Arguably Europe’s most alluring country, Italy charms guests with overwhelming food, awesome architecture, diverse scenery, and unparalleled art. In fact, it’s so packed with possibilities it can nearly overwhelm. With more UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites than any other country by far, Italy gave birth to some of the most-visited and exciting pieces of art and wonders of architecture – be it the Sistine Chapel Frescoes, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper or Michelangelo’s David.
With so much to see in Rome and to appreciate one-day excursions from Rome, it can be difficult to tear yourself away from the city. But venture out into the surrounding Lazio region and you’ll treasure that there is an entire host of noteworthy sites and foodie hotspots to explore in Rome one day tour. Further afield, Florence, Naples, and Pompeii are altogether within day-trip range of the capital.
Day trip to Tivoli
There’s nothing more needed than one hour and costs 3 euros to take the train from Rome to Tivoli, a small town in Lazio with a lot to offer! One major sight here is Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli which should not be missed at Rome one day trip; this is where Emperor Hadrian came when he wanted to escape the capital. Much of the straggling, luxurious ancient villa remains intact today, with columns, marble pavement, and ancient statues, and gives a tempting glimpse into the opulence of prehistoric Rome in short trips from Rome Italy! Another major sight here to enjoy in the best side trips from Rome is the Villa d’Este, built by the grandson of Pope Alexander VI in the 16th century. A standout amongst the most amazing villas in Italy, it’s filled with formal gardens, frescoed rooms, and gorgeous fountains.
A foodie outing to the Castelli Romani
An appealing pocket of vine-clad hills and volcanic lakes on Rome’s southern doorstep, the Castelli Romani make for a tremendous foodie trip. In Frascati, you can feast on porchetta (herbed spit-roasted pork) and local white wine at the Cantina Simonetti, one of numerous cantine (cellars) in town. Beforehand, work up an appetite at the Scuderie Aldobrandini, a small museum charting the area’s local history. Treasure the enjoying moments in day trips out of Rome.
Day trip to Naples
This is a standout amongst the most captivating, and certainly the liveliest, cities in Italy. It additionally happens to boast one of the world’s best archaeological museums (if you’re wondering where the mosaics, sculptures, and frescoes from the villas in Pompeii wound up, it’s here) and one of Europe’s optimum art museums (counting pieces by Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo, and others) in addition to fantastic food, gorgeous churches, and a fascinating underground. The fastest train from Rome to Naples takes just 1 hour, 10 minutes and costs 29 euros, meaning there’s little excuse to skip this incredible city!
Discover Florence’s Renaissance treasures
With Florence just around an hour away by fast train, the city can be visited in a day and can make the best out of one day trip from Rome. You won’t have time for everything, but you’ll be able to squeeze in the headline sights, especially if you’ve pre-booked tickets through Firenze Musei. From the train station walk down to Piazza del Duomo, home to a trio of celebrated sights: the Duomo with its distinctive red-tiled dome, the Giotto-designed campanile, and the Battistero di San Giovanni, you’ll discover the best of best day tours from Rome.
Day trip to Pompeii or Herculaneum
This renowned sight is a city “frozen in time” by the volcanic eruption of 79 A.D., and it’s as impressive—and spine-tingling—as it is remarkable. To get to Pompeii from Rome, you’d have to take the train to Naples (see above), then follow the signs for the “Circumvesuviana”; you can check Circumvesuviana train times in advance, but they run every half hour or so. It’s a 35-minute ride from Naples to the Pompeii Scavi. If you take the fast train to Naples, you can acquire the scavi in as little as 2 hours and can enjoy the 1 day trip from Rome at fullest.
Day trip to Orvieto
Umbria, a locale with a considerable measure in the same way as Tuscany, is a simple day trip from Rome, and Orvieto is one of our favorite towns there! On the train, getting to Orvieto from Rome takes an hour and costs less than 10 euros from the station; you have to take the funicular up to the top of the hill, where the town is located. In Orvieto to explore the best side trips from Rome Italy, make sure you don’t miss the town’s fascinating underground —the tunnels and caverns carved out some 3,000 years ago by the Etruscans—or its Duomo, with frescoes that inspired even Michelangelo.
Explore Cerveteri’s city of the dead
For a look into the lost world of the Etruscans with short trips from Rome Italy, you need to head to the Unesco-listed Necropoli di Banditaccia in Cerveteri. This haunting necropolis, which is simply outside the modern town, is a veritable city of the dead with streets, squares, and terraces of circular grass-topped tombs known as tumuli. Once you’ve discovered these, complete your Etruscan education at the Museo Nazionale Cerite back in the historic center to adore the best trips from Rome. Neighboring, the Antica Locanda Le Ginestre is a top spot for quality regional food.
Day trip to Ostia Antica
For the price of a metro ticket, and in only 30 minutes, be transported into another world from Rome to explore the best top day trips from Rome! Ostia Antica, ancient Rome’s port city, is a remarkably well-preserved, ancient town, complete with the forum, bars, restaurants, even a brothel. If getting all the way to Pompeii seems a little too ambitious, Ostia Antica is a fantastic option to appreciate a tour of Rome in one day!
Even though there are loads of delightful sights and towns around Rome, you could just as effortlessly spend one week or two in Rome itself and still not appreciate everything in the city.
Don’t wait for the right time to explore the best of Italy, go now and book tickets for discovering the best Rome day tours.