The Perfect 7-Day Italy Itinerary: Rome & the Amalfi Coast
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Most people planning their first trip to Italy try to do too much — Rome, Florence, Venice, the coast, all in a week — and spend the whole trip on trains. We did something simpler and liked it far more: three days in Rome for the history and the food, then four on the Sorrento Coast, using one relaxed base to reach Pompeii, Capri and Positano. No rental car, no hotel-hopping, and no rushing. Here's exactly how the seven days went, and how to do it yourself.
How This Itinerary Works:
The whole trip runs on two bases and the train between them. You spend the first half in Rome, take a fast train south, and settle into Piano di Sorrento — a working town north of Sorrento with its own train station and ferry port — for the second half. From there, everything worth seeing on the coast is a short ride away. You never need a car, and you unpack exactly twice.
Day 1 — Arrive in Rome
Afternoon: Land, get to your accommodation, and don't over-plan. Rome is a lot after a long flight. If you'd rather not sort out taxis or trains straight off the plane, you can book a private airport transfer in advance and have a driver waiting for you.
Evening: An easy first night — a wander through the centro storico, a first plate of pasta, an early gelato.
Day 2 — Ancient Rome
Morning: The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill — Rome's one true must-do, all on a single ticket. Go at opening; by mid-morning the crowds are relentless.
Afternoon: Wander the streets around the Forum — but keep walking past anyone calling out with tours or tickets. Lunch off the main drag.
Evening: Dinner in Trastevere, and the obligatory first cacio e pepe.
Day 3 — Hidden Rome, Then South
Morning: See the other side of the city — the corners the crowds miss. (links to Hidden Corners + leather post)
Afternoon: Grab your bags and head south. The cheapest way is a fast train to Naples, then the Circumvesuviana down to Piano di Sorrento — but hauling luggage on that line is nobody's favorite hour, so if you'd rather go door to door, a private transfer from Naples to the coast takes the hassle out of it.
Evening: First dinner on the coast — 'O Cerasiell, where nothing tops €12 and the bruschetta will change your mind about bruschetta. (links to your restaurants post)
Day 4 — Settle Into the Sorrento Coast
Morning: Walk down to Marina di Cassano and spend the morning at Bagni Tina (about €30 a lounger). Be ready for the stairs.
Afternoon: Explore the town, or take the short train to Sorrento proper.
Evening: A special-occasion dinner — the eight-course tasting menu at Osteria Estoria, €75 and worth every course.
Day 5 — Pompeii
Morning: The Circumvesuviana runs straight to Pompeii — a direct train from your base. Go early; almost no shade.
Afternoon: A few hours is enough. Head back to the coast in the afternoon heat.
Evening: Something easy and local.
Day 6 — Capri
Morning: Ferry from the Piano di Sorrento port — you're on the island in well under an hour.
Afternoon: The Piazzetta, the chairlift up Monte Solaro, and the Blue Grotto if the sea cooperates. (links to your Capri post)
Evening: Ferry back for dinner, rather than paying Capri's island prices.
Day 7 — Positano & Fornillo Beach
Morning: One last ferry toward Positano — skip the crowded main beach for Fornillo.
Afternoon: A long lunch by the water and one final swim.
Evening: Back to base to pack.
Pro Tips — book Rome–Naples tickets ahead; the Circumvesuviana isn't glamorous but it's cheap and frequent; check ferry schedules the week you go; prepare for stairs and sun; ignore anyone who calls out to you; two bases, not five.
