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A Better Northern Italy Road Trip Itinerary

Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy
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The #AdventurePartnerForLife and I have traveled to Italy a few times. Italy is one of the few countries we’ve been to more than once. On our last visit, we did a northern Italy road trip.

I actually lived in Naples as a kid, but really only remember the basics. So, it’s nice to go back. However, returning somewhere means forgoing the opportunity to explore a new place. But for any number of reasons, Italy’s been on our repeat list. And it’s worthy of being on that list.

Check out our complete Italian road trip itinerary below!

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How To Use This Itinerary for Your Road Trip

Use our road trip itinerary for wanderlust ideas. Helpful tips are included along the way. Check out our driving tips for Italy, too.

Each time we go back, we’re able to get more and more in-depth and discover new areas. If you’re interested in seeing this region of Italy, use this as a baseline and personalize it as you see fit. Go northwest to Milan instead of northeast to Trento. Replace Verona with another city in the area. (Though I highly recommend hiking in the Dolomites and Verona!)

We’re able to enjoy a little more of the slow travel philosophy on these trips instead of our usual power tourist style. Although, it’s entirely possible this still moves too quickly for most people’s personal tastes. I recommend adding or subtracting days in certain locations.

Whatever you do, just make it yours.

(Note: updated various prices and web links as of June 2024.)


Our Northern Italy Road Trip Route

Northern Italy inset

Now, for the fun part—the complete northern Italy road trip route. The following shows you the complete route of our Italy road trip. Yes, you’ll see we flew into Florence, not Rome. While a couple days in Venice is always nice—and there are some wonderfully romantic hotels in Venice—we skipped it. And we passed on touring Milan. This is because we’ve already done a lot of this in our prior travels; it’s tailored specifically to us. This is also why I advise using this as a baseline and modifying it to make it yours. Either way, there are some don’t-miss cities here for you and amazing sightseeing suggestions.

1. Flew into Florence. Overnight in Florence.2. Day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence.
3. Drove to Bologna.4. Day trip to San Marino from Bologna.
5. Drove to Lake Garda. On to Verona.6. Overnight stay in Verona.
7. Drove to Val di Funes. On to Trento.8. Overnight in Trento. Back to Florence.
This is a map showing a travel itinerary through Italy. The map highlights specific locations marked with numbers 1 through 8, which correspond to different destinations: Florence (1), Cinque Terre (2), Bologna (3), San Marino (4), Lake Garda (5), Verona (6), Val di Funes (7), and Trento (8). The map uses solid and dashed red lines to indicate the travel routes between these points. The geographical layout includes mountain ranges, coastlines, and cities, providing an overview of the travel path across northern and central Italy.
Maps licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

PLANNING A TRIP TO NORTHERN ITALY SOON?

Below are some of the best tours, hotels, and more to kickstart your plans!

Popular Tours & Activities in Northern Italy:

Top Places to Stay in Northern Italy:

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Start Your Italy Road Trip in Florence

Before we officially began our Italy road trip, we spent a couple of days adjusting to the time zone and touring Florence. (We also did a day trip to Cinque Terre.) Read all our deets and top sights.

Getting Downtown From the Airport

The Florence airport is about twenty minutes from central downtown. Not a cheap cab ride, so we opted for the shuttle. Unfortunately, since then, the Vola In Bus shuttle has shut down. Luckily, there’s a newer, even cheaper alternative running nowadays: the tram.

For reference, the Santa Maria Novella train station is literally a 10-minute walk to the Duomo.

A cobblestone street in a historic Italian city, likely taken in Florence, lined with yellow and beige buildings. The image is taken from a low angle, emphasizing the texture of the cobblestones. The street is narrow and flanked by shuttered windows and doors, with a bicycle leaning against a wall on the left. In the distance, an archway frames the continuation of the street, leading further into the picturesque neighborhood. The overall mood is quiet and timeless, capturing the charm of a typical Italian alleyway.

Getting Around

So, we got our airport transfer handled. How did we get around the city in general? One of our favorite methods is by hop-on/hop-off bus. We got 48-hour tickets for Florence and basically used it as unlimited public transportation for that timeframe.

We specifically used it to take us to the sights that were further away, and just walked to the nearby sights on our other days. (Look at the big brains on Jordan!) I’ve provided a link to the actual bus we used at the bottom of the Florence section. I highly recommend them.

Florence Must-Sees

We had a day in Florence on the front end, and two on the back end of our Italy road trip. Just to make sure we gave ourselves some buffer time for our return flight. All told, we spent 3 days there and felt comfortable with that. I’ll break down my sightseeing favorites for you. Only the favorites, not everything. Everything would be a whole book.

