Rome first
Fly into Rome and out of Venice if the fares allow it.
- Every train leg moves you north — no backtracking
- Needs an open-jaw ticket: in at Rome, out of Venice
- Ends in Venice, where hotel nights can be the priciest
Italy route planner
Rome, Florence and Venice: which order works best?
The three cities are linked by frequent high-speed trains, so the trains rarely decide the route. What does: which airport you land at, whether you fly home from a different city, and how seven nights are split.
The short answer
Venice first
Reverse it if fares into Venice are lower.
- Same three train legs, just in the other direction
- Ends in Rome, which tends to have the most flights home
- Compare both open-jaw fares before you choose
For seven nights, Rome 3 + Florence 2 + Venice 2 is a good first version to test. Then reverse it, and add a round trip that returns to Rome so you can see exactly what the shortcut costs.
A 7-night comparison
Three versions worth putting side by side.
Rome to Florence takes roughly 1.5 hours by high-speed train and Florence to Venice roughly 2 hours. The decision is not the train; it is which airports you use and whether you end up back where you started.
Rome → Florence → Venice by high-speed train
Option AOpen-jaw
Rome 3 + Florence 2 + Venice 2
7 nights totalFly into Rome, out of Venice. Two train legs, no backtracking.
Option BReverse
Venice 2 + Florence 2 + Rome 3
7 nights totalThe same trains the other way. Worth testing if fares into Venice or out of Rome are better.
Option CRound trip
Rome 3 + Florence 2 + Venice 2, then back to Rome
7 nights totalYou leave from the airport you arrived at, but need an extra train of roughly 4 hours from Venice on the last day.
Before you choose
Four things can flip the order.
The cheapest route on paper is not always the easiest one. Check these before you commit.
Factor
Rome → Venice
Venice → Rome
Decision
Flights
In at Rome, out of Venice
In at Venice, out of Rome
Price both open-jaw directions. Sometimes a round trip is cheaper even with the extra train.
Train legs
Rome–Florence–Venice
Venice–Florence–Rome
The legs are the same, so train time rarely decides the direction. Fares and departure times might.
Pace
Big city first, calmer finish
Calm start, big city last
Put the stop you care about most where you will have the most energy.
Backtracking
None
None
Only a round trip needs the extra Venice–Rome train, roughly 4 hours.
Test open-jaw before backtracking
Flying into Rome and out of Venice avoids a roughly 4-hour train back. If the open-jaw fare is close to a round trip, it is worth testing first; if it is much higher, compare the round trip.
Split the nights by what each city needs
Rome usually needs more time than Florence or Venice, which many visitors cover in two nights each. Moving one night changes the hotel total more than it changes what you see, so compare the totals.
A day trip can replace a stop
Florence works as a base for Tuscany day trips, and one night in Venice often covers the main sights. Add a night only where the extra time buys something you would miss.
Check train times before fixing the dates
High-speed trains run often, but the cheapest fares sell out first and station transfers add time. Pick departure times before you lock hotel check-outs.
Don’t guess the order
Compare your trip — freePut both directions and the round trip side by side.
Use your real dates and fares. The simplest route may not be the cheapest one.
Note: Not a sponsored ranking — see our affiliate disclosure.
Planning note: Train times, fares and flight options change by season and operator. Check the exact schedule for your dates before finalizing hotel nights.