Day Trips from Rome: 10 Best Destinations (2026)

By Train (1-2 hours)

Ostia Antica (30 min, €2.10 with metro) — Rome's ancient port city, better preserved than Pompeii and almost always empty. The theatre, thermopolia (fast food bars) and mosaic floors are extraordinary. Free with Roma Pass.

Tivoli (1h, €3) — Two UNESCO sites in one town: Villa Adriana (Hadrian's massive imperial retreat) and Villa d'Este with its 100 fountains. Take the direct bus from Ponte Mammolo metro station rather than the train.

Orvieto (1h15, €10 Trenitalia) — The dramatic hilltop city with the finest Gothic cathedral facade in Italy and the extraordinary Pozzo di San Patrizio (twin-helix well). Combine both in one day easily.

Naples + Pompeii (1h10 by Frecciarossa, €19-39) — Take the early 7am train to Naples, spend the morning in the city (Spaccanapoli, pizza, National Archaeological Museum), afternoon at Pompeii (45 min from Naples Centrale by Circumvesuviana train). Back in Rome by 9pm.

By Car (1-2 hours)

Civita di Bagnoregio (1h20) — The dying city on a tufa rock, accessible only by footbridge. Go on a weekday morning before 10am. Combined with nearby Orvieto makes a perfect full day.

Viterbo (1h) — Underrated medieval city with the best-preserved medieval quarter in Lazio, the Papal Palace and free hot springs (Terme dei Papi). Almost no tourists.

Lago di Bolsena (1h30) — The largest volcanic lake in Europe, crystal clear, free to swim. The village of Bolsena has a beautiful castle and Romanesque church.

Practical Tips

• All train tickets: book on trenitalia.com or italotreno.it — never at the station machine for intercity trains
• Validate regional train tickets before boarding (yellow machines on platforms)
• For Tivoli: bus from Ponte Mammolo (Line 4/4X) is faster and cheaper than train
• Rent a car for Civita di Bagnoregio and Lago di Bolsena — public transport is slow to both