Orvieto, Tivoli,Civita or Ostia Antica

Orvieto = very charming hilltop town.
Ostia Antica = amazing ancient Roman ruins. Which would you prefer?

I've never been to any of the three. The times I've been in Rome, I've never felt the need, or desire, to leave. Many people certainly do take one or more of these excursions. You don't have to decide in advance. Since these are day trips, you can make the decision once you get there. If none of these three places are "calling" to you, don't worry - there's plenty to see and do in Rome. On the other hand, if one or more do seem like "must sees" for you, then go for it. In other words, don't sweat this decision too much.

Rome, Ostia, and Orvieto are three of my favorites. You can see a preview of Ostia at www.Ostia-antica.org. You need about five hours including train time to wander among these more intimate ruins. I am sure you will be visiting the Forum and Colesseum in Rome and they are more striking. Orvieto is a real charmer and refreshing after the intensity of Rome and all it's must see amazing sites. Orvieto has a beautiful Duomo, fun farmers market if your timing works, lovely views, shops and cafes to sip their lovely Orvieto white wine. Orvieto would be my choice.

While I haven't visited Ostia or Tivoli, I have visited Orvieto & loved it. It makes for a nice day trip from Rome (90 minutes by train). It's a quaint town that offers a variety of interesting things to do. If you do go to Orvieto, consider the hour-long underground tour. Also make sure to view the facade of the Duomo when the sun is striking it; it's breathtaking. You don't say how many days you have in Rome but if it's any less than 5 days or so, I would not bother with a day trip as there is a lot to see in Rome itself.

You mean this duomo? :-) That's the photo I took when we first saw the facade of the duomo in Orvieto. A friend of ours had said to be sure to see it first in the light of the setting sun. Yep, she was right. Amazing. I've had that photo printed on canvas and it's now in our living room. We loved Orvieto.

I've been to Ostia Antica and Orvieto, but haven't been to Tivoli. The advantage of Ostia is it's close. If you don't have much time, it may be easier to get there. Ostia is a nice "frozen in time" look at what a typical Roman town was like. We spent a half-day and didn't see everything. A small cafeteria on site gives you a not great, but better than expected, eating option. There is very little shade so it could be oppressive on a hot day. Orvieto is a wonderful city. Unlike most hill towns it's surrounded by cliffs. It has more sight options than most hill towns too; It has a major Cathedral, underground tunnel tours, history dating back to Etruscans, and plenty of good eating options. It's convenient by train from Rome. Of the two, I'd choose Orvieto - but it has a lot to do with your preferences and itinerary - what you plan to see during the rest of your trip.

Ostia is less of a Daytrip and more a sight in Rome that take most of a morning or afternoon. You could easily fit it into a day in Rome, hitting other sights as well. Orvieto needs a bit more, but with an early morning start, you could visit, eat lunch, then return late afternoon.

We visited Orvieto and Ostia last month and enjoyed Orvieto more then Ostia. Both were great but Orvieto had more to see, the caves, the wells, and great views. Start out early for Orvieto and enjoy the whole day there.

Actually, there's quie a bit of shade at Ostia Antica, thanks to lots of trees. That's one of the things that contrasts it with Pompeii. See here and here.

Yes that's the Duomo Michael:) one of the prettiest in Italy. We have some great pictures in Ostia as the orange poppies were in full bloom. Thanks for sharing

Hello, I really recommend Orvieto. I would take a train or bus. Orvieto has one of the most beautiful cathedrals you will ever see. It also has an AMAZING underground tour you can take. The wine, scenery, and architecture in Orvieto makes it well worth the trip. I would save Ostia for your next trip if you have more time. I am assuming that you will spend a good deal of time seeing the ruins in Rome and Orvieto will be a nice change, whereas Ostia would be more similar to what you get in Rome (not that I would ever tire of that).

If you have a whole long day then def go to Orvieto. If not Tivoli or Ostia would also be perfect for less than a whole day. i would say it depends upon how many hours you have to do the rd trip and still see everything.

Do not miss Civita de Bagnoreggia. Check out RS video and articles. It is well worth the climb, I am nearly seventy, I can't call it a walk. This little town is amazing, the views incredible and the people are very welcoming. Well worth the trip.

Be prepared for lots of "Don't miss XYZ" from people sharing their experiences. If you try to do all of them, you'll have to stay in Italy for a year. That's one of the wonderful things about Italy. There's no shortage of amazing things to see and do. However, only you can decide what would truly be a "don't miss" for you after doing a little research. Happy travels.

I'm with Michael above. You just can't go wrong with either of those! We've been lucky enough to visit all four, and each one just amazes and delights. Do look on YouTube and online galleries (Flickr?), Wikipedia to see which one suits YOUR idea of breathtaking. In Orvieto we loved going down into St.Patrick's well, strolling the compact piazza with the cathedral, and their great Etruscan museum. Didn't have time to do the Orvieto underground tour which looked great. We also went up a church tower (Torri something, in Rick's book) and had so much fun. In Tivoli we loved walking the very stomping grounds of Hadrian and getting a glimpse of his villa's grandeur. It was not crowded at all. Villa d'Este was more visited but still a beautiful oasis with all the water everywhere. Civita di Bagnoreggio was truly magical, lots of walking but you'll never see that view in a lifetime. Restaurant just at the start of bridge was superb. Ostia Antica was very cool, tons to see and recreate of how these people lived. Not crowded at all and so interesting if you love delve into the distant past. A labyrinth of discovery in a good way. Again, can't go wrong. Enjoy and remember you will come back!

Michael's pictures are making me want to go to Italy. Thanks for sharing.

Me too Jake! When we were in Rome, we'd originally planned to day trip to both Orveito and Ostia. We didn't make it to either because there was so much we wanted to see in Rome. We're looking forward to returning. Enjoy your trip Sarah!

Sarah, we have been to all three and they are all great. But, since your time is limited, Ostia Antica is the one I would choose. It is easy to get to via the metro and a local train, you can get there quickly, and it is very cheap to get there. No need for a tour. Just go on your own and walk about with info you can get at the ticket office. You can easily spend a whole day there, or if you get a real early start you can still get back to Rome in plenty of time for other things. TC