Veneto: 7-Day Itinerary
Discover Veneto from Verona to Venice over seven full days, combining Lake Garda, Padua, hill towns and the Prosecco Hills. Follow a practical route with three bases and memorable stops from our Veneto hidden gems guide.
Day 1.
Verona
Getting around: Explore Verona on foot; no intercity driving today
Begin with a full day in Verona. Walk from Piazza Bra and the Roman Arena towards Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, then follow the lanes towards the Adige. This route assumes arrival the previous evening; allow an extra arrival day if your journey is long.
Choose one main interior visit, such as the Arena or Castelvecchio Museum, and check its current opening arrangements. The riverside and Ponte Pietra make a rewarding walk between stops. Leave time for lunch and an unhurried evening in the historic centre.
Verona is a well-known destination, so expect crowds around its main sights. Stay near the centre or choose accommodation with straightforward parking and public transport. Keep the car outside restricted streets and save the village outings for tomorrow.
Stay: Verona
Day 2.
Borghetto sul Mincio → Lazise
Driving: Approximately 1½–2 hours in total, excluding visits and traffic delays
Start at Borghetto sul Mincio, the small riverside village beside Valeggio sul Mincio. Explore the lanes, old watermills and views towards the fortified Visconti Bridge. Arrive early for a quieter visit; this picturesque place can be busy, particularly at weekends.
Continue to Lazise on Lake Garda’s eastern shore. Walk through the old town and along the waterfront, allowing time for lunch or a relaxed afternoon by the lake before returning to Verona. Lakeside traffic and parking can add considerably to the journey in summer.
If Malcesine is your priority, give it the whole day instead of combining it with both stops. It lies much farther north on the eastern shore; the castle and, when operating, the Monte Baldo cable car deserve their own time.
Stay: Verona
Day 3.
Montagnana → Arquà Petrarca → Padua
Driving: Approximately 2–2½ hours in total, before parking and sightseeing
Leave Verona for Montagnana. Walk beside its striking medieval walls and through the historic centre, with time for the main square and the Duomo when open. This is a useful first stop on the way towards the Euganean Hills.
After lunch, continue to Arquà Petrarca. Explore the sloping lanes and stone houses, and visit Petrarch’s former home if its opening times fit your day. Wear comfortable shoes: the village is hilly and some streets are cobbled.
Finish in Padua, also called Padova, and settle into your second base for two nights. Leave the evening for a short walk and dinner rather than adding another major attraction. Ask your accommodation where to park and whether its address lies inside a restricted traffic zone.
Stay: Padua
Day 4.
Padua
Getting around: Explore Padua on foot; use local transport where helpful
Give Padua a full day, starting with the Scrovegni Chapel if you have booked a timed visit. Its frescoes by Giotto are a highlight of the city. Use the official visitor information to check booking and arrival requirements, and organise the rest of the day around your slot.
Continue through Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta, beside Palazzo della Ragione, then make your way towards the Basilica of Saint Anthony and Prato della Valle. These stops work well as a walking day with breaks for coffee and lunch.
If you enjoy gardens, allow a separate block of time for the university’s Botanical Garden and check its opening days. Choose the visits that interest you most rather than trying to enter every museum. Return to the same base for a second evening in Padua.
Stay: Padua
Day 5.
Bassano del Grappa → Asolo → Treviso
Driving: Approximately 2–2½ hours in total, excluding stops and parking
Head north to Bassano del Grappa for a morning around the old town and the wooden Ponte degli Alpini over the Brenta. Walk between the riverside and the central squares, leaving time for a coffee or an early lunch.
Continue to Asolo, a hill town with arcaded streets, elegant buildings and views across the surrounding countryside. Explore the centre at an easy pace. The climb towards the Rocca is optional and adds uphill walking; check current access if you want to enter.
Drive on to Treviso for your final base. Choose accommodation with practical parking and access to Treviso Centrale for the Venice outing. If you arrive with time to spare, take a short walk beside the canals or around Piazza dei Signori; otherwise save that for tomorrow evening.
Stay: Treviso
Day 6.
Cison di Valmarino → Prosecco Hills
Driving: Approximately 2–3 hours in total, depending on your hill-country route
Spend the day around Cison di Valmarino and the Prosecco Hills. Begin in the village centre, then choose a short section of the Via dei Mulini if the paths and weather are suitable. CastelBrando rises above the village; treat a castle visit as an optional extra with its own access arrangements.
Nearby Follina makes a natural second stop for the Abbey of Santa Maria. Respect worship and check visitor access. Continue towards Valdobbiadene for vineyard scenery within the wider Conegliano–Valdobbiadene area, recognised by UNESCO for its cultural landscape.
Choose a few stops instead of attempting every village along the Prosecco wine route. Book any winery visit ahead and arrange a non-drinking driver or local transport for tastings. Return to Treviso for dinner and a canalside stroll.
Stay: Treviso
Day 7.
Venice
Travel: Train from Treviso Centrale to Venezia Santa Lucia; explore Venice on foot or by vaporetto
Finish with a full day in Venice. Check current train times and use Venezia Santa Lucia, the station in the historic city, rather than Venezia Mestre on the mainland. Leave the car at your Treviso base and allow time to reach the station at both ends of the day.
Choose a manageable route through Cannaregio towards Rialto, then continue towards San Marco if this is your first visit. Allow generous walking time, as bridges, busy streets and stops along the canals slow the pace. Book major attractions in advance and keep the afternoon flexible.
Before travelling, check the official Venice access-fee portal for the calendar and any payment or exemption requirements for your date. A stay in Treviso does not qualify for the accommodation exemption for guests staying within the Municipality of Venice.
Return to Treviso for a final night, or book an additional stay in Venice if you want more time for museums and lagoon islands. Plan your airport transfer or onward journey separately from this full sightseeing day.
Stay: Treviso; alternatively extend the trip with a Venice stay
Plan your Veneto trip
Seven full days, three bases. Arrive in Verona the evening before Day 1. Stay in Verona for the first two sightseeing days, Padua for Days 3–4 and Treviso for Days 5–7. An arrival night and a final night make this eight nights in total; shorten the first or last day if you have less time.
When to go. May–June and September–early October are appealing for this mix of cities, villages and countryside. Summer can be hot and busy around Venice and Lake Garda. Town visits are possible outside these periods, but opening days, daylight and weather can change how much you fit in. This route does not include high-altitude hiking.
Getting around. A car is useful for the village and vineyard days. Leave it parked during the Verona, Padua and Venice visits. Driving times are planning estimates, excluding sightseeing, parking, queues and detours. Check ZTL restrictions and accommodation access before entering historic centres. Without a car, adapt the trip around Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Treviso and Venice by train, adding rural excursions only when connections work.
Arrival and departure. Verona is a convenient starting gateway; Venice Marco Polo or Treviso may suit departure. Check flight times, airport transfers, car-return locations and any one-way rental charge before booking. Return to Verona requires extra travel time at the end.
Extend or adapt the route. Our Veneto travel guide includes all ten regional hidden gems. Give Molina a separate nature day from Verona, or add Portobuffolé from Treviso. For Feltre and Lake Misurina, add nights nearer the mountains and plan the transfers and seasonal access separately. Continue west with our Lombardia itinerary, or plan a separate alpine week using our Trentino-Alto Adige itinerary.
Veneto Travel Guide
Discover ten hidden gems across Veneto, with medieval villages, lakes, mountain scenery and practical advice for a longer stay.
Lombardia: 7-Day Itinerary
Continue your northern Italy trip with Milan, Lake Como, Bergamo, Lake Iseo and the Lombard shores of Lake Garda.