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5 Days in Rome and Florence: the Colosseum, the Vatican, Pompeii, David and Tuscany (with Tour Prices Compared)
A first-timer's plan for people heading to Italy this November or December: three nights in Rome for the Colosseum, the Vatican, a Trastevere food tour and a day at Pompeii, then two nights in Florence for Michelangelo's David and a Tuscan hill-town day. Every paid stop is a tour we compared across booking sites, and the gaps are free time. The Rome-to-Florence train on day 4 isn't included (fare and journey time not checked, unverified).
Day 1: the Colosseum and a Trastevere food tour
- Morning: Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. This Viator guided tour was the cheapest we saw, from $51.39 (4.5 from 620). The most-reviewed option is Crown Tours on GetYourGuide, from $55 (was $69; 4.8 from more than 93,000 reviews). Klook sells a priority-access Colosseum tour; its price wasn't shown. The arena floor costs extra on most tours, and every traveler's full legal name is checked against ID at the gate.
- Afternoon: free. Walk from the Forum toward Piazza Venezia, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona at your own pace (opening hours and any entry fees not checked, unverified).
- Evening: Twilight Trastevere food tour. Eating Europe's four-hour tour with wine was cheapest on GetYourGuide, from $117 (4.9 from 871), against $119.03 for the same tour on Viator (4.9 from 6,754) and US$148.49 on Klook. It replaces dinner.
- Cheaper food tour: GetYourGuide's three-hour Ultimate Trastevere Food Tour was from $66 (was $96; 4.8 from 451).
Day 2: the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's
- Morning: Vatican guided tour. Viator's skip-the-line group tour was by far the cheapest, from $22.89 (15,619 reviews), against US$89.09 for Klook's Vatican and St. Peter's tour (4.5 from 114). GetYourGuide's Enjoy Rome tour (4.3 from about 86,000 reviews) is another option; we didn't re-check its price. Don't plan this for a Wednesday morning if the basilica matters to you: one listing notes St. Peter's is closed then for the Papal Audience.
- Afternoon: free. Walk along the river to Castel Sant'Angelo and back into the old center. A half day on your feet at the Vatican is plenty.
- Evening: free. Early dinner; tomorrow is a long day.
Day 3: Pompeii day trip from Rome
- All day: Pompeii. GetYourGuide's Pompeii day trip was cheapest, from $78 (4.6 from 5,980), with Vesuvius and lunch as options. Klook's Pompeii day trip was from US$89.49 (4.4 from 18). Expect roughly 9 to 13 hours, so check how much time you get inside the site.
- Want the coast too? Viator's Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano trip was from $124.76 (4.5 from 7,226).
- Evening: free. You'll be back late (return time varies by tour, unverified).
Day 4: to Florence and Michelangelo's David
- Morning: train to Florence. Not included in our prices (unverified). Drop your bags and walk to the Duomo square.
- Afternoon: Accademia Gallery guided tour. GetYourGuide's one-hour tour with timed entry was cheapest, from $49 (4.7 from 4,802), against $61.00 for Viator's Accademia tour (4.9 from 410). Klook's guided tour showed no price. Pick a time slot that leaves room for a late train.
- Evening: free. Cross the Ponte Vecchio and, if the weather's clear, walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the city.
Day 5: Siena and San Gimignano
- All day: Tuscan hill towns. Viator's Siena and San Gimignano day trip was cheapest, from $56.08 (4.7 from 416). Check what's included before you compare.
- With lunch and wine: GetYourGuide's coach day trip was from $80 (was $89; 4.6 from 4,288) and includes a three-course winery lunch and a tasting; reviews say it can feel rushed. Klook's version with six tastings was from US$127.69 (new, no reviews yet).
- Evening: free. A last dinner in Florence.
Rough cost per person
| Item | Cheapest site | From |
|---|---|---|
| Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill guided tour | Viator | $51.39 |
| Twilight Trastevere food tour with wine (Eating Europe) | GetYourGuide | $117 |
| Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's group tour | Viator | $22.89 |
| Pompeii day trip from Rome | GetYourGuide | $78 |
| Accademia Gallery guided tour, Florence | GetYourGuide | $49 |
| Siena and San Gimignano day trip from Florence | Viator | $56.08 |
| Total, paid tours | about $374 |
That's $51.39 + $117 + $22.89 + $78 + $49 + $56.08 = $374.36 in "from" prices (US dollars), before taxes, fees, meals outside the tours, drinks, tips, hotels and the Rome-to-Florence train. The $66 food tour instead of the Twilight tour brings it to about $323. Adding the Amalfi Coast to Pompeii (the $124.76 Viator trip) adds $46.76, and the Tuscany day with winery lunch ($80) adds $23.92.
Skip if…
- Skip Pompeii if you'd rather not spend a 9-to-13-hour day mostly on a coach, or you're traveling with little ones. Use the day for Rome at your own pace instead.
- Skip the Twilight food tour if you're on a budget; the $66 three-hour Trastevere tour covers the same neighborhood.
- Skip Venice and Etna on a 5-day trip. Venice works better with two or three days of its own: a shared Grand Canal gondola ride was from $42 and the Murano, Burano and Torcello boat tour from $23 on GetYourGuide. Mount Etna (from $67) leaves from Catania in Sicily.
A note on the season: short days, rain and the holidays
The light goes early in November and December, so the big sights are booked in the mornings here and the evenings are kept for food and walks. Museums like the Vatican and the Accademia make good rainy-day bookings, and most tours run rain or shine, so pack a layer. Around Christmas and New Year, check that the Vatican Museums and other sights are open on your exact dates, since major holidays can change opening days (holiday closures not checked, unverified). Cancellation terms vary: some listings in our comparison were non-refundable, while others allowed free cancellation up to 24 hours or 3 days ahead, so read each listing's terms before you book.
See every price, rating and site side by side, including Venice, Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, in the full Italy tours comparison.