10 Days in Italy - 5 Food & Wine Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Food & Wine in Italy: Bologna, Florence & Rome

Travelers who prefer to explore at their own pace will appreciate the opportunities for self-guided tours on this highlights itinerary. In addition to free time to visit each city's famous sites, including the iconic Colosseum in Rome and Michelangelo's "David" in Florence, you'll also enjoy a Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto tasting in Parma, a wine tour in Tuscany, and a pizza-making class in Rome. 

On arrival in Rome, catch a train to Bologna and head for the Quadrilatero, a popular gastronomy neighborhood where you can sample street food. Then, freshen up for dinner at a local restaurant where you can try tortelloni in brodo (meat-filled pasta served in broth) and other typical Bolognan cuisine. The next day, take the train to Parma for a tasting of the city's famous exports, Prosciutto Crudo di Parma and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, followed by a lunch at a family-run trattoria. Spend Day 3 exploring Bologna at your own pace, visiting art museums, markets, and historic churches.

Next, take the train to Florence for a self-guided tour of Il Duomo and other iconic sites, ending with a sunset aperitivo (an aperitif and small bites) at a rooftop bar, such as Il Continentale. The following day, tour the Tuscan countryside, visiting the medieval village of San Gimignano and tasting wine in the rolling Chianti Hills. Catch a train to Rome on Day 7 for a self-guided tour of the ancient ruins and art museums, followed by a pizza-making masterclass. Enjoy a free day before departure to do as you please, perhaps indulging in one last pasta dish in the Monti neighborhood or sampling calamari fritti (fried squid) in Ostia. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Tastes of Southern Italy: Rome, Naples & Sorrento

Head south to experience the cuisine of Rome, Naples, and Sorrento on this foodie-focused tour. You'll get acquainted with Rome's architecture and aperitivo culture on an evening tour, learn how to prepare the perfect pasta in a cooking class, try your hand at pizza making in Naples, visit ancient ruins in Pompeii, and meet artisanal producers of olive oil, cheese, and limoncello in Sorrento. 

See Rome by night on an evening aperitivo tour that includes fried artichokes in the Jewish Quarter and a stop at the market in Testaccio. The next day, visit the Roman Forum and Colosseum on a VIP tour, then learn the art of pasta-making in a culinary workshop. On your final day in Rome, join a guided tour of the Vatican, followed by a self-guided tasting adventure in the Prati, Trastevere, and Testaccio neighborhoods. Take the train to Naples on Day 4, where you'll nibble cuoppo di pesce fritti (cones of fried fish) and other street food before perfecting your pizza skills in a Neapolitan pizza masterclass.

Head to Sorrento, stopping in Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius National Park to visit ancient ruins and taste local wines en route. Then, board the ferry to Capri, where you can stroll the Old Town, sample gelato, and take the chairlift to Mount Solaro for sweeping views and photo ops. Back in Sorrento, meet artisanal producers and enjoy tastings of olive oil, cheese, and limoncello. Cap off your trip with a private tour of the hilltop villages of the Amalfi Coast that includes free time for shopping handcrafted souvenirs, a stop at the 13th-century Villa Rufolo, and a farewell dinner in Positano. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Food & Wine in Bologna, Verona, Milan & Turin

Sticking to the country's north, this food and wine trip is an excellent choice for fashion-savvy travelers interested in adding a shopping trip in Milan to their culinary journey. You'll sample street food in Bologna and Turin, participate in a pasta-making class and shop in Italy's fashion capital of Milan, and enjoy wine tastings in the Valpolicella region and Langhe Hills.

On arrival in Milan, board a train to Bologna, a culinary capital and Europe's oldest university town. Stroll around the Piazza Maggiore, visit the towers of the Due Torri, and sample street food at the Quadrilatero market before sitting down to a traditional Bolognan dinner of tagliatelle al ragù (a popular pasta dish with meat, vegetables, and herbs). The next day, you'll visit Bologna's art museums and churches before heading to Parma for a prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese tasting, followed by lunch in a family-run trattoria.

