Where to go after Rome??

Naples is a good choice. Plenty of things to see including Pompeii and Herculaneum..both can be done by public transport. RS probably has hotel recommenations in his books or this website. Train down to Naples takes under an hour and a half if you take a frecciarossa train...the new high speed link..awesome. Enjoy

Agree that Naples would be a good choice. Quick and easy train ride from Rome to Naples and then you can use the Circumvesuvia local train to get to Pompeii. Pompeii is really good.

Sorrento as a base for exploring Pompei, Herculaneum, and possibly Capri should also be considered if you can find a place to stay within your budget.

We took a day trip to Ostia Antica using the Rome metro Lido line. It was a memorable day - hundreds of photos ! Very different from Pompeii or Herculaneum in that it was gradually abandoned and simply silted over rather than buried in a matter of hours. The "frozen-in-time" aura of those more famous sites is not present at Ostia but it is still unique and worth a visit. (The various websites devoted to Ostia will give you a nice overview.) The site charges around 6.5 Euros admission and is usually closed on Mondays, but double check the closure day(s) if you decide to go. And wear sturdy shoes since you'll be climbing around onto three-story ancient apartment buildings for panoramic views of the entire city - something you can't do in Pompeii or Herculaneum. Regarding Naples and Pompeii, we went to a local travel agency and took an "off-the-budget" packaged bus tour to Pompeii (with a 45 minute stop-over in Naples.) It included a midway 4-course lunch, admissions to the site, a guided tour and some two hours or so to wander about on our own. We paid for round-trip but didn't go back to Rome. We stayed over in Pompeii for three nights and went on to Ischia and Naples so this one-way bus tour was , for our itinerary, the easy approach to points south. Naples was a three night stay and a lot of fun. A day trip might leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed; two or three days gives you a sense of flow of the city and its people. I hope this helps.

If you choose to add Naples/Sorrento (or any other destination outside Rome), I'd suggest going there your first 2 days and then spending your last 4 nights in Rome. That puts you in Rome for your return flight. It can be a challenge to get to Rome airport from other destinations on your day of departure, especially for morning flights.

ORVIETO or SIENA or BOLOGNA!!! Sorry for my shouting. Orvieto is lovely and lodging is very inexpensive if you shop around. Plus it's close to Rome so you won't be spending very long getting there. It's a perfect town for the evening passegiatta and just hanging out enjoying the Italian lifestyle. Siena and Bologna are also nearby and not terribly pricey. And, of course, charming. I think since you are only staying two more nights, that getting to Naples wouldn't be worth it. there's so much to explore there and in the area that you won't really enjoy it. Pompei, if you really want, can be done in a LONG day trip from Rome. Take the train to Naples and then the Circumvesuvia commuter train (located in Naples Central) to Pompei - very easy to get to just watch the pickpockets on the Circumvesuvia.

Orvieto. I agree with Tammie that Orvieto is a lovely little town. It's a much slower pace which might be a nice break after the hustle & bustle of Rome & there are some interesting things to see/do there. I recommend the underground tour as well as a climb to the top of Torre del Moro to take in the wonderful views. It only takes 90 min to get there from Rome.