EKTA
Gold
2k$36.48 AUD
Italy highlights on a budget
Doing Italy on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Castello di Oliveto, Pasta and Gelato Authentic Cooking Class in Florence. Activities in this plan start from about $35.
Your 5-day highlights plan for Italy
Where you stayFlorence 3 nightsBologna 2 nightsabout 80 km between them
5 days · packed · 4 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $298
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Day 1 Florence
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morning
Castello di Oliveto
Castle in Castelfiorentino, Italy.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Pasta and Gelato Authentic Cooking Class in Florence
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evening
Pizza and Gelato Making Class in Florence - Fun for Everyone
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evening
Terme Tettuccio thermal spa
The Art Nouveau bath house that put Montecatini on UNESCO's Great Spas of Europe list in 2021.
Just turn up
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Day 2 Florence
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morning
Florence Charterhouse
Carthusian monastery in Florence, Italy. Dates from 1301.
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afternoon
Castle of Sammezzano
Palace in Reggello, Italy. Dates from 1885.
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evening
Osteria del Gambero Rosso
Restaurant near Montecatini Terme.
Just turn up -
evening
Chianti Wine Tour from Florence with Tastings
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Loggia del Mercato Nuovo
So called to distinguish it from the Mercato vecchio (pronounced [merˈkaːto ˈvɛkkjo]; "Old Market") that used to be located in the area of today's Piazza della Repubblica.
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Lunch
Has been awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide in 1993 and 1994 and perennially since 2004.
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Day 3 Florence
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morning
Mercato Centrale
Market hall in Florence, Italy.
Just turn up -
afternoon
house of Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli's house while in exile. Dates from 1. Italian national heritage.
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evening
piazza del Duomo
Square in San Gimignano, Italy.
Just turn up -
evening
Roman Theatre of Volterra
Ancient Roman theatre in Volterra, Italy.
Just turn up
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Mercato Centrale
The Mercato Centrale (Central Market in English) in Florence is located between via dell'Ariento, via Sant'Antonino, via Panicale and Piazza del Mercato Centrale.
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Day 4 Bologna
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Travel day
Florence to Bologna
Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.
Book direct -
afternoon
orto botanico dell'Università di Bologna
Botanical garden in Italy. Italian national heritage.
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evening
Via degli Dei
Hiking trail in Italy.
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evening
Bologna city center walking tour
Where to eat
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Breakfast
A morning market, open 9am to 2pm.
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Lunch
Mercato di Via Beolco
A morning market, open 8am to 1pm.
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Dinner
Mensa di Ingegneria
Kitchens under one roof, open 12pm to 2.30pm.
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Day 5 Bologna
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morning
Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca
Church building in Bologna, Italy. Dates from 1194. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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afternoon
porticoes of Bologna
Architectural heritage site in Bologna, Italy. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Just turn up -
evening
Mercato delle Erbe
Market near Bologna. Dates from 1950. Italian national heritage.
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evening
San Petronio Basilica
Minor basilica. Dates from 1350. Italian national heritage.
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Chalet dei Giardini Margherita
A daily market, open 8am to 8pm.
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Lunch
Wednesday Market
A daily market, open 6am to 4pm.
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Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the highlights theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in Italy.
Before you fly to Italy
The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are Italy's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.
Entry
No - Australian passport holders can enter Italy without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Passport
Italy wants 3 months of validity beyond the day you leave. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.
Your checklist
22 things to sort for Italy, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.
- Passport valid - valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the schengen area, and issued within the last 10 years
- Take out travel insurance
- Get an International Driving Permit
Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.
Sort these before you go
The two things worth having arranged before a highlights trip to Italy, compared on price.
Italy travel insurance
Klook
Travel insurance
Set at quote
Fast Cover Best value
Standard Saver
9k$18.10 AUD
Compare only
Italy eSIM plans
Airalo
1GB · 7 days
32k$7.50 AUD
Saily Cheapest 10GB
10GB · 15 days
6k$13 AUD
Airalo Recommended
10GB · 15 days
32k$15 AUD
Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.
Budget highlights questions
What counts as budget here?
The lowest-priced third of everything worth doing in that country, measured against that country's own prices rather than a fixed dollar figure. A budget day in Norway and a budget day in Vietnam are not the same number, and pretending otherwise would just describe the exchange rate.
Does a cheaper plan mean a worse one?
No, and the ordering is the same either way: everything is ranked on its review score first, so a budget plan is the best-reviewed cheap things rather than the cheapest things. Flights and accommodation are not included in any of these figures.
What goes into a highlights plan?
It rotates between wellness, sightseeing and food items rather than clustering them, so no single day is three museums or three meals. If you would rather lean one way, switch the theme at the top of the page and the plan rebuilds.
Can I change the plan once it is built?
Yes. Pace and length are controls on the page, and changing either rebuilds the plan instantly. The itinerary is deterministic, so the same choices always produce the same plan - you can send someone the link and they will see what you see.
Other ways to do Italy
Italy wellness itinerary
Hot springs and spa days, but also gyms, yoga, hiking and open water. Rest and movement, not one or the other.
Italy sightseeing itinerary
Coastlines, lookouts, day trips and the landmarks that are actually worth the queue.
Italy food itinerary
Markets, cooking classes, wine regions and the places worth planning a day around.
Highlights trips in other countries
Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom highlights itinerary
Australians now need an ETA - this changed in 2025.
🇪🇸 Spain highlights itinerary
Visa-free, late-eating, and cheaper than its neighbours.
🇳🇿 New Zealand highlights itinerary
Closest to home, easiest to plan.
🇯🇵 Japan highlights itinerary
Visa-free, cash-friendly, and worth over-preparing for.