Then, take a train to Verona, famous for its opera and as the setting for Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." After a tour of the city, you'll venture to the Valpolicella region, where you'll taste some of the region's best reds, like amarone and Valpolicella. Next, return to Milan for a pasta-making masterclass and an afternoon of shopping in the city's famous fashion district. Continue to Turin for a guided tasting tour of the Porta Palazzo, Europe's largest open-air market, and the city's bakeries and confectioners before wrapping up your journey with a private wine experience in Langhe Hills. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Food & Wine in Verona, Lake Garda, Padua & Treviso

Honeymooners and travelers interested in pairing culinary experiences with a bit of art and architecture in romantic settings of Italy's north will enjoy this alternative food and wine itinerary. You'll visit some of the sites in Verona that inspired "Romeo and Juliet," learn the secrets of preparing the perfect risotto, check out the Castillo Scaligero fortress on a tour of Lake Garda, indulge in a fish dinner in Sirmione, taste regional wines and olive oil in the Euganean Hills, marvel at the mosaics in Saint Mark's Basilica and watch the sunset from the Ponte dell'Accademia bridge in Venice, and toast your journey with a tour along the Prosecco Route in Treviso.

After landing in Venice, you'll take a train to Verona, where you'll have free time to visit popular sites, such as the Roman amphitheater and Casa di Giulietta, a source of inspiration for Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," and prepare pasta and risotto in a cooking class. Next, you'll head to Lake Garda for a guided tour that includes a stop at the Castillo Scaligero fortress, followed by free time to taste local specialties such as formagella di tremosine (a semi-hard cheese) and sbrisolona (a crumble cake). Save room for dinner in Sirmione; there's fresh trout and risotto di pesce (fish risotto) on the menu.

Then, catch a train to Padua, where you'll admire the Basilica di Sant'Antonio's blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Byzantine architecture, take a walk in the Orto Botanico, and taste regional wines and olive oil in the Euganean Hills. On a day trip to nearby Venice, you'll have a chance to see the mosaics at Saint Mark's Basilica, partake in the Venetian cicchetti (the local version of tapas) experience, and watch the sunset from the Ponte dell'Accademia bridge. Finally, spend the last leg of the journey in Treviso—treasure hunting in vintage shops and sampling Prosecco alongside a local sommelier. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Discover the Tastes of Salento & Southern Puglia

Travelers eager to experience the agritourism, cuisine, and archaeological wonders of Puglia and Salento (regions in the heel of the "boot") will appreciate this itinerary of Italy's south. You'll tour a pasta factory and make your own pasta in Andrano, spot marine life at Zinzulusa Seacaves, visit historic landmarks in Gallipoli and trulli houses in Alberobello, savor local flavors in olive oil and burrata tastings, explore the Sassi cave system and archaeological wonders in UNESCO-listed Matera, and more. 

Your driver will meet you in Salento and transfer you to Andrano, where you'll kick off your culinary adventures with an olive oil tour and tasting. Next, you'll embark on a guided walking tour of the historic churches and Baroque architecture of Lecce, followed by a visit to a traditional pasta factory in Maglie and a farmhouse dinner back in Andrano. Take a day trip to Otranto, where you'll try orecchiette con cima di rappa (pasta with broccoli, garlic, and chili), soak in the natural pools of Marina Serra, pick up ingredients at the market in Porto Badisco, and prepare fresh pasta in a cooking class.

Hit the road for a guided day trip that includes a stop at the prehistoric Zinzulusa Seacaves on the Ionian Coast and a tour of Angevin Fortress and other historic landmarks in Gallipoli. Visit the fairytale-style trulli houses in UNESCO-listed Alberobello, then continue to Ostuni, where you'll admire 18th-century art at the Gothic cathedral. Gain a deeper appreciation for the flavors of Puglia with a Salento cooking class and burrata tasting in Maglie. Wrap up your trip in Matera, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, where you'll explore cave churches and archaeological wonders and celebrate with a farewell dinner. Learn more

More Great 10-Day Italy Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Italy? Check out these other 10-day Italy itineraries, with outdoor adventures, culinary trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.