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FL1 regional train Cheapest
Cheaper but doesn't go to Termini - good for Trastevere and Ostiense.
$14 AUD
Italy sightseeing on a budget
Doing Italy on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Florence Baptistery. Activities in this plan start from about $10.
Your 5-day sightseeing plan for Italy
Where you stayFlorence 3 nightsGenoa 2 nightsabout 200 km between them
5 days · packed · 8 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $436
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Day 1 Florence
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morning
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary
Church building in Volterra, Italy.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Florence Baptistery
Baptistery in Florence, Italy. Dates from 1059. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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evening
Chianti Wine Tour from Florence with Tastings
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eveningalso worth doing
Pasta and Gelato Authentic Cooking Class in Florence
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
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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Dinner
Has been awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide in 1993 and 1994 and perennially since 2004.
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Day 2 Florence
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morning
Colle di Val d'Elsa Cathedral
Co-cathedral in Colle di Val d'Elsa, Italy. Dates from 1603.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Baptistery of San Giovanni
Baptistery near Pisa.
Just turn up -
evening
Basilica of Santa Croce
Franciscan church in Florence, Italy. Dates from 1294. Italian national heritage.
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eveningalso worth doing
Pizza and Gelato Making Class in Florence - Fun for Everyone
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Day 3 Florence
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morning
Florence Cathedral
13th-century cathedral in Florence, Italy. Dates from 1296. Italian national heritage.
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afternoon
Palazzo Vecchio
Palace in Florence, Italy. Dates from 1299. Italian national heritage.
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evening
Pistoia Cathedral
Church building in Pistoia, Italy. Dates from 901.
Just turn up -
evening
San Giovanni in Corte Baptistery
Church building in Pistoia, Italy. Dates from 1361.
Just turn up
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Wochenmarkt
A morning market, open 9am to 1pm.
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Day 4 Genoa
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Travel day
Florence to Genoa
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
Aquarium of Genoa ticket and street food tasting
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evening
Genoa City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Ticket
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evening
Aquarium of Genoa, Galata Maritime Museum, Nazario Sauro Submarine combo ticket
Where to eat
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Lunch
Bucazero
Kitchens under one roof, open 7.30am to 4.30pm.
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Day 5 Genoa
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morning
Museum of Illusions ticket in Genoa
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afternoon
Genoa Cathedral
Cathedral in Genoa, Italy. Dates from 1098.
Just turn up -
evening
Opera Carlo Felice Genova
Opera house in Genoa, Italy. Dates from 1826. Italian national heritage.
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evening
Bigo Panoramic Lift ticket in Genoa
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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 sightseeing 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 sightseeing trip to Italy, compared on price.
Italy airport transfers
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Leonardo Express Fastest
Non-stop to Roma Termini. Validate your ticket before boarding.
$25 AUD
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Fixed-fare official taxi
A regulated flat fare of €55 applies to anywhere inside the Aurelian walls. Only use the official white taxi rank.
$90 AUD
Driving in Italy
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Car hire in Italy
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Budget sightseeing 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.
Are the big landmarks worth the queue?
Some are, some are not, and the difference is usually timing rather than the place. Where a timed ticket exists the plan flags it, because the same sight at nine in the morning and at midday are different experiences.
How much sightseeing needs a car?
It depends on the destination, and the plan tells you which items sit outside the main city. If you are driving, check the International Driving Permit rules for the country first - several require one alongside your Australian licence.
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 food itinerary
Markets, cooking classes, wine regions and the places worth planning a day around.
Italy highlights itinerary
Some rest, some scenery, some good eating. For the trip you have not decided the shape of yet.
Sightseeing 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 sightseeing itinerary
Australians now need an ETA - this changed in 2025.
🇪🇸 Spain sightseeing itinerary
Visa-free, late-eating, and cheaper than its neighbours.
🇳🇿 New Zealand sightseeing itinerary
Closest to home, easiest to plan.
🇯🇵 Japan sightseeing itinerary
Visa-free, cash-friendly, and worth over-preparing for.