We are planning on spending 5 days in Rome after an 11 day Mediterranean cruise. Having been intrigued with Pompeii for many years we plan to go there on one day. Two questions, are there any other day trips that we should make and does anyone have a recommendation as to an outstanding company to book this trip with? Thanks. Bryan
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23650 posts
Most of the people on this site are going to do that trip on their own. We have always had good luck with local tours recommended by the TI. There is a huge TI in Termini. Rick Steves' Rome book describes very well three day trips from Rome - Ostia Antica, Tivoli, and Pompeii. RoninRome.com has terrific directions for Tivoli. Personally, I think Pompeii is too far for a comfortable day trip. It can be done, but it is a long day.
Posted by
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1127 posts
Orvieto is my favorite day trip from Rome. It's only an hour by train and you feel like you're a million miles from a big city. Tivoli and Ostia Antica are good options as well. I agree that Pompeii is too far for a day trip, but people do it all the time.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Me three as to Pompeii being too far. Ostia Antica is a much more relaxing day. RoninRome.com lays out how to do Ostia as a daytrip here. And I've posted some photos from our trip to Ostia Antica in May 2008. RIR also explains step by step how to do a daytrip on your own to Orvieto here: Orvieto daytrip. It was one of our favorite places on our most recent trip. Here are a few photos of Orvieto from our trip in May 2011, in case you're interested. Happy travels.
Posted by
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1127 posts
Orvieto is my favorite day trip from Rome. It's only an hour by train and you feel like you're a million miles from a big city. Tivoli and Ostia Antica are good options as well. I agree that Pompeii is too far for a day trip, but people do it all the time.
Posted by
OP
yakima, Washington, United States
2 posts
Thanks to each of you for your helpful comments!
Judi
Posted by
Como, Italy
81 posts
Go to Tivoli and Villa Adriana. Or you could go to Pompeii and stop for a night in sperlonga. It's really worth it.
Posted by
Central Connecticut, USA
1103 posts
You may find that Rome itself has enough to offer for a five day visit without taking day trips. As they say in Italy: Roma, non basta una vita - For Rome, one lifetime is not enough.
Posted by
St-Laurent, Montreal, Canada
77 posts
I agree with all the above comments. For our next stay in Rome, we plan a day trip to Civita di Bagnoregio.
Posted by
San Jose, CA
1994 posts
I'd like to confirm the Orvieto recommendation. It was amazingly beautiful. Re Pompeii, I've had wonderful experience with Context tours, and have used them in multiple cities in Italy, as well as other countries. You might check Context Naples and Context Rome websites and see what they offer. They book very small groups, and the guides are academically well qualified in their subjects. Their English has also always been very good. Because the groups are so small (generally no more than 6), they can customize the tours to group interests. And although I typically would tour sites myself, I recommend getting a guide for this type of site; I've seen Ostia with and without a guide, and the guide made all the difference. It was hard to sort the ruins out myself, even with the printed site guide.