Everyone loves a good weekend! But a weekend in Italy is in a whole different category. There are so many things you could do that it can get overwhelming to even choose a place to visit for just two days. I know because that was me every weekend! Trying to figure out what I could squeeze into two days that wouldn’t be too exhausting. Just so you don’t have the same issues I did I have compiled my top 3 spots that are doable for a weekend trip in Italy.
Pisa
Pisa hands down can be done on a weekend. Honestly, the biggest attraction is, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But you can also do a day pass where you visit all the surrounding historical spots of Pisa. I believe the day pass was only 10 euros and then adding walking up Pisa was an additional 5. But it’s worth it being able to go into the Cathedral, Camposanto, Sinopie Museum, and Opera del Duomo Museum. Then after doing walking of all the attractions there is a nice spot that you can sit on the grass and relax or enjoy a lunch with the views of Pisa right in front of you!
After visiting Pisa there is the center where there are several shops and restaurants you can enjoy. We ended up going to a place called Pisa Da Pizzi & Co which was a spot we found just walking around the center. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a real Italian experience. Then, of course, there is the perfect ending of gelato! La Bottega del Gelato was a great choice for some good gelato to end the day. Honestly, Pisa could be done in one day, however, I stayed the night there since I heard the nightlife was amazing. Which is was! Especially seeing Pisa lit up at night was an experience most miss but I say just find a cheap hotel/hostel and experience it for yourself. You won’t regret it!
Chianti
One of my favorite weekend trips was a wine tour a friend and I did to Chianti. Chianti is a beautiful place up in the Tuscan hills of Italy where you will find several vineyards that produce the Chianti wine you can try in most Florentine restaurants or stores. The tour we did was a day tour where you visit two vineyards and learn about the process of making the wine in the region. Of course, you also get to try some tasty wine options from each vineyard. There is even time at the end to shop, have lunch, or just explore the neighboring towns of Chianti. Each vineyard also gives you the option to purchase their selections of wines before you leave. I enjoyed the Spumante wine which is their version of a Prosecco (sparkling wine). We did the CAF line tour but there were a variety of tours to choose from with different variations of how long they are. I would recommend the day-long tour since you get to see more vineyards and explore different parts of the Tuscan region.
The wine tour is a great choice for a weekend getaway that won’t break the bank and gets you to understand more of the Italian way of making the wine you will most likely start to love once you’re here.
Venice
Finally, my last pick is Venezia, also known as the well-known Venice, Italy! I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Venice is taking a gondola ride. Well, it totally should be the one thing you must do when you get to Venice! A little tip is to book a gondola tour ride in advance and do your research. You can find some great deals on a 30-minute gondola, plus, save some money than spending the average 80 euros it costs to do a ride when you’re there. Aside from riding a gondola, Venice has so much to see and is very doable on a weekend. Since Venice is mostly surrounded by water the parts you can walk to aren’t far from each other. There are plenty of restaurants right on the water where you can have a nice meal. Then, walk less than 10 mins to the alley where you can have a nice meal. Then, walk less than 10 mins to the alley where you can find tons of shopping stores with brands like Coach, Versace, and even other well-known designers all together in the shopping outlet center. There is also the Duomo center where you can see the elegant beauty of Saint Mark’s Basilica cathedral. There are usually spots to sit and eat a meal near the Duomo as well. Sometimes during the day, you can even hear live music playing from a pianist near one of the restaurants in the center.
If there is any place on this list that I would love to go to again, it would be Venice! The views alone were just so breathtaking. It’s something you probably have never seen before. Venice is a definite must to go to and if you have a weekend free I say you could do it no problem with time to relax, watch a beautiful sunset, and eat some delicious gelato by the water.
I hope you get to enjoy one of these great places while you are in Italy. I will say, no matter which one you choose there is nothing like just enjoying a nice day sipping a café, wine, or whatever you enjoy drinking in the beautiful country of Italy.