An 18-day trip through Rome, Florence, Venice, Bologna and Tuscany is the kind of itinerary many South Africans dream about but few cost out properly. A first-hand account from Travelstart's social media coordinator, Kristine, does the maths: roughly R40,000-R60,000 per person for a comfortable three-week holiday, flights included.
The route works like this: five days in Rome, three each in Florence and Venice, two in Bologna, then a final stretch based in Lucca with day trips to Pisa, Viareggio and the Tuscan wine country. Trains connect the lot, budgeted at R5,000-R8,000 for the full trip. Accommodation for 18 nights lands somewhere between R15,000 and R25,000 if you keep things modest, with food and attractions rounding out the rest.
Practicalities first. South African passport holders need a Schengen visa costing about R2,000, and the paperwork takes time — apply four to six weeks before departure. There are no direct flights between the two countries; the writer flew Ethiopian Airlines from Cape Town to Rome via Addis Ababa and found the short layover and quiet planes made the long haul surprisingly bearable.
Each stop earns its place. Rome is an open-air museum but seriously crowded in summer — the advice is to book Colosseum and Vatican tickets months ahead or queue for hours in the heat. Florence is smaller and walkable, best capped with a sunset among the buskers at Piazzale Michelangelo. Venice was the trip highlight, less for the postcard sights than for getting lost in quiet backstreet neighbourhoods with an Aperol spritz in hand. Bologna is Italy's food capital, though vegetarians should note the traditional dishes lean heavily on pork and cured meats — a shortlist of veggie-friendly spots in Bologna, Florence and Rome helps. Lucca, ringed by intact Renaissance walls, makes a calm base: Pisa is a 25-35 minute train ride, Viareggio's beach 17-25 minutes.
Timing matters. Spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) bring pleasant weather and thinner crowds; autumn doubles as wine harvest season. Summer is hot, packed and expensive, while winter suits skiers and crowd-dodgers. The rand-euro exchange rate stings, but advance bookings, trains and budget stays keep costs in check.
Who is this for? Any South African with Italy on the list who wants a workable plan rather than a Pinterest board. The city order, rough budget lines and visa lead times take most of the guesswork out of a first trip, and the vegetarian tips and crowd-avoidance hacks add practical texture you won't get from a brochure. Start planning early — the visa queue is the first one you'll face.
