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Rome and Umbria in 10 days

We are planning a trip to Italy in May 2023 and arrive via a cruise ship in early May.
Looking to spend a few days in Rome then 6-7 days in Umbria.
Plan is to do Rome first (we've been to Rome twice) than move on to Orvieto then use Perugia as a base. Plan to use rail to get around.
However, any tips on best way to get to Rome from Civitivechia? Train or private car service?

Posted by
351 posts

I love Orvieto, however Perugia was just okay. College town, lots of 20 somethings, which I don't mind but the vibe is different. Perhaps consider Assisi or Spoleto. J

Posted by
11052 posts

Perugia was interesting for a day trip but a hassle to get into and out of the town which is on top of a large hill. Look at beautiful ,flower filled Spello, a wonderful place to base for exploring Umbria.

Posted by
4724 posts

...best way to get to Rome from Civitivechia? Train or private car service?

It is fairly easy and inexpensive to make the trip by train IF you have a small amount of easy to manage luggage. Even those who cruise who normally travel light usually have more than just a carry on and personal bag. The train station will be crowded in Civitivechia so pack your patience.

It is easier, more convenient, but more expensive, to take a private car service. If you have a good bit of luggage, that would be the way to go.

Check out Rome Cabs -- it IS a car service (and not a taxi service) despite the name. We've used them a number of times and have always been happy with them. Send them an email detailing your needs and you should get an answer within 24 hours.

Posted by
211 posts

People here keep dissing Perugia in favor of staying in the small towns. Here's the thing: Perugia is the center of Umbria and a real, living city with a lot to do. The smaller towns like Bevagna and Spello are pretty, but unless you live there and get to be a part of the neighborhood there's relatively little to keep yourself occupied. If you're into museums, Perugia has a few good ones, plus its historic center is relatively large and there are lots of good walks. There's usually some cultural stuff going on, like right now a movie festival on the walls of one of the oldest churches in town and soon, Umbria Jazz. Assisi is pretty, but kind of a one-note touristy place during the day, with lots of religious kitsch in the shops. At night, the vibe changes as the pilgrim daytrippers leave. As for suggestions about Spoleto, I love it. It's a decent place to stay and eat, but connections to the rest of Umbria aren't as complete as they are in Perugia.

Posted by
7595 posts

As far as being a hassle to use Perugia as a base, because of the city being on a hill, who thinks that is a big deal.
Based on what I found in my research, the walk to the train station is not so bad.

Posted by
1369 posts

We spent more than a week in Perugia last November and enjoyed it very much and day-tripped to several towns by train or bus. There's a mini-train to get from the center to the train station and it's fun rather than a hassle. Some of the best food we ate in Umbria was in Perugia, too, especially the street food. We had a car for the last two nights and were able to park it for free on a street just below our apartment. Anyway, there was far more to see and do in Perugia itself than I was able to do in the time we had there and I liked it better than some of the pretty but otherwise not real interesting towns we day-tripped to.

Posted by
2020 posts

We too used the mini metro daily during our stay in Perugia to access transportation for our day trips. Very easy, and luckily our small hotel was quite close to a stop. The TI office was helpful in recommending bus or train transport for our excursions to Gubbio, Spoleto and Assisi. It was graduation time and we enjoyed the festive air and happy kids. But we’re retired teachers, YMMV.
We also arrived In Civitivechia and intended to take the train, seemed straightforward enough. We watched videos detailing the route, maybe on YouTube?…but all for naught as the trains were on strike the day we arrived. We ended up taking one of the rides from the hawkers walking along the pier sharing the van with several others.

Posted by
1369 posts

On our next trip to Italy, we plan to take a train from Termini to Civitavecchia --- looks easy and straightforward, so it should be the same for you to do the reverse. About an hour.

Posted by
2020 posts

It was on another trip that we took the train from Rome to the port. When we arrived we opted (that is, we argued, I won) to take one of the waiting cabs to the ship. I think it was around 5 euro, no small change for confirmed cheapies like us, but well worth it as it was a pretty good distance as I recall. Safe travels.

Posted by
407 posts

This info is from October 2019, but might still be helpful. When we disembarked from our cruise in Civitivechia, there were several large tour busses that you could purchase tickets for on the spot (I think it was 20 euro per person) that would drop you off at Rome's Termini train station. That's what my husband and I decided to do and it worked out well for us. I had planned for us to take the train but the busses seemed an easier option as we had more luggage than we normally carry since we had been on a 14 night cruise. The bus had nice seats and was quite comfortable.

Posted by
7595 posts

Regarding the busses that go to the train station. I presume they are available without booking in advance?

Posted by
15560 posts

As far as being a hassle to use Perugia as a base, because of the city being on a hill, who thinks that is a big deal.
Based on what I found in my research, the walk to the train station is not so bad.

What did you find? I stayed at a hotel a couple minutes' walk from the bottom of the escalator system (scala mobile) up to the historic center. Google maps says it's about 1.5 km from there to the train station and it's about 5 minutes' longer to walk up from the train station than down to it. I would not want to be facing a half-hour uphill walk back to my hotel after a full day of sightseeing in another hill town. I assume that train stations to all the hill towns stop at the bottom, just like Assisi and Orvieto.

Posted by
7595 posts

We don't mind an uphill walk. I walk about 10 miles a week and we are used to a significant amount of walking when we are touring.
I have seen the photos of the city of Perugia, and admit it should be a consideration. Still, we want to stay in the city.

Posted by
407 posts

@geovagriffith, yes, the busses were available without prior reservations. It was a very spur of the moment decision that my husband and I decided to take the bus and we paid for the ride on the spot.