home
Where to go next
Or tell us your dates and we will adapt this route with you: our assistant can check availability in real time.
Ask our assistant
This itinerary is a starting point. Tell the assistant your dates and constraints and it re-plans the stops on our homes, then checks the rooms.
- We only have 7 days: which stop do we cut?
- Same route but with two children under 10: which homes work?
- Can you check the three homes for arrival on May 4?
