First time in Rome. Is this a good day trip idea?

I don’t have an answer to your question, but I do think that you might get more replies if you rename your posting. Perhaps something like. “ day trip from Rome to Abruzzo”.

People tend to just scan the topic subjects and if it’s not something they know something about immediately they might not open your posting to see the details. Good luck and enjoy your trip.

And do the same in the TripAdvisor Italy forum. TripAdvisor has a lot more members with more traffic and has people more likely to book with Viator. Most people here tend to plan their own itineraries and probably book less with Viator. Good luck.

18 tripadvisor reviews:
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/AttractionProductReview-g187791-d27182727-From_Rome_Small_Group_Day_Trip_To_Abruzzo_Hidden_Gem_Of_Italy-Rome_Lazio.html

One of our forum members lives in that region, so retitling it with Abruzzo is a good idea. I have only been to Sulmona in that region. It was gorgeous!

Abruzzo Is on the Adriatic, the opposite side of Italy.

I would not think a day trip that good an idea. Better to take the train and spend a night there instead of the very expensive tour with a lot of travel time.

Driving time each way is 2.5 - 3 hrs: the tour description shows it lasts ~9hrs.

That means 5-6 hrs is spent in the van driving. Figure 90 minutes for the bbq lunch and what you have left is really very little.

If that suits you then do it; just be aware most of your day is driving to/from.