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Day trips from Rome

My husband has business in Rome the second week in September. So I'll have 2 full days to sightsee on my own and 2 full days with him. We've been to Rome (on a RS Tour) so I thought we could take train and see other cities/towns the 2 full days we are together. Any suggestions of where to go/what to do? Thanks in advance!

Posted by
4023 posts

I can't help you from personal experience, but we are planning a potential trip to include Rome for next year and are intrigued by a day trip to Tivoli to see Hadrian's Villa. But with 2 full days I'd be tempted to also consider an overnight trip to Florence. You may also want to check out through Eternity Tours https://www.througheternity.com/, we used them for the Vatican and Forum/Colosseum, but they also offer tours to places like Pompeii and Vesuvius.

Posted by
549 posts

If you want a small town experience, Orvieto is an easy day trip. Florence and Naples are city alternatives but you'll have to depart earlier and come back later as they are further away.

Posted by
11247 posts

Orvieto is a great idea for a day trip.

As far as Tivoli, Villa d’Este https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1025/ is stunning and easier to get to and to self-tour than Hadrian’s Villa is IMO.

Another lovely place is Castel Gandolfo. On this page https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/fromtag/1/1663138800000/Vaticano-Treno scroll down and check out the Grdens of the Pontifical Villas Walking Tour. It would be a nice enhancement to visiting the Pope’s summer residence (Papa Francesco doesn’t use it but it was historically used by all popes) and the town is cute. You can have a lovely lunch overlooking the lake.

Posted by
196 posts

If you're a history buff, Anzio is a nice day trip. It's right on the water and the famous Battle of Anzio was fought there. There's also a cemetery of US soldiers. It's an hour train ride from Rome.

Posted by
6228 posts

My favorite day trip from Rome was to Ostia Antica - it's about a 30 minute train ride from Rome and the entire setting is a delight. Ostia is a large archaeological site that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome. It was covered in silt from the Tiber River over 1000 years ago, and discovered in the 1800's, so it is relatively intact. Some of the ruins go back to the 4th century BC. There are many ancient buildings, magnificent frescoes and beautiful mosaics. It was probably one of my favorite places I visited in Rome.

There is a park nearby where you can bring a picnic lunch and sit and enjoy the beautiful setting also. I highly recommend visiting Ostia. The site above is the official one, but this site is worth a visit as it has a lot of information about the archeology and the historic town.

Posted by
4730 posts

Another vote for Ostia Antica! Close by, can get there one public transit, wont feel exhausted afterward, not crowed at all, and very well preserved ruins.

Posted by
4256 posts

The cathedral at Orvieto is a wow. I went there on a day trip from Rome and the next time I go to Italy, I plan to spend at least one night there.

Posted by
1880 posts

Orvieto for sure. The church outside is wonderful. Plan to take the underground tour of the caves below the city. Ceramic shopping there is the best outside of Deruta.

Ostia Antica too, as mentioned. Fun, easy train ride to get there.

I took my daughter to Rome several years ago, we based in Rome, but I took her to both places on 2 different day trips. She loved both. Even on a seperate trip when we went to Florence as a base, we traveled to Assisi and Perugia and back to Orvieto. (Perugia was for the chocolate festival !)

Posted by
160 posts

Broken record- but I’ve been to Ostia antica and Orvieto and loved both
, although very different experiences.

Posted by
160 posts

So many options actually. Check out the high speed rail lines. There’s one to Naples and you could do an admittedly aggressive, but amazing day trip to Pompeii. I’ve done that. If you are a foodie you can get to bologna in 2 h 20 m. I did the reverse once. So many options !! Use the Rome to Rio app for times.

Posted by
2281 posts

hey hey shelley
couple day trips from rome:
withlocals.com/ rome
beautiful countryside day trip:castelli romani
a short train ride from termini to frascati, known for wine growing, small lake and it's history, small villages, summer palace to the pope and it's garden. make a stop at ceralli.it family owned bakery/pizza oven with nonna at 94 years old still baking. saw a special on TV about this place which stated the "best porchetta" sandwiches here, along with pizza and many bakery items. enjoy a fun day in their shop/cafe and roaming around the small village.
lacucinaitaliana.com
the buxom cookie from frascati. (fondazioneslowfood.com/ frascatti pupazza) enjoy the history of this cookie.
italymagazine.com/ lake nemi and it's wild berry
known for it's strawberries growing up the hills and annual strawberry festival in june. lake was sight of 2 sunken roman ships, it's history and roman goddess diana of the hunt and moon
withlocals.com/ rome
a day in calcata: picturesque bohemian village
and artist haven built into the hills, some caves are their galleries & homes. a totally off the grid tour away from the hustle and bustle of a big city. on either tour see what being on the outskirts brings you and places you'd probably never think of going to.
oldfrascati.com
different wine & food tours. take a short train ride to frascati, meet your guide and begin your food/wine tour. a fun day away from rome since you've been there before.
many festivals happen in september since it's harvest season with festivals usually on the weekends, keep an eye out for them
eataly roma's fish & wine event (piazzale XII ottobre 1492 rome) july 4 thru september 11
every weekend is dedicated to different area of the country with tasting menu and wine from the town/village (up to 28E)
aloha

Posted by
11056 posts

Villa d’Este and it’s fountains was a wonderful day trip from Rome which I highly recommend.
Orvieto is a charming hill town on the railroad line and on the highway north from Rome.
Castel Gondofo was a welcome from the heat in Rome. We had lunch by the lake.

Posted by
120 posts

Ostia Antica is wonderful. So easy to get to on the train. And a wonderful break from the crowds in Rome.