Country · Rome → Western Med Cruise → Tuscany → Venice → Rome
Italy Grand Tour: A 15-Day Itinerary
June 28, 2026
A 15-day Italy loop built around a 7-night Western Med cruise out of Rome's port, bookended with Rome, Tuscany, Venice, and a beach night before the flight home.
Each hotel and activity below links to its own page — review pages are pre-staged with notes; add your rating + photos + narrative after each visit.
The shape of the trip
| Dates | Where | Lodging |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 28 | Flying USA → Rome on ITA Airways | (overnight flight) |
| Jun 29 – Jul 1 | Rome (2 nights) | Hotel Vatican Chic B&B |
| Jul 1 – Jul 8 | MSC Grandiosa (7 nights) | Seven Nights on MSC Grandiosa |
| Jul 8 – Jul 10 | Tuscany / Florence (2 nights) | Hotel Badia Florentina |
| Jul 10 – Jul 11 | Venice (1 night) | Hotel San Gallo |
| Jul 11 – Jul 12 | Fregene beach, Rome (1 night) | Intorno al Fico |
| Jul 12 | Flying Rome → USA on ITA Airways | — |
Day-by-day
✈️ Day 1 — Sat, June 28: Fly to Rome
Depart on ITA Airways for Rome–Fiumicino (FCO). Overnight in the air.
🇮🇹 Day 2 — Sun, June 29: Arrive Rome + walking day
Land at FCO → Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini → taxi to Hotel Vatican Chic B&B (check-in, drop bags).
Afternoon walk across the Tiber into the centro storico:
- 🏛️ The Pantheon (book entry, aim for golden hour)
- ⛲ Trevi Fountain
- 🪜 Spanish Steps
- 🗺️ Piazza Navona — guided tour
Dinner: trattoria near the Pantheon. Cacio e pepe mandatory.
🏛️ Day 3 — Mon, June 30: Ancient Rome (guided tour)
Combo-ticket day for the three sites that share one €18 entry, valid 24 hours:
Evening: quiet dinner near the B&B. Pack — tomorrow you board.
🚢 Day 4 — Tue, July 1: Civitavecchia + embark MSC Grandiosa
- Check out of Vatican Chic by 11 AM
- Train: Roma Termini → Civitavecchia (~70 min)
- Free port shuttle from the station to the cruise terminal
- Board MSC Grandiosa (online check-in done in advance)
- Depart ~6 PM
⚓ Days 5–10 — July 2–7: Mediterranean cruise
Following the MSC Grandiosa itinerary:
| Day | Date | Port |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Jul 2 | At sea |
| 6 | Jul 3 | Palma de Mallorca, Spain |
| 7 | Jul 4 | Barcelona, Spain |
| 8 | Jul 5 | Cannes, France |
| 9 | Jul 6 | Genoa, Italy |
| 10 | Jul 7 | La Spezia, Italy (gateway to Cinque Terre) |
Excursions to be decided at each port — most likely independent walking + a private guide where it makes sense.
🚆 Day 11 — Tue, July 8: Disembark + train to Tuscany
- Ship docks in Civitavecchia ~7 AM
- Self-disembark for the earliest exit (carry your own bags)
- Train Civitavecchia → Florence (~2.5–3 hours, change in Rome or Pisa depending on schedule)
- Check in at Hotel Badia Florentina
Afternoon: drive / train to the Dolomites for the 🥾 Cascate del Pisciadu hike.
⚠️ Geography note: Cascate del Pisciadu is in the Dolomites (Sella Pass area), north of Tuscany. From Florence it's a long day-trip (~5 hrs each way by car). Worth double-checking logistics or swapping for a Tuscany-proper waterfall if time is tight.
🍷 Day 12 — Wed, July 9: Tuscany day
🚲 Tuscany Bike Tour with Wine & Olive Oil — easy bike loop through Chianti, winery + frantoio (olive oil mill) stops, lunch at a farmhouse. E-bikes available, family-friendly.
Evening: dinner in Florence. Sleep at Badia Florentina.
🚆 Day 13 — Thu, July 10: Train to Venice
Morning train Florence → Venice (~2 hours).
Check in at Hotel San Gallo (steps from San Marco).
Venice in one fast day (these are all walkable from San Gallo):
- ⛪ St. Mark's Basilica
- 🏰 Doge's Palace
- 🐟 Rialto Market — best before 10 AM
- 🚤 Murano & Burano — vaporetto loop
Local moves:
- Traghetto — €2, you stand, you cross the Grand Canal in 30 seconds. Way cheaper than a gondola.
- Vaporetto — public water bus; €9.50 single, €25 for 24-hour pass
- Bacari — small Venetian wine bars serving cicchetti (small plates). Cheaper and tastier than tourist restaurants.
🏖️ Day 14 — Fri, July 11: Train back to Rome + beach finale
Morning train Venice → Rome (~3.5 hours direct).
Check in at Intorno al Fico near Fregene beach, west of Rome.
Plan: beach, slow dinner, early to bed. ~25–35 min from FCO for the morning flight.
✈️ Day 15 — Sat, July 12: Fly home
Transfer to FCO → ITA Airways back to USA.
Packing essentials
- Comfortable walking shoes (cobblestones, ancient ruins, ship decks)
- Light scarf for shoulders in churches (St. Peter's, St. Mark's, Roman churches)
- Smart casual + 1 dressy outfit for ship dining
- Swimsuit + cover-up for ship pool + Palma + Fregene beach
- Refillable water bottle — Rome's nasoni fountains are free and excellent
- Power adapter (Italy: Type F / Type L)
- Day pack with a zipper — pickpockets work tourist zones
- Quick-dry layers for the Dolomites if you do the waterfall hike
Quick budget rough-out (per person, mid-range)
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| ITA Airways round-trip | $1,200–1,800 |
| Hotel Vatican Chic B&B (2 nights) | $260–360 |
| MSC Grandiosa balcony (7 nights, double occ.) | $850–1,400 |
| Hotel Badia Florentina (2 nights) | $400–650 |
| Hotel San Gallo Venice (1 night) | $200–400 |
| Intorno al Fico (1 night) | $150–250 |
| Trains (Civ ↔ Rome, Rome ↔ Florence ↔ Venice ↔ Rome) | $150–250 |
| Rome attractions + Colosseum combo + Navona tour | ~€60 |
| Tuscany bike tour | $90–150 |
| Venice vaporetto pass + entries | ~€50 |
| Food + coffee + gelato (off-ship days) | €60–90/day |
Illustrative — book early, prices vary by season and demand.
Each link above points to a stub post — visit it, log your rating and photos using the + Add review form or by editing the markdown directly. By the time you land back in the US, you'll have a complete reviewed trip log.
Buon viaggio. 🌅🍝🚢
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