The Duomo


The Uffizi


Piazzale Michelangelo

A panoramic view of Florence, Italy, showcasing the Arno River flowing through the city with several historic bridges, including the famous Ponte Vecchio, spanning its width. The city is dotted with red-tiled rooftops, historic buildings, and prominent landmarks, such as the Palazzo Vecchio with its tall tower rising above the skyline. In the background, the rolling hills and distant mountains frame the city, under a clear blue sky. The image captures the timeless beauty and architectural richness of Florence from an elevated vantage point.

Fiesole

A vibrant scene from a town square in Fiesole, Italy, featuring a bronze equestrian statue in the foreground. The square is surrounded by historical buildings with red-tiled roofs, and the prominent clock tower rises against a backdrop of green hills and a clear blue sky. People are gathered around the square, enjoying the sunny day, with some sitting under the shade of neatly trimmed trees lining the street. The image captures the charm and historic atmosphere of this picturesque Italian town.
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Eby’s Bar


Spice Up Your Italy Trip with a Cinque Terre Tour

Yes, of the few times I’ve been to Italy, I had yet to visit Cinque Terre. So, it was one thousand percent on the list for this visit. We did an all-day trip straight out of Florence through Viator, so there was very little need for any planning on our parts. While I can’t advise on all the logistics of Cinque Terre for an itinerary, I can give you my notes and tell you some available options that struck my fancy. Also, see some tour options below.


Italy Road Trip Stop #2: Bologna

After a couple of days in Florence and a Cinque Terre day trip, we rented a Sixt car at the Florence train station and officially began our Italy road trip. I’d always wanted to explore the area between Florence and Venice, but was waffling between Bologna, Ravenna, and Rimini. Very different places, I know. Ultimately, we decided on Bologna. We mainly toured the downtown historic center, but there was a lot more to the city that we didn’t get to.

Bologna is very famous for a few different things: its porticoes; its tortellini (and tagliatelle and lasagna); its parmigiano; and, its cars. So, while the historic area of Bologna is small relative to Florence or Venice, I think some of the beauty of this city lies in cultural appreciation—learn how to make pasta, taste the cheese, have some wine. The #AdventurePartnerForLife and I rarely slow down enough to partake in more immersive experiences like this, but I would encourage anyone reading this to take that additional step if you have a couple days in Bologna, especially.

That being said, our favorite sights (what we did see) and a few tips are outlines below…

Getting Around

The central historic district of Bologna is small and super walkable. Cars are off-limits in a lot of the downtown areas, so when booking a hotel, make sure you check for one with parking.

A serene and historic arcade in Bologna, Italy, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the patterned stone floor. The walls are adorned with a mix of aged plaster and exposed brick, leading to a richly detailed archway at the end of the corridor. Above the arch, a statue stands in a recessed niche, adding to the sense of antiquity and reverence. The overall atmosphere is quiet and contemplative, capturing the timeless beauty of Bologna's architectural heritage.

Bologna Must-Sees

The Sanctuary of the Madonna Di San Luca

A view of the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca in Bologna, Italy. The image captures the striking orange-pink façade of the church, with its large central dome and surrounding portico. The architectural details include arched entryways, stone balustrades, and a staircase leading up to the entrance. The building’s worn exterior adds to its historical charm, with the sunlight illuminating the vibrant colors against a clear blue sky. This sanctuary is a significant landmark, perched on a hill overlooking the city.

Due Torri

A dramatic upward view of the Two Towers, or "Le Due Torri," in Bologna, Italy. The image captures the taller Asinelli Tower and the shorter, leaning Garisenda Tower against a backdrop of a clear blue sky. The towers, built in the medieval period, are iconic symbols of Bologna. The surrounding buildings and electrical wires crisscrossing the scene add to the urban feel, while the historical architecture contrasts with the modern elements in the lower part of the image. The perspective emphasizes the height and grandeur of these ancient structures.

The Santo Stefano Complex


San Marino: the Technically Not-Italy Part of this Road Trip

It goes without saying that I just had to tick San Marino off the list, right? After multiple visits to Italy, it would seem silly to miss this entire other country in the middle of it. So, it’s really a San Marino and Italy road trip.

For those of you that don’t know, San Marino is one of three countries in the world that’s entirely surrounded by another country. (The other two being the Vatican and Lesotho.) It’s the fifth smallest country in the world and sits towards the east coast of [north-central-ish] Italy. Just check my map above to see exactly where it is.

It actually turned out to be one of the #AdventurePartnerForLife’s favorite stops this trip. We just did a quick day trip there and back out of Bologna, and it was all we needed.

