... Looking for suggestions for stay over after the tour in Rome

Hi Terry!
While your 17-day BOI tour ends in Rome, it spends a scant 1.5 days in this fascinating city so it definitely deserves those few more days you have to give it. What to do/see? The possibilities are endless but tailoring suggestions to YOUR interests versus mine or someone else's will make for the most enjoyable experience for you. It's great to know that you enjoy a wander as, IMHO, that's best way to experience the Eternal City!

First off: spend some time with your guidebook(s) to see what trips your trigger, and give us some sort of idea of the types of sightseeing you enjoy? Architecture? Art? Ancient ruins? Churches (Rome has too many to count; they're almost glorious/interesting; almost all are free); walk; sit; people watch; rinse and repeat....

You're going to have a marvelous time! Don't worry about safety/pickpockets; with your goodies stowed per the many suggested methods on this forum, you'll be fine. :O)

Edit to add: I see from your other posts than this isn't your first rodeo in Europe.
Another edit (sorry!): you might consider seeing if you can reserve your extra nights at the tour hotel so you don't have to use time transferring to another?

The top site for me was the Colosseum.

Then general wandering, especially Trastevere and around Campo de’ Fiori.

Vatican and St Peters, if you have the time and interest.

thank you for the suggestions - plan to reserve hotel nights at the tour spots. Good to hear if careful I do not have to be excessively worried about pickpockets....but have spent my life in urban environments so hopefully ok. Love all the churches. Always enjoy local neighborhoods. Love to sit and watch the locals.

Whatever you do, I recommend gelato every day. I used to train to the Spanish Steps every day and wander from there. Piazza Navonna is a fun place to people watch.

Hi Terry, Do you happen to know the hotel? There are over 900 RC churches in Rome and the list of the fantastic ones is quite long! And they're COOL inside, it will be scorching in August. If you can GET OUT EARLY, you Rome mostly to yourself.

Here's a 2023 NYE Trip Report, we ate at some great places that weren't too expensive! In August, I would like to suggest Vicus Caprarius, the underground aqueduct museum close to Trevi fountain, an unusual gem where you see the water flowing below you while standing in remains of ancient Roman villas. You need to book ahead via Whatsapp. Consider the smaller,
'Roman' museums I mention. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/rome-was-jammed-over-ny-but-still-fun. Have a blast!

The good news, the trip is in September..... hopefully less crowded. I am going to book the same hotel as the tour. Thank you for your advice and ideas. Terry

I'm guessing it'll still be plenty warm and plenty BUSY in Sept: past reports indicate that there isn't much of a shoulder season anymore. Still, outside of the main attractions (Colosseum + Vatican + Spanish Steps +Trevi fountain + Pantheon) I'll bet that you will find some less-visited but interesting/lovely sites. I see that your tour covers Trevi, Pantheon (exterior?), Forum. exterior of the Colosseum + some unnamed piazzas, likely Spagna, Navona and maybe Campo Fiori.

Some suggestions?
Art: Galleria Borghese is wonderful - we enjoyed it much more than the mob at the Vatican Museums - but does require advance, timed-entry tickets.
https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/
Official ticket seller: https://www.tosc.it/en/artist/galleria-borghese/

Take a stroll thorough Villa Borghese (the large park the museum is located in) while you're at it.

Take another wander up the Aventine, past the Municipal Rose Gardens - a piece of ground with a long history, and once the location of the Jewish Cemetery - turning 'round now and again to a great view of the Palatine and Circo Massimo. Top of the hill is lovely, very old Santa Sabina, the Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci) next door to the basilica, offering more expansive views (& a nice place for a packed-along snack or bag lunch). and a peer through the keyhole in the gate of the Priory of the Knights of Malta the Knights of Malta for a perfectly lined-up view of St Peter's dome.
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/rose-garden
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/basilica-saint-sabina-allaventino
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/savello-park-or-orange-garden
https://turismoroma.it/en/places/villa-magistrale-sovereign-order-malta-aventine

If feeling ambitious, continue your walk down the other side of the hill to Cimitero Acattolico (Non-Catholic Cemetery); a green, peaceful place - although not at all 'hidden' when it comes to literary fans - where John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Gregory Corso, William Story (marked by his original, much copied "Angel of Grief", and other notables are buried.
https://cemeteryrome.it/en/homepage-eng/
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/cimitero-acattolico-non-catholic-cemetery

The Pyramid of Gaius Cestius and Porta San Paolo - a 3rd-century gate through the aurelian Walls - are very nearby.
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/porta-san-paolo
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/pyramid-caius-cestius

Churches of note:
Santa Maria Maggiore: one of the 4 papal basilicas and likely very busy these days as Pope Francis rests here. Gian Bernini & family are also buried here. A glorious church.
https://www.basilicasantamariamaggiore.va/en.html

Santa Maria in Trastevere: another very old and important lady with wonderful mosaics.
https://turismoroma.it/en/places/basilica-santa-maria-trastevere

San Clemente: the church on top is just the tip of the iceberg! Below it are several layers of history stretching back to a 4th century church, and even further to the remains of ancient Rome and a Mithraic temple. Accessing the lower levels requires a timed-entry ticket (fee) which includes a self-guided brochure.
https://www.basilicasanclemente.com/eng/

Nearby is Santo Stefano Rotondo: a very old church whose circular/Greek Cross footprint is said to echo the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The inside walls are decorated with 34 frescoes illustrating every gory form of martyrdom one can think of. Yep, not a place to bring the kiddies, and, weirdly this church is a popular choice for weddings. Go figure. The church's website isn't in English; use your browser's translation tool for info/background.
https://www.cgu.it/it/santo-stefano-rotondo

Also nearby, San Giovanni in Laterano: Another grand papal basilica and the 'Pope's church' as Bishop of Rome.
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/basilica-st-john-lateran

Just a start. :O)

This tour often stays at the Hotel Aberdeen on Via Firenze. It is close to the church Santa Maris della Vittorio which houses Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. It’s perhaps a 7 minute walk. Be sure to check the church website for open hours as they close for lunch until about 3P.

I agree with Kathy that there is so much to see! I stayed an extra night after my Best of Italy tour in October 2022 and did the Domus Aurea (Nero’s Golden Palace) and the Borghese Gallery.

I’ll add that I was a little disappointed in the Aberdeen. The bathroom was not as clean as I would have wished with soap scum on the outside of the shower track that I could easily wipe off with a towel. The room felt a little dingy but bed was comfortable and sheets/towels were clean. This was also at the end of Covid and staffing was difficult. In the almost 3 years since I’ve done this tour hopefully they’ve improved. If you are staying just 1 or 2 nights I’d go ahead and stay there if they have availability. If more than that, I’d move.

There was a wonderful Asian restaurant just a couple of doors down from the Aberdeen. There were 3 folks on my tour with Asian heritage, 2 Vietnamese, 1 Chinese and they thought the food was very good if you want a change of pace.