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Florence or Rome?

Florence and Rome side by side: recommended length, best time, daily budget, highlights and which one suits whom.

The tiled dome of the Duomo in Florence

Italy

Florence

A city you can walk. A museum does not have to take the whole day.

Country
Italy
Recommended length
2 days
Best time
May and September
Daily budget
110–170 €
Language
Italian
Currency
Euro (€)

Highlights

  • One museum, a long walk
  • An Oltrarno afternoon
  • A shared table in the evening

Neighbourhoods

  • Oltrarno — Around Santo Spirito is the right address for the evening.
  • Santa Croce — A breath away from the Duomo crowds, with a simpler walk home at night.

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The arches of the Colosseum against a blue sky

Italy

Rome

Layer upon layer. Hurry, and it all blurs.

Country
Italy
Recommended length
3–4 days
Best time
April and October
Daily budget
110–170 €
Language
Italian
Currency
Euro (€)

Highlights

  • The Colosseum in the first hour
  • One long evening in Trastevere
  • Two streets back from the fountain

Neighbourhoods

  • Monti — Within walking distance of the ancient center, with an evening that breaks into smaller shops.
  • Trastevere — The far bank of the river. Come for dinner, and save the market for the heat of midday.
  • Prati — A sensible base if your day is the Vatican. The night is quieter.

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Which one for whom?

Why Florence?

The Duomo is your compass. Florence itself slows down across the river, among the workshops.

Florence looks small, and the day disappears, because every corner calls you through another door. Choose one museum and leave the rest for the next trip.

Why Rome?

Two full days for the ancient city, one afternoon for a single neighborhood. Rome opens with pace, not with a list.

You can love Rome in three days. You cannot finish it. The Colosseum asks for a morning. Stay in the same district all afternoon and you wear out the stone, and yourself.

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More tools

01Do I need a visa?Where Turkish passport holders go visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an e-visa.Open →02Budget calculatorPick days, people and pace; see the group total and the per-person figure.Open →03When to goA month-by-month calendar. Which month for which country, which country for which month.Open →05Trip routesRoutes the editors built day by day, with length, pace and an estimated budget.Open →