Trip cost guide

10 days in Italy for two: a real budget, line by line

Rome, Florence, and Venice by high-speed train: three nights in each, a mid-range hotel every time, real restaurant meals twice a day, and the big museums booked ahead. Comfortable rather than luxurious.

Updated September 2026 · Prices in USD · 2 travelers · 10 days · Shoulder season (April to May, or September to October)

Total

$6,760

Per person

$3,380

Per day

$676

Per person, per day

$338

Where the money goes

Flights$1,640
24%
Lodging$1,740
26%
Food & Drinks$1,500
22%
Tours & Activities$470
7%
Local Transport$470
7%
Shopping & Souvenirs$350
5%
Visas & Documents$190
3%
Other & Buffer$400
6%

Flights

$1,640

Economy into Rome and out of Venice, which saves a return train. Open-jaw tickets cost little more than a round trip when booked together.

  • Round-trip economy for twoAbout $750 each from the East Coast in shoulder season. Add $300 to $500 each from the West Coast or in summer.
    $1,500
  • Seat selection and checked bags
    $140

Lodging

$1,740

Central three-star hotels or good B&Bs, double room with breakfast. Venice is the expensive night; sleeping in Mestre saves $60 to $80 a night at the cost of a train ride.

  • Rome, 3 nights$180 a night, Monti or near Campo de' Fiori.
    $540
  • Florence, 3 nights$170 a night, inside the old walls.
    $510
  • Venice, 3 nights$200 a night, Cannaregio or Dorsoduro.
    $600
  • City tourist taxes€3 to €7.50 per person per night, paid at the hotel.
    $90

Food & Drinks

$1,500

About $75 per person per day. Trattoria dinners with a carafe of house wine, standing espresso, gelato daily. Fine dining is not in here.

  • Lunch, 10 days for two$20 each: pizza al taglio, a panino, a plate of pasta.
    $400
  • Dinner, 10 days for two$45 each, including wine and the cover charge.
    $900
  • Coffee, gelato, and aperitivo
    $200

Tours & Activities

$470

Book the Vatican, Uffizi, and Accademia weeks ahead. Timed entry is cheaper than a skip-the-line tour and nearly as fast.

  • Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine, two tickets
    $50
  • Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, two tickets
    $70
  • Uffizi and Accademia, two tickets each
    $100
  • Doge's Palace and St Mark's campanile, two tickets
    $70
  • One food tour or cooking class for two
    $180

Local Transport

$470

Two high-speed legs cover the whole route. Everything else is walking, a few metro rides, and the Venice vaporetto.

  • High-speed trains, Rome to Florence to Venice, two peopleFrecciarossa or Italo, booked 4 to 8 weeks out. Walk-up fares are double.
    $220
  • Airport transfers, both ends
    $90
  • Metro, buses, and vaporetto passes
    $160

Shopping & Souvenirs

$350

Florence leather, Venetian glass, and a bottle or two. Keep receipts over €70 for the VAT refund at the airport.

  • Gifts and souvenirs
    $250
  • Things you did not plan on
    $100

Visas & Documents

$190

US passport holders need no visa for stays under 90 days. The EU's ETIAS travel authorization, about €20 per person, is due to start in late 2026. Check the date before you go.

  • eSIM data, two lines
    $50
  • Travel insurance, two people
    $140

Other & Buffer

$400

Laundry halfway through, a bag left at the station, tips where they are earned, and the museum you add on the last day.

  • Luggage storage, laundry, and tips
    $100
  • Unplanned
    $300

Where it goes up

  • June to August and the weeks around Easter add 30 to 60 percent to hotel rates, and Venice fills months ahead.
  • A fourth stop, or Amalfi and Cinque Terre, adds trains, transfers, and a hotel change: about $600 to $900 for two.
  • Private guides at the Vatican or Uffizi are $250 to $400 per tour.
  • Dinner near St Mark's Square easily doubles a night's food line.

Where it goes down

  • Two cities instead of three saves a train leg and lets you book one better hotel.
  • An apartment with a kitchen cuts dinner costs by a third over ten days.
  • Aperitivo hour, where a $12 drink comes with enough food to be dinner.
  • Regional trains are a quarter of the high-speed fare if you have the time.

Costs people forget

  • The coperto, a $2 to $4 per person cover charge on nearly every restaurant bill.
  • City tourist taxes, paid at the hotel and sometimes cash only.
  • Venice's day-tripper fee on peak days, if you sleep outside the city.
  • Booking fees for timed museum entry, usually $4 to $6 per ticket.
  • Luggage storage between checkout and a late train.

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