Two Weeks in Rome too Much for First Time Trip to Italy?

You'll not see or do it all on the tour. That's not a knock on the tour -- it's just that Rome has so much to offer one can't possibly do it all in one week. We've been to Rome a number of times and still find new things to do and see.

The RS tours we've taken have all been a wee bit fast paced and we got a lot of bang for our buck. However, having a week after the tour to take in new things (or revisit old ones) at one's own pace sounds wonderful. One thing you might do (if the tour doesn't go there) is a day trip to Ostia Antica. Easy to get there on public transit and very similar to Pompeii. But without the long trip to get there.

Compare what the tour will cover with various items listed in his guide book. That should give you an idea of things to do following the tour.

Suggest visiting Pompeii as a day trip from Rome. Easy enough to do via train. Any extra time you have can be spent at the Naples museum (just up the street from the train station) housing Pompeii originals.

For a first-timer, I’m inclined to say you should get a taste of something else. Ostia is a good recommendation for a day trip. Then, how about taking the short train ride to Orvieto? It could be a day trip; but if you stay a night or two, you’ll see much more. There’s a glorious duomo and a couple of museums with Etruscan artifacts. You can tour the 3000 year old underground city and descend into Patrick’s Well. If your tour doesn’t take you to Tivoli, that’s another worthwhile day trip.

Thank you for your responses so far.

TC, the RS Rome tour does go Ostia Antica and I'm definitely looking forward to that. Would Ostia and Pompeii be too much for one trip?
JCC, I had considered Pompeii as a day trip but then read others saying it was too long of a day.
Rosalyn, I had considered Orvieto as both a day trip and a couple of nights, I find the underground fascinating. There's so much I find interesting - it's so hard to decide!!!

You can’t go wrong either way. If you stay in Rome for the entire two weeks, consider day trips to Orvieto and Tivoli. If heading south, I’d split my time between Sorrento (Pompeii, Herculaneum and a round trip to Amalfi with a bus ride from Amalfi to Ravello. View Positano from the sea, not the land unless you’re a rich mountain goat.) and Naples (Archaeological Museum is a must. Spectacular Farnese Collection at the Capodimonte Museum. Sweeping vista of the Bay of Naples, Capri and Mt. Vesuvius from Castel Sant’Elmo. Pizza. Possible 1 day excursion to Capri. The remarkable Greek temples in Paestum are a 1 hour train trip from Naples.)

Or add more time and do it all!

I love Rome but I think I'd want to see something else after the tour. It's only 1.5 hours by high speed train to Florence. You could spend a few days there and come back to Rome for your return flight.

I too think you would enjoy more time in Rome with day trips to Orvieto, etc. OTH a couple of extra nights in a different, smaller city would be good too. As a change of pace from your RS hotels, I think you’d enjoy a nice VRBO in Rome for your last few nights. There are some lovely ones to rent in a variety of neighborhoods.

You all are making my decision harder, not easier!!!!!
Philip, I like your thinking, but unfortunately work only allows 2 weeks (sigh)!!

Another six full nights? Definitely get yourself to another part of Italy. Take advantage of that opportunity. I did like a five night split between Sorrento and Atrani and loved it. This is totally doable and worth it. Three nights is Sorrento is time enough to see Pompeii/Herculaneum with some time in Naples. Sorrento itself is pleasant to stay in, but there’s nothing to really see there and is not on the same level as AC towns. Take a ferry to the Amalfi Coast and chill a bit. Then pick up the train to Rome from Salerno (much easier than backtracking from Sorrento even.) Give yourself one last afternoon/night in Rome. That’s a solid trip right there.

awrzesinski - RS tour ends Saturday morning and flight home leaves Friday - so I guess that's really 5 nights??
I definitely want to take the Ferry along the Amalfi coast. My thinking for staying in Sorrento is that it seems in the middle making it easier getting to/from Pompeii, Amalfi.

Pat,

Your have six nights. On Saturday morning, take the train to Naples and stash your luggage at the Naples train station. Take the subway one stop to the archeological museum. Then go to Capella San Severe and have some pizza for lunch. Retrieve your luggage from the train station and then take the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento. Stay in Sorrento. On Sunday take the Circumvesuviana from Sorrento back to Pompeii. Your still have three extra nights for the Amalfi coast. For the extra days, you could take the ferry to Capri for the day. You could also see Amalfi and Ravello in a day. Your final day Thursday will be spent getting back to FCO a from the Amalfi coast. We stayed at the airport for our flight out the next morning. It is less stressful to stay at the airport for us the night before our flight home.

I think you need to decide if you want to do one city well, or several not so well. What is your travel style? What will help you to have fun and enjoy your trip? There's a lot to see in Rome and with day trips, you can see Orvieto, Pompeii, etc. if you felt the need to get out of the city. After the RS Rome tour, you will have a fun time exploring on your own with the new knowledge you have. You will be able to relax. I'd suggest you enjoy what you learned on the tour. Moving bases can be stressful, particularly if this is your first such trip. You can return and see something else on your next trip. Not changing bases all the time is also better for the environment.

I've been to Rome twice and yet had signed up for the RS Rome trip for this year (cancelled it as decided not to travel this year), but my point is there is never too much time for a city like Rome (or Paris or London). IMO

You've all given me some great advice.

Wray, that makes a lot of sense. There is so much to see that it makes me want to get in as much as I can. But, I think you are right, it probably will be more enjoyable if I slow down and stick to Rome with a day trip or two. I do want it to be relaxing.

Would Ostia and Pompeii be too much for one trip?

Pat B., Ostia Antica and Pompeii are similar, but different -- if that makes sense -- and both should be visited. I don't think seeing both on one trip will be an overload of ruins because of the difference between the two.
Since the tour will go to Ostia Antica, save Pompeii (and Herculaneum) for later. If you do opt to see them this trip, plan to spend an overnight or two in that area. They can be done as a day trip from Rome, but it will be a loooong, tiring day.

Pat, I think there’s some real value to getting out of Rome for those couple days. Waking up in a different, and smaller town than Rome is a whole different experience from day tripping. Even a couple overnights in Orvieto, Siena, or Assisi are pretty easy and would be a satisfying change. If we’re talking four nights with the fifth back in Rome, that’s still a real nice chunk of time to work with. As for your original thoughts about Sorrento. It makes staying on the Amalfi Coast a bit of a stretch, but basing in Sorrento still makes sense and there is tons you can do (or not do.) There’s no real bad choices here, and if there are things the RS tour doesn’t cover in Rome then by all means stay and check it out.

Some additional food for thought: I don’t know what the agenda on the last day of the RS tour looks like, but a lot of tours will end with a group “wrap-up” get together or meal. If that’s the case, you could always dip out on that and take advantage of that little bit of extra time.

After a one-week tour of Rome I would go elsewhere for six nights. Where are you flying home from?