Day trip from Rome- Headed to Orvieto

hey hey lisajford22
withlocals.com
beautiful countryside day trip: castelli romani
short train ride (30-35 minutes) from rome to frascati, meet driver there. small villages outside rome, know for wineries and it's white wine and shops/restaurants, and strawberries, the pope's summer palace and gardens. message him on his booking sight you would love to drive around lake nemi and all it's history. maybe a longer tour.
italymagazine.com/lake nemi and it's wild berry
it is an older article but at least you can read up about the lake, home to the temple of the roman deity diana. "diana of the woods or goddess of hunting", nemi boat museum
oldfrascati.com
tours that you make like about a family owned winery in frascati. same train and have driver pick you up at train station.
get out of the hustle and bustle of rome. it will be crazy crowded everywhere you go, especially the vatican. there does not seem to be s shoulder season anymore, read that over 15 million people have traveled to italy since last year from all over the world.
many posts here have travelers wanting to see the same people, places and things with long lines, plus grumpy people. few years back did private tour of towns in tuscany, it was a nightmare!! san gimignano had 10 big bus loads, 8 mini vans, many private cars and people with rented cars. couldn't even walk through the plaza and shops, one cashier to ring up souvenirs, gelato shop had a line so long around the building into the back. i said get me outta here
prefer places not many want to go to, italy has many wine vineyards all over not just tuscany. get out of big cities into the hills, find small hole in the wall family owned shops (bakeries (breads/pastries), butcher making home made salamis/prosciutto, local house wines, plants/flowers/gardens, gorgeous views. enjoy tour day and have fun
aloha

If you'd like a no muss, no fuss daytrip--but not in a 'lake area'--I'd be all over Orvieto. Leave Termini station around 10AM, arrive at Orvieto station at 11:30. Take the funicular up to the plateau hilltown. Beautiful cathedral--maybe my favorite in Italy--cobblestoned, rabbit-warren streets with quaint, not manufactured shops. Fantastic food, the cinghiale (wild boar) over pappardelle is incredible.

Then retrace your steps, arriving back at Termini around 7PM.

I admit that I haven't been to the Italian lakes and the Dolomites, but I don't think one of Italy's perfectly nice southern lakes is a realistic evocation of George Clooney's or film-fiction experience shot at those lakes. For example, I thought the local SUMMER swimmers at the town beaches in Tuscan lakes were charming. But there was no feeling of mountains, or Masters of the Universe at their leisure. And no famous gardens on islands.

I see that Rome temperatures in November are 46-62.

I don’t think of Lake Como as being day-trippable from Roma (400+ miles away). From Milan, yes.

The lakes are too far. I'd do either Orvieto, or the Etruscan tomb sites of Tarquinia and Cervetari north of Rome, or Tivoli and the Villa Adriana ruins or Ostia Antica especially if you haven't visited Pompeii for a similar antique Roman town ruin.

Thank you all for your input. Lake Como was definitely not our plan, just inspiration to see a lake in Italy. It sounds like maybe this doesn't make sense for us at this time of year, although Lake Nemi sounds intriguing. Orvieto may be a possibility. I will look into this adventure. The goal is really to get away from the city for a day and see something different that we haven't experienced before. Initially, I thought Pisa, but between my daughter's ambivalence and the ill sentiment on this forum I decided to seek an alternative (my husband and I have been, so no loss for us). A small unique experience in Italy was what we are seeking and if not a Lake, so be it. Thanks for all your suggestions again. Keep them coming if you have them!

There are some lakes nearby that might be pleasant, but in late November and public transport only, I'd opt for Orvieto. The Castelli Romani suggestion sounds great too.

We don't really know enough about your daughter's interests. But there are two world-class, unusual and very different attractions in the town of Tivoli. It would be both tedious and chilly to try to do them both in one day by public transportation, but I know some travelers do. They are the Villa d'Este, and Hadrian's Villa. Read up on each and see if they interest you all. Make sure they are open in November.

Your experience will very much be guided by the weather. A crisp day with good sun, anything is possible. Rain calls for staying on the city. That said!

