How many days do I need in Italy?

This plan can fill up to 10 days from 215 things worth doing across 23 places. Most Australians going to Italy take between five and ten.

Plan a wellness trip to Italy

A wellness trip to Italy mixes restorative days with active ones: Chianti hills cycling route, Terme Tettuccio thermal spa. Choose laid-back for two things a day, or packed for four.

What kind of trip

Wellness Rest, move, and come home better than you left Sightseeing Landscapes, landmarks and the views worth the detour Food and drink Eat where the queue is locals, not tourists Highlights The best of everything, if you have not decided yet

Pace

Laid-back Packed

How long

3 days 5 days 7 days 10 days

How much do you want to spend

Any budget Everything worth doing Budget The cheapest third of what is worth doing Mid-range The middle third, without the extremes Luxury The top third, where the money buys something

Price bands are thirds of what Italy itself charges, not a fixed dollar figure - the cheapest third in Vietnam and in Norway are nowhere near the same number. Flights and accommodation are not included.

Your 5-day wellness plan for Italy

Where you stayFlorence 3 nightsBologna 2 nightsabout 80 km between them

5 days · packed · 8 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $3,032

Day 1 Florence
1. morning
  
  Chianti hills cycling route
  
  Chianti
  
  Rolling vineyard roads between Florence and Siena - the classic Tuscan ride, and mostly quiet outside August.
  
  Just turn up
2. afternoon
  
  Terme Tettuccio thermal spa
  
  Montecatini Terme · from $35
  
  The Art Nouveau bath house that put Montecatini on UNESCO's Great Spas of Europe list in 2021.
  
  Just turn up
3. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Nonna's Lasagna Cooking Class & Florence Local Market Tour
  
  Florence · from $115
  
  Book
4. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Pizza and Gelato Making Class in Florence - Fun for Everyone
  
  Florence · from $72
  
  Book
Where to eat
- 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.
  
  Florence
- Lunch
  
  Enoteca Pinchiorri
  
  Has been awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide in 1993 and 1994 and perennially since 2004.
  
  Florence
Day 2 Florence
1. morning
  
  Giardino dell'Iris
  
  Florence
  
  Botanical garden in Italy.
  
  Just turn up
2. afternoon
  
  Botanical Garden of Florence
  
  Florence · 1.8 km from Giardino dell'Iris
  
  Botanical garden in Italy. Dates from 1545.
  
  Official site
3. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Pasta and Tiramisu Class in Pisa
  
  Pisa · from $159
  
  Book
4. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Hot air balloon experience over Tuscany from Florence
  
  Toscana · from $435
  
  Book
Where to eat
- 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.
  
  Florence · 1.1 km away
Day 3 Florence
1. morningalso worth doing
  
  Teatro del Silenzio
  
  Pisa
  
  Italian open air amphitheatre. Dates from 2006. Italian national heritage.
  
  Just turn up
2. afternoonalso worth doing
  
  Hot air balloon experience with breakfast from Siena
  
  Toscana · from $564
  
  Book
3. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Uffizi Gallery timed entry
  
  Florence · from $45
  
  Just turn up
4. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Pisa and Lucca Private One-Day Tour from Florence
  
  Pisa · from $1,273
  
  Book
Day 4 Bologna
1. Travel day
  
  Florence to Bologna
  
  About 80 km by train · allow around 1h 30m
  
  Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.
  
  Book direct
2. afternoon
  
  Via degli Dei
  
  Bologna
  
  Hiking trail in Italy.
  
  Official site
3. evening
  
  Bologna Hills Panoramic 2-Hour Vespa Tour
  
  Bologna · from $290
  
  Book
4. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Bologna city center walking tour
  
  Bologna · from $43
  
  Book
Where to eat
- Breakfast
  
  Wednesday Market
  
  A daily market, open 6am to 4pm.
  
  Bologna · 9.4 km away
- Lunch
  
  Mensa di Ingegneria
  
  Kitchens under one roof, open 12pm to 2.30pm.
  
