Hey guys just going to run our itinerary by y'all. We will be arriving in Venice on 9/26 for 3 nights at an Airbnb (no tours booked yet) and the will be taking the train (no clue which one) to our Airbnb in Lido di Ostia for 4 nights. We wanted to end our 3 week European adventure relaxing but yet be close to Rome to continue the tourist thing. Have any of you stayed in this area before? If so, any recommendations? It looks like we are about a 35-40 min train ride to Rome and hope that's doable to see the major sites. Also, my understanding is that there is an au natural beach close to Lido di Ostia, has anyone went there before? Thoughts? Thank you
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11877 posts
Ostia to Rome is at least 2 if not 3 different conveyances and will be at least an hour each way. Really not a good choice to be based for seeing the sites in Rome.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33820 posts
Your time to Rome from Lido di Ostia is deceptive. You will be at the end of an all-stops commuter train which ends at Piramide station on the southern outskirts of Rome. From there you still need a tram or bus or Metro (and then bus) to get you anywhere interesting to most tourists so plan on doubling or more the time you think it will take. Sorry.
Have a look at the map of suburban trains around Rome provided by ATAC - the Rome transport system - at https://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4 You will be staying down to the bottom left of that map near, presumably, one of the end stations of the dark grey line. Note that that line ends at Piramide/Ostiense where you need to change. Be careful of pickpockets on the escalators - personal experience.
Fairly decent description of the suburban trains at https://www.rometoolkit.com/transport/rome_train.htm
Posted by
OP
Arkansas
11 posts
Well crap, this certainly puts a damper on things now. Will have to reevaluate our lodging, especially since we will be taking some early morning tours. Would having a car help out at all? We had considered renting a car at the end of our Venice portion and just driving to Lido di Ostia?
Posted by
Reno, Nevada
1025 posts
I have stayed in Lido di Ostia and it is a slog into Rome. If the beach is what attracts you, plan a day trip there from your digs in downtown Rome. You'll enjoy the Rome experience better.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16538 posts
goofyernurse, if you want to see Rome then I would stay IN central Rome and just do a day trip to the beach if time allows. As the others have said, Lido di Ostia would be a slog for multiple day trips into the city, and most of what you're going to want to see is IN or closer to the historic center. You can relax in Rome just as easily as you can elsewhere, sans a beach to do it on, of course.
Aside from just the time you'd spend getting in and out (and no, I personally do not think a car would help), you would be a long way from 'home' if you forgot something at your accommodations or might otherwise want/need to stop by during the day.
With 4 accommodation nights and coming from Venice, you'll have 3.5 days to sightsee Rome: minimum for scratching the surface of a city with a great deal to offer, IMHO. It's also great fun to walk at night when the piazzas, monuments and whathaveyou are lit up: well worth staying front-and-center for! Same for early mornings before things get busy.
Posted by
11569 posts
Yes, stay IN Rome. Why commute from a distance? You will miss so much of Rome that way plus waste a lot of time and money commuting.
Posted by
OP
Arkansas
11 posts
Thank you all. I'll be changing our lodging today so that we will have better access to Rome. And I wish we had more time in Italy, but this is all we could plan for on this trip.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11776 posts
And it isn’t beach season in late September either. It would probably be warm enough for you, but the beach establishments will be buttoned up and limited services available, au natural or not.
Posted by
los angeles, ca, usa
4 posts
Hello I would highly recommend Yes Hotel in Rome by Termini is walking distance. Very accessible to major sites and very good breakfast and they even have a happy hour for the guest wine and appetizers for free. Book with them directly for better pricing. Friendly staff they will help you as much as they could.
Enjoy your stay. Good luck
Posted by
616 posts
Should you want to stay near the Vatcan
There is this very nice bed. and breakfast managed by two nice guys. When going to Rome in that neigborhood, i like to go there. They speak English. Vatican is 800 m from there.(1/2 a mile)
The name is Art in Vatican. I think you can find them on bookings. Before their name was Home@Rome.
Posted by
679 posts
Hi GoofyerN,
We too, have stayed in that area. It has very limited charms, except if you were going to visit the nearby Ostia Antica archaeological site (don't remember a nude beach).
Better to stay in Rome proper. Maybe check out the Monti neighbourhood, which is less touristy and more residential.
Some poster here, a Canadian if memory serves, posted a trip report wherein the final section described Monti in detail. Title was 'Bella Puglia'. Have a great trip!
I am done. The end.