EKTA
Gold
2k$36.48 AUD
Italy wellness on a budget
Doing Italy on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Chianti hills cycling route, Terme Tettuccio thermal spa. Activities in this plan start from about $35.
Your 5-day wellness plan for Italy
Where you stayFlorence 3 nightsSaturnia 2 nightsabout 125 km between them
5 days · packed · 3 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $300
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Day 1 Florence
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morning
Chianti hills cycling route
Rolling vineyard roads between Florence and Siena - the classic Tuscan ride, and mostly quiet outside August.
Just turn up -
afternoon
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 -
eveningalso worth doing
Pasta and Gelato Authentic Cooking Class in Florence
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eveningalso worth doing
Pizza and Gelato Making Class in Florence - Fun for Everyone
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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Lunch
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
Giardino dell'Iris
Botanical garden in Italy.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Botanical Garden of Florence
Botanical garden in Italy. Dates from 1545.
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eveningalso worth doing
Chianti Wine Tour from Florence with Tastings
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eveningalso worth doing
Uffizi Gallery timed entry
Just turn up
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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Day 3 Florence
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morningalso worth doing
Mercato Centrale
Market hall in Florence, Italy.
Just turn up -
afternoonalso worth doing
Florence Cathedral
13th-century cathedral in Florence, Italy. Dates from 1296. Italian national heritage.
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eveningalso worth doing
Osteria del Gambero Rosso
Restaurant near Montecatini Terme.
Just turn up -
eveningalso worth doing
Teatro del Silenzio
Italian open air amphitheatre. Dates from 2006. Italian national heritage.
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 Saturnia
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Travel day
Florence to Saturnia
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
Riserva naturale Pescinello
Protected area in Italy (EUAP1012). Dates from 1998.
Just turn up -
evening
Terme di Petriolo
Hamlet of Monticiano.
Just turn up -
evening
Cascate del Mulino thermal pools
Italy's best-known free thermal spring - tiered limestone pools at 37C, open around the clock, no booking.
Just turn up
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Day 5 Saturnia
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morning
Riserva naturale Monte Penna
Natural reserve in Castell'Azzara, Grosseto, Italy. Dates from 1996. Italian national heritage.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Riserva naturale Bosco dei Rocconi
Protected area in Italy (EUAP1009). Dates from 1998.
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eveningalso worth doing
Poggio Civitate
Etruscan archaeological site in Murlo, near Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Dates from 1965.
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eveningalso worth doing
Sovana Cathedral
Church building in Sovana, Italy. Italian national heritage.
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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 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.
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 wellness 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 wellness 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.
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.