The drive from Rome to Venice takes approximately 5.5 hours if you drive continuously, but this is not how tourists and locals do it. Rome to Venice drive is quite popular and on the way there is one more iconic Italian City that people stop for a day or two – Florence.
If this is your first ever trip to Rome, we suggest you spend a few days in Rome, get a feel of this amazing historic city and then do the drive. Have a look at our 3 day Rome Itinerary in case you are thinking of spending 2 or 3 days in the city; in case you just want to spend 24 hours in the city, you can check out 1 day in Rome itinerary for a better perspective. Now, let’s talk about transportation; we suggest you rent a car – it is the best way to move between the cities with freedom and flexibility. In Rome, tourists pick their rental cars either at the airport or the Rome Termini Station.
Day 1 : Explore Florence
Florence is the most popular city where you can spend a day while driving from Rome to Venice. Florence is the capital city of Italy and is Tuscany region’s highlight. The drive from Rome to Florence takes more than 3 hours and if you feel like, there are a few stops on the way, like Orvieto and Montalcino, that you can use to break the drive.
From the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore the Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Accademia Gallery and David of Michelangelo, this city has some world-class attractions. Check out our ‘One day in Florence‘ itinerary to plan a fabulous day in Florence; it covers all the attractions that you can possibly visit with ease in just a day. The outline of the 24 hour itinerary is given below:
- Begin your city tour at Galleria dell’Accademia
- After Galleria dell’Accademia, hit Mercato di San Lorenzo
- Next visit Mercato Centrale
- Spend the afternoon at Piazza del Duomo
- Piazza della Repubblica
- Fontana del Porcellino, Piazza della Signoria & more
- Piazzale Michelangelo
Where to stay in Florence?
- Novella Italy
- Hotel Pitti Palace al Ponte Vecchio
- Grand Hotel Cavour Florence
Day 2 : A day in Venice
After an amazing stay in Florence, it is time to drive to Venice. Venice is 256.1 km from Florence via A13 route and you will need 2 hr 48 minutes to complete the drive.
On reaching Venice, park the rental car in Piazzale Roma which is the last stop for buses, cars and trains. Piazzale Roma is a square right on the entrance of the city; Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto island are the only places in Venice’s insular urban areas where motor vehicles are allowed. So, park your car in one of these two places and get on a water bus to reach your hotel. Make sure you choose a hotel which is close to the attractions.
St. Mark’s Square
After checking into your hotel, rest for a bit, have something to eat and make your way to St. Mark’s square which is also known as Piazza San Marco. This square is the perfect place to start your Venice itinerary.
There are a lot of places in the Square which are worth visiting. The very first one you should visit is Campanile di San Marco which is a really large bell tower located on the far corner of the square. The views from its top are just awesome!
Next visit Basilica di San Marco; entry to this famous church is free which is a rarity in Venice, however, if you would like to skip the queue, you can buy a ‘skip the line’ ticket for a small price in advance. Most of the places on the square like Doge’s Palace and other churches have an entry fee, so the best thing will be to buy a ticket that covers most of these places, OR join a tour.
After the tour sit down at one of the cafes for a coffee break.
Ponte dell’Accademia
Just 15 to 20 minutes walk from St. Mark Square, it is one of the four bridges in Venice and the only one that spans the Grand Canal. The views from the bridge are quite refreshing; the boats going about with Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute as the backdrop make for great views.
Rialto Bridge
After Ponte dell’Accademia, visit Rialto Bridge which is the oldest and the most famous of all the bridges in Venice. Built in the 12th Century as a pontoon bridge, the present version of the bridge dates back to the 16th century.
After the bridge visit the Rialto market, which is located on the north west of the Rialto bridge. Though The Venice market is known to have started in 1097; there was a fire in 1514 because of which the present line of buildings date back to the 16th century.
Doge’s Palace & the Bridge of Sighs
Doge’s Palace is one of the main Venice attractions that are worth a visit. If it is a part of the previously mentioned guided tour, then well and good, otherwise you can book the tickets in advance.
Right next to the palace is the Bridge of Sighs. This bridge links the palace with Rio di Palazzo which once used to be a prison. It was used to take the prisoners from the palace to the prison; its name is said to have originated from the idea that while crossing the bridge prisoners used to sigh before being executed or imprisoned.
Floating markets in Venice
While in Venice, make time for at least one floating market. At one time, there used to be a lot of floating markets in Venice, but at present there are not as many.
We suggest the one in Dorsoduro; this floating fruit barge is really close to Campo San Barnaba;if not that there is one in Via Garibaldi, sestiere Castello.
Murano & Burano
Venice’s floating market is worth a quick stop after which you should visit the 4 most popular parts of Venice (out of 118 islands). Burano’s 4 islands and their colourful houses and slightly more laid back feel.
There are also Murano and Torcello islands; just make sure you include at least a few places that are beyond the central area.
Where to stay in Venice?
- Ca’ dell’Arte
- Ca’ dei Polo