• Castel Gandolfo is a short train ride from Rome. You can visit the Papal Palace or not. Just go to wander and have lunch overlooking the lake
• Nemi is cute, but requires a car IMO
• Tivoli for Villa d’Este; while not great garden season, still lovely and dramatic and oh-so-different. Go by train and walk,
• Fraschetti, a short train ride into the hills
• Parco degli Acquedotti (Aquaduct Park) to walk amongst these amazing structures
• Appia Antica to walk the Roman road, well covered in Rick Steves’ Rome guidebook

Thanks everyone for your input. We have decided to choose Orvieto. Now that we have planned our Rome days, I need to focus on this. In your opinions, do we need to purchase train tickets in advance? Are there reserved seats in this case? We will be going on Nov 28. It sounds like the platform to Orvieto is a little remote in the station, but it just means we will plan to be there earlier if we need to purchase them that morning. Any guidance would be appreciated. Also, for those who have been there for a day trip form Rome, do you all have suggestions for the day's itinerary (how to organize our visit- what to see/do first, second etc). We will plan to take an early train there and a late train back. So we will have a full day. Any help appreciated!
Thanks

+1 for Laurel

Some public gardens on lake islands will be closed in November, I think. This is off season. I don't know about mountain hiking though. Did you check a climate/temperature website? (Besides being too far.) It is a bit tedious to get to Villa d'Este, but not as far, and very rewarding. Can pair with Hadrian's Villa, but makes for a long day with a lot of walking.

Orvieto is a perfect choice, and effortless. But don't pretend that you are "seeing Tuscany" by doing Orvieto. It's only a taste. OTOH, if your daughter takes Art History, Florence is more important.

It’s a regional train to Orvieto so no need to purchase in advance
No reserved seats, price never changes and trains can’t sell out

Orvieto is in Umbria -not Tuscany

lisajford…Orvieto (located in Umbria, not Tuscany) as a day trip is a great idea…we visit here often on our way back and forth from Rome to Tuscany.

The Orvieto Duomo is stunning…one of my favorites in Italy.

https://liveorvieto.com/en/history-and-culture/
We have never visited the Underground there, but keep thinking we might the next time we visit.
https://www.orvietounderground.it/index.php/en/orvieto-underground-en/the-discovery
St. Patrick’s Well is also very interesting…
https://liveorvieto.com/en/blog/monumenti/pozzo-di-san-patrizio/
And you are correct regarding the train platform…when taking the train to Orvieto, you can purchase the tickets at Termini, but it can be confusing to find the platform. It is not listed on the boards. Walk all the way to the left side, go around platform 1, then walk for what seems like a mile to get to the regional platforms. Don't underestimate how much time this takes.
“Orvieto from Termini…the RV 4096 train departs from a somewhat separate platform (piazzale Est) at the far end of the main hall on the via Marsala side. When you get to platform 1 you'll walk down to the very end of that platform and see signs. Platforms 1est and 2est are located a 550m walk along platform 1. These tracks are either side of a new island platform built beyond the end of the main platforms. Do not confuse 1est & 2est with 1 & 2, they are separate platforms. 1est & 2est are usually only used by regional trains, for example to Terni, Orvieto & Chiusi. Allow an extra few minutes to reach your train!”
Two of our favorite restaurants are…
Trattoria del Moro-Aronne…
https://www.trattoriadelmoro.info/
and I Sette Consoli…
https://www.isetteconsoli.it/?lang=en

We did the underground and the well a few weeks ago on a day trip. Well was interesting but definitely a workout on the way back up! And the Underground was really fascinating, I am glad we did that. Learned a little history, geology, and got to see something interesting from a new view (underneath!) Looks like there is another museum that also gives access to the caves below, so maybe worth researching what is included in each and picking one.

Not sure if there is an earlier train than the 10am mentioned above. If you are morning people, and especially since you are going in November, I would also maximize your time during daylight for walking around. Sunset will be at 5pm if my quick check is correct.

Around the corner from the Underground/Duomo is a really neat olive wood shop that our whole group enjoyed stepping in to see. Not sure how old your daughter is, but the fort that's across from the funicular entrance has a great wine shop with the machines so you can try tastes of various local wines, plus a beautiful terrace with a view (no purchase required for the view).

Thanks so much for all the ideas in orvieto. It sounds like we can do the underground, the well and walk around the town and have a good lunch or dinner all in a day. Just for a sense for logistics. How long does it take to take the funicular up to the town from the train station and then how much time would you allow yourself to get back? I am a planner and want consider the timing of the train back to Rome from there so I can plan dinner either back in Rome or stay later and have dinner in Orvieto and take a later train back. Just have no sense of timing of any of this. E.g. how long is an underground tour or the Well tour? How long does it take on the Funicular? How long does it take from the funicular to get into the town? We were in Siena 2 summers back and the bus into town was an easy walk into the center of the city, but probably 15 minutes. Is it like this? Again, just trying to map out our day. Thanks again for any help!

We have only driven to Orvieto and parked in the lot behind the Duomo…we have never arrived by train. But I found this re the funicular station…
“Funicular car park near the railway station, linked to the centre thanks to the characteristic funicular which in approximately two minutes arrives in the city, dropping passengers right opposite the bus stop for Piazza Duomo”. So a 2 minute funicular ride and then a walk or take a bus into the center of town.