Why Visit?


Lake Garda for Gorgeous Roadside Views

From Bologna, we drove to Lake Garda for a quick drive-by before heading to Verona for the evening. We just wanted to see it, period. I can’t recommend the best of the best things to do on the whole lake, but I can recommend both stops we made. I will say Lake Garda was sort of a perfect add-on to our Italy road trip since it’s such a pretty drive. Frankly, there are quite a few beautiful lakes to visit in Italy that are well worth a stop.

Getting Around

From an initial observation, it does seem like a car gives you the freedom to move around from town to town around the lake. And the towns aren’t always that close together. Parking, however, is tricky. Once there, consider the ferry or water taxi services.

Lake Garda Must-Sees

Gardone Riviera

A picturesque view of the waterfront along Lake Garda, Italy, featuring the historic Grand Hotel with its distinctive yellow façade and clock tower. The hotel is adorned with lush greenery and vibrant bougainvillea climbing the walls, adding splashes of color. The promenade along the water is lined with elegant white railings and lamp posts, offering outdoor seating under canopies. The calm, reflective waters of Lake Garda extend into the distance under a cloudy sky, creating a serene and luxurious atmosphere.

Sirmione


Saving the Best for (Second-to-)Last: Verona

Ah, Verona. Verona was my favorite stop on our Italy road trip. It’s smaller, very walkable, and super authentic. It sort of has everything you’d expect a small Italian city to have—a castle right in the middle, a baby arena, a famous bridge… I would one thousand percent recommend Verona to anyone traveling in that area of Italy. It was such a pleasure to visit this pretty little city, even if just for a day.

Getting Around

Oof. So… it wasn’t that traffic downtown was terrible; that was fine. It was that our GPS directions didn’t match downtown. There were tons and tons of one-way streets that didn’t line up, and a lot of the streets were insanely narrow. We basically ended up using GPS to get in the general area of our hotel and then mapped it out ourselves from there. A note that much of downtown Verona is off-limits to vehicles, so make sure your hotel has parking. And make sure you know how to get to it.

The upside is that, as I mentioned before, it’s super walkable. Not at all a big area and lots and lots to see.

Verona Must-Sees

Ponte Pietra

A scenic view of the historic Ponte Pietra in Verona, Italy, crossing the Adige River. The stone and brick bridge, with its arched design, stands prominently over the flowing waters below. On the opposite bank, colorful buildings with red-tiled roofs, including a yellow and orange façade, create a charming backdrop. A tall bell tower rises above the rooftops, adding to the picturesque skyline of Verona. The sky is overcast, giving the scene a moody yet timeless atmosphere, emphasizing the rich history and beauty of the location.

Castelvecchio

A view of the Castelvecchio Bridge, also known as the Scaliger Bridge, in Verona, Italy. The medieval bridge, constructed of red bricks, features crenellated battlements along its length, leading to the formidable Castelvecchio fortress in the background. The bridge arches gracefully over the Adige River, with green water flowing beneath it. A tall, square tower from the fortress rises prominently, adding to the imposing presence of this historic structure. The scene is bathed in bright sunlight, highlighting the rich red tones of the brickwork against a clear blue sky.

Giardino Giusti


Val di Funes for Road-Trippers Only

Our Italy road trip continued from Verona north to Val di Funes for a stop. Then, we came back down south to stay in Trento for the evening.

The main reason for driving this far north was for us to get a taste of the Dolomites, an insanely impressive mountain range in northeast Italy. You could easily spend several days driving or hiking in the Dolomites, but again, we just wanted to see it at all. If you venture out this way, careful of the altitude in certain parts of the Dolomites.

Getting Around

You’ll definitely need a car to get to Val di Funes. It is nowhere near any public transportation.

A side note that, while we didn’t do much there, Trento seemed really easy to get around. It’s a very small town, easily walkable. Parking was not difficult to find outside of the main pedestrian areas. There’s a centrally-located main bus station, too.

Val di Funes Must-See

Saint Johann Church


Our Italy Road Trip Concludes

We walked around for an hour or so in Trento the next morning, but nothing much was open. For anyone who’s interested, there’s [another] castle and [another] cathedral there. There’s a nice downtown area with shops and cafes, and there’s a mausoleum way high above the town on a mountaintop that you can take a funicular to.

After our morning stroll, we drove back to Florence and spent another day there before flying home. The drive from Trento back to Florence was just under four hours. And, thus, concludes our epic Italy road trip.

So, what’s next, you ask? A road trip through the south of Italy, of course. Have you explored this part of Italy much? Any great sights to add? Comment away, friends.

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