  Bologna · 11.9 km away
Day 5 Bologna
1. morning
  
  orto botanico dell'Università di Bologna
  
  Bologna
  
  Botanical garden in Italy. Italian national heritage.
  
  Official site
2. afternoonalso worth doing
  
  Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca
  
  Bologna · 4.9 km from orto botanico dell'Università di Bologna
  
  Church building in Bologna, Italy. Dates from 1194. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  
  Official site
3. eveningalso worth doing
  
  porticoes of Bologna
  
  Bologna · 3.1 km from Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca
  
  Architectural heritage site in Bologna, Italy. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  
  Just turn up
4. eveningalso worth doing
  
  Basilica of San Domenico
  
  Bologna · 1.0 km from porticoes of Bologna
  
  Major church in Bologna, Italy. Dates from 1228. Italian national heritage.
  
  Official site
Where to eat
- Breakfast
  
  Chalet dei Giardini Margherita
  
  A daily market, open 8am to 8pm.
  
  Bologna · 1.0 km away
- Lunch
  
  Mercato Ritrovato
  
  A morning market, open 9am to 2pm.
  
  Bologna · 1.2 km away

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 wellness 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.

Italy visa and entry rules

Passport

Italy wants 3 months of validity beyond the day you leave. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.

Check your passport against this rule

Your checklist

22 things to sort for Italy, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.

Italy travel checklist

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 wellness trip to Italy, compared on price.

Italy travel insurance

EKTA

Gold

Overseas medical expenses to US$150,000No excess to pay on a claimSold per day, so a long trip costs proportionally

$36.48 AUD

View deal

Klook

Travel insurance

Priced per destinationMedical, cancellation and baggageAdventure cover options

Set at quote

Get a quote

Fast Cover Best value

Standard Saver

Overseas medical expensesTrip cancellationLuggage & personal items

$18.10 AUD

Compare only

Italy eSIM plans

Airalo

1GB · 7 days

32k

Works in Italy1GB of data7 days validity

$7.50 AUD

View deal

Saily Cheapest 10GB

10GB · 15 days

Works in Italy10GB of data15 days validity

$13 AUD

View deal

Airalo Recommended

10GB · 15 days

32k

Works in Italy10GB of data15 days validity

$15 AUD

View deal

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.

Wellness trip questions

Is a wellness holiday just spas?

Not here. A wellness plan mixes restorative days - hot springs, spa, bathhouses - with active ones like hiking, cycling, kayaking and open-water swimming, and with studio fitness where it exists. The planner deliberately alternates them rather than booking you four massages in a row.

How far ahead should I book wellness activities?

Spa and onsen slots are the ones that sell out, particularly at weekends and on public holidays. Guided hikes and classes usually have more room. Anything the plan marks as bookable can be held now; the rest you can arrange when you arrive.

Other ways to do Italy

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. Italy highlights itinerary Some rest, some scenery, some good eating. For the trip you have not decided the shape of yet.

Wellness 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 wellness itinerary Australians now need an ETA - this changed in 2025. 🇪🇸 Spain wellness itinerary Visa-free, late-eating, and cheaper than its neighbours. 🇳🇿 New Zealand wellness itinerary Closest to home, easiest to plan. 🇯🇵 Japan wellness itinerary Visa-free, cash-friendly, and worth over-preparing for.

All wellness itineraries

Plan a wellness trip to Italy

Your 5-day wellness plan for Italy

Day 1 Florence

Where to eat

Day 2 Florence

Where to eat

Day 3 Florence

Day 4 Bologna

Where to eat

Day 5 Bologna

Where to eat

Before you fly to Italy

Entry

Passport

Your checklist

Sort these before you go

Italy travel insurance

EKTA

Klook

Fast Cover Best value

Italy eSIM plans

Airalo

Saily Cheapest 10GB

Airalo Recommended

Wellness trip questions

Other ways to do Italy

Wellness trips in other countries