Re the Well…” it takes about an hour to descend and ascend St. Patrick's Well (Pozzo di San Patrizio) in Orvieto, Italy:
Descend…The walk down is relatively easy and takes about 10 minutes.
Ascend…The climb back up the 248 steps takes more than 10 minutes.”

Re the Underground…” FOR GUIDED TOURS ON WEEK-ENDS AND IN HIGH SEASON IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO BOOK IN ADVANCE BY PHONE AND/OR EMAIL. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in Piazza del Duomo 23, in the offices of tourism.
The visit lasts about an hour and is suitable for families, maybe it's not so recommended for toddlers. The daily hours of visits are: 11.00 - 12.15 // 16.00 - 17.15 (in the busiest periods, every 15 minutes).
orvietounderground
0763.340688
[email protected]
Booking and departure office: Piazza del Duomo, 23
Everyday: 11:00am – 12:15pm – 4:00pm – 5:15pm
(during high season tours start ever 15 minutes)

We arrived in Orvieto from Rome yesterday (Oct. 28). Major train delay and last-minute track change at Termini made for a messy trip. Orvieto, though, is amazing.

You'll probably have to wait at least a few minutes for the funicular, then there's a walk or a bus ride from the top of the funicular to the core of the historic area. You can take a look on Google Maps and see that the Duomo is a bit of a walk from the funicular. Orvieto is a great place for wandering around. It may be busier on weekends; I believe it's a popular day out of town for Romans.

thanks everyone. so helpful!!

acravan: I did just now look at it and it does look like it is quite a walk. We will probably need to do a bus given we want to walk around all day. I am hopeful that doesn't complicate things too much. Anyone know what that bus is so that I can look at schedules and plan/time our train accordingly?

The funicular runs every 10–15 minutes from 7:15 AM–8:30 PM. The funicular stations are in Piazza Matteotti (train station) and Piazza Cahen (city center). The ticket costs €1.30.
After exiting the funicular in Piazza Cahen, you can take the local urban buses to get to the main squares and streets of Orvieto.
Bus service in Orvieto is available from the Funicular Station in Piazza Cahen to the Orvieto Cathedral. It runs every 15 minutes or so and is called the "Circolare A" line. Another bus lines runs from Piazza Repubblica to La Svolta. It is called "Circolare B". The "Circolare C" line connects Piazza Cahen with Piazza Repubblica.
https://orvieto.ca/transportation/bus-service.html

jconsol- you really have made this experience so much less stressful! Thanks so much and we are so looking forward to it!

Lisajford…I hope you enjoy Orvieto!
Our family of 12 will be in Rome the end of November/early December, too.

We were exchanging info on Coliseum Attic tickets a few days ago. I just bought 4 Attic tix for Wednesday morning, 11/27…tomorrow early morning, I will try for 4 more for Friday morning, November 29th. I believe you are going on the 26th, if I remember. The Attic is a wonderful experience…we last climbed up there in 2017. Fingers crossed we both have decent weather for our dates.
While you are taking a day trip to Orvieto on the 28th, we will be traveling to Florence for the day to celebrate our oldest child’s birthday at our favorite restaurant.
We may pass each other without even knowing it at some point!

We are so excited and yes looking forward to the Attic. We did not go the last time we were in Rome almost 25 years ago. So glad you too got tickets! We were in Florence 2 summers ago otherwise we would have been there for sure. Half of our family will spend the day there on the 28th too as they haven't been. We chose to do something different , hence Orvieto. Just out of curiosity, what is your favorite restaurant in case we get back there? Have an amazing trip!!!

We have several restaurants that we like in Florence, but this trip we are going to one that means a lot to our daughter who is celebrating her birthday on November 28…Trattoria ZaZa…right next to the Central Market. We first ate there when our daughter was living in Rome over 20 years ago…my husband, our son, and I were spending a month in Italy and we drove up from Rome to Florence for a long weekend. Every time we are in Florence as a family, we always plan to go there for lunch or dinner one day.
If it is just my husband and me visiting Florence, we enjoy Trattoria 13 Gobbi the most, but it really is not quite large enough for our family of 12 this visit.
Another place we recently discovered that we enjoyed a lot is Borgo Antico in Piazza Santo Spirito.
There are so many wonderful restaurants all over Italy! We are going to a few “repeats” in Rome this trip and also trying a few new ones. Do you have any special restaurants picked out in Rome for your visit?
I hope you have a wonder trip too! It sounds like you have your plans made and all of your tickets bought…win/win!

Thank you. Will check those out next time we are in Florence. In Rome, I making this plans now. I read about Trattoria Pennestri so was going to try there and also La Tavernetta 29 da Tony e Andrea. Any thoughts on these? Our "daughter" (my daughter's best friend) who is studying there will also guide us to some of her new found favorites, but we are open for suggestions for sure! Thanks for helping me get even more excited for this adventure!