Day Trip from Rome ?

We have done Ostia Antica and Orvieto as day trips and enjoyed both... very different however. There are a few other good options as well we have not tried. Orvieto was a little bit of a push but not too bad if you depart Rome somewhat early. (Its about an hour train ride but by the time you get there... catch the funicular and walk up into town it can take a couple hours each way)

Hadrian's villa and/or the gardens at Villa d'Este, Tivoli makes for a easy and relaxing day will within you time frame. We prefer the gardens.

My vote is for Orvieto. It was the day trip that we took from Rome and I felt that it was definately worth it and we were not pushed for time. I agree that you should leave early but when we went we were in the town walking about an 1 1/2 hours after we left Rome.

Hi Donna,
We are planning to do Pompeii as a day trip. It looks possible with trains to and from starting early.

Thanks everyone - these all look interesting.

Which one would be the most different, in terms of what we will have viewed all week ?

Should also have noted that one of our travelers tends to get car sick on buses, so trains would be the preferred trabsportation

take a look at the book "Daytrips Italy" at http://www.amazon.com/Daytrips-Italy-Earl-Steinbicker/dp/0803820046 The book is meant for people doing exactly what you are intending

I assume "what you have been seeing" is in Rome. In that case, I think a trip to a smaller city would be nice and Orvieto would be a good choice. Ostia Antica is great, but it is Roman ruins (which you may have seen a lot of in Rome.) I remember both my husband and I felt that after 1/2 a day at Ostia Antica and several days in Rome...Well, we had seen enough Roman ruins for one trip. I researched going to Pompeii for a day trip, but it was just too much with the time we had. Orvieto is an easy train trip (be in the door ready to jump off the train. It only stops for a few minutes). To get to Ostia Antica, you also take a train from the Pyramide area. (Ride the metro to the Pyramide stop. The train is right next door) So...no buses on either of those trips.

You know the RS book on Rome has an excellent section on day trips, along with all the details on how to do them. It's well worth the money to buy the book. Ostia Antica, in particular, is great, depending on the time of year that you'll be there. Yes, it's a lot of ruins, but imagine them in a HUGE quiet park with hardly any other people around. It's a great place for a picnic lunch as well. And it's very easy (and cheap) to get to by train.

As for Orvieto, we'll be going back to Rome next year and plan to stay a few nights in Orvieto. I've only heard wonderful things about it.

I agree, RS Rome book has great suggestions on day trip. We're planning to do the Naples/Pompeii daytrip when we go in October. If you're interested in that one, someone on this message board did an excellent photo scrapbook/journal of their trip (they did an RS tour and then the Pompeii daytrip separately). If you do a search on this site hopefully it will pop up. I saved it under my favorites but don't know how to send you a link to it unfortunately. It really inspired me to think this daytrip is very doable.

Claudette,

Could you just type the link? I'd really like to see the scrapbook, but having a hard time finding it.

With an early start and using the high-speed train you can get to Florence and back. It will rush you a bit in Florence but seeing the Tuscan countryside from the train also makes this a day-trip you should consider.

Thanks everyone for all the ideas.

If we do take a trip that day I'll report back>