2026-09-10 ~ Italy and Slovenia | dolomites-italy

Before You Go

• Get your travel insurance
• Get your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for the UK
• Get essential travel apps and stay in touch
• Order your travel essentials
• Colosseum Tickets from the official website can be purchased 30 days prior.
  • Decide what type of ticket or tour. Tickets are extremely limited.
  • If you want tickets only, I have to try at midnight Rome time 30 days prior as they often sell out within minutes.

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⚠️ Risk of Travelling with Luggage in Rental Cars

It is risky to leave luggage in a rental car in Italy, but the level of risk depends on where you park, what is visible, and how long the car is unattended. Theft from parked cars is a known issue in Italy’s major cities and tourist corridors.

Where the risk is highest:

• Tourist hotspots with large parking lots where thieves know travelers leave bags.
• Unattended open-air lots or quiet streets with low foot traffic.
• Rental cars, which are easy to identify and often contain valuables.
• Southern regions and major cities, where car break-ins are more frequently reported.

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Slovenia, Dolomites & Italy Highlights

27 days exploring lakes, mountains, hill towns, and iconic cities from Venice to Rome and back again.

Route Overview

CVG → Venice → Ljubljana → Lake Bled → Cortina → Suisi Area → Padua → Venice → Sorrento & Amalfi → Rome → Siena & Hill Towns → Florence → Venice → CVG

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Days 1–5 · Arrival & Lake Bled

Fly into Venice, settle into Slovenia, and soak up the calm beauty of Lake Bled.

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Day 1 · Wed 9/16 · CVG

Depart from CVG for Venice.

Day 2 · Thu 9/17 · Venice → Ljubljana

Arrive in Venice in the morning, transfer to Ljubljana. Overnight in Ljubljana.

Day 3 · Fri 9/18 · Ljubljana → Lake Bled

Morning drive to Lake Bled, lake tour and boat ride.

Day 4 · Sat 9/19 · Lake Bled

Morning gorge hike and afternoon lake bike ride.

Day 5 · Sun 9/20 · Lake Bled

Castle tour in the morning, free time in the afternoon.

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Days 6–10 · Dolomites & Suisi Area

Head into the Dolomites for hikes, huts, and sweeping alpine meadows.

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Day 6 · Mon 9/21 · Bled → Cortina

Morning hike to Tre Cime, hike to a mountain hut in back, then drive to Cortina.

🧭 The overall route at a glance

Bled → Tre Cime (Rifugio Auronzo trailhead): Driving is the fastest and most flexible option. The road distance from Bled to Cortina is about 222 km, taking roughly 3 hours 10 minutes under normal conditions. Tre Cime sits just before Cortina when approaching from the east, so stopping to hike before checking into your Cortina hotel fits perfectly.

🥾 Suggested day plan from Bled

• Leave Bled early (around 6:00–7:00) to reach Tre Cime before crowds.
• Drive to Misurina, then up the toll road to Rifugio Auronzo.
• Hike the Tre Cime loop (3.5–4 hours at a relaxed pace).
• Optionally visit Lago Misurina or Lago d’Antorno on the way down.
• Continue to Cortina and check into your hotel for the night.
• Tre Cime → Cortina d’Ampezzo: After the hike, about 45–55 minutes to Cortina.

Drive to Tre Cime

Day 7 · Tue 9/22 · Cortina → Suisi Area

Morning hike in Cortina, then drive to the Suisi area.

Day 8 · Wed 9/23 · Suisi Area

Drive to the Toccaccia area, gondola up to Seiser peak.

Day 9 · Thu 9/24 · Suisi Area

Gondola to the top of Seisi meadows and a Cicada bike ride.

Day 10 · Fri 9/25 · Suisi → Padua

Drive via Verona (Colosseum and lunch), then on to Padua for dinner near the theater.

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Days 11–16 · Padua, Venice & Amalfi Coast

Return to Venice, then head south for Capri, Amalfi, and Sorrento.

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Day 11 · Sat 9/26 · Padua → Venice → Amalfi

Drive to Venice, return the car, fast train to the Amalfi Coast. Evening arrival.

🧭 Recommended route (fastest & easiest)

1. Bus from Marco Polo Airport → Venezia Mestre
2. Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train → Napoli Centrale
   • Review Travel on Trenitalia for information.

Check the partenze. Partenze means departures in Italian, whereas Arrivi means arrivals. Find your train number under the Partenze column and go to the correct platform for your departure. Knowing your train number is key because the Partenze will display the final destination of the train. If you are traveling from Florence to Rome, your train might actually keep going to Naples – so it will be Napoli which shows on the board. If you keep watching, all of the stops will scroll by in the smaller letters next to the main destination.

The hotel is situated on Lungomare dei Cavalieri, 16 on the seafront. Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, the bus station and the port are walking distance from the hotel. A three-night stay in a partial sea view room with breakfast included is $1,264.

Day 12 · Sun 9/27 · Sorrento & Capri

Morning boat to Capri, Blue Grotto, evening in Amalfi.

Day 13 · Mon 9/28 · Amalfi

Open day to explore Amalfi, Sorrento, or nearby villages.

Day 14 · Tue 9/29 · Sorrento & Amalfi Coast

Ferries and coastal time, Amalfi Coast boat experience.

Day 15 · Wed 9/30 · Amalfi

Day trip to Pompeii and Naples.

Day 16 · Thu 10/1 · Sorrento → Rome

Drive from Sorrento to Rome, return rental.

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Days 17–20 · Rome

Four days in Rome for churches, ancient sites, and underground history.

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Day 17 · Fri 10/2 · Rome

Morning tour in Rome, including St. John Vianney and Pilate’s stairs.

Day 18 · Sat 10/3 · Rome & Vatican

Vatican-focused day.

Day 19 · Sun 10/4 · Rome

Explore the Roman Forum and surrounding sites.

Day 20 · Mon 10/5 · Rome

Visit the catacombs and additional Roman highlights.

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Days 21–24 · Siena & Hill Towns

Shift into slower hill-town days with Siena, Assisi, Cortona, and more.

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Day 21 · Tue 10/6 · Rome → Siena Area / Hill Town

Morning in Rome or travel to the Siena area, with options for Assisi and Cortona.

Day 22 · Wed 10/7 · Hill Town

Hill town day with Siena and surrounding countryside.

Day 23 · Thu 10/8 · Hill Town

Explore Montecchio and nearby villages.

Day 24 · Fri 10/9 · Siena → Florence → Venice

Morning drive to Florence, sightseeing, then train to Venice. For a day trip to Florence, the easiest plan is to park just outside the ZTL and walk or take a short tram ride into the historic center.

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Days 25–27 · Venice & Departure

End the journey with classic Venice: canals, glass, and St. Mark’s.

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Day 25 · Sat 10/10 · Venice

St. Mark’s and central Venice highlights.

Day 26 · Sun 10/11 · Venice

Glass blowing and lagoon islands.

Day 27 · Mon 10/12 · Venice → CVG

Morning departure from Venice at 11:00 AM, arrive CVG and sleep in your own bed.