Looking for a tour that would take us out of Rome for the day. Preferably not to another tourist city. A culinary or art adventure would be great. A boat trip, or even a round trip train ride through something relaxing and beautiful. Any ideas? We are 22 and 44, foodie types, it's going to be a Sunday or Monday and it's calling for temps in the 90s.

http://antiquatours.com/medieval-tow...ons-from-rome/

http://antiquatours.com/gradoli-different-wine-tour/

Are you looking just for a guided tour, or would you consider a self-guided tour? I assumed that you wanted a guided tour, but the mention of traveling by train raised a doubt.

Orvieto !

I agree that Orvieto is lovely, although you will find tourists there (for good reason).

We had a wonderful lunch when we visited at I Sette Consoli. If it's a nice day, ask to sit outside on their terrace/garden.

Orvieto!

If you have not been before, Florence is also a good day trip.

Also consider Ostia Antico and Tivoli/Hadrian's villa.

Calcata: I considered but the logistics did not work for me. I think you may need a car because of the poor transportation links:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...d-of-town.html

The request for daytrip comes is framed as "Preferably not to another tourist city. " That would rule out Orvieto, Ostia Antica (Scavi), Tivoli and Florence, ust so the OP knows and isn't surprised when they get there to find the place filled with tourists and souvenir shops..

Its relative I think.

I was in Rome in October. The Saturday was simply horrific in Rome - you just could not move. On the Sunday I traveled to Orvieto. Yes there are tourists shops but the 'tourists' were predominantly Italians out for lunch with the generations in tow, and although lively, it was not packed as Rome had been. It actually had a nice family vibe.

I would love if OP would check out Calcata for me

Tivoli Gardens and Villa d'Este is a beautiful site to visit, not too far away from Rome. Thousands of fountains.. We also went to the Pope's Summer Palace Castel Gondolfo, although so think I read Pope Francis doesn't use it. Beautiful setting, cooler than Rome. We went to escape the heat.

OReilly, that was our experience as well. We were there on a Sunday as well (a very nice in in mid-May). Yes, there are souvenir shops and some tourists, but it wasn't overwhelming.

I've also been to Ostia Antica. If you get there early, the place feels nearly deserted, as the site is rather large and easily absorbs a crowd. Yes, there are other tourists, and lots of Italian school kids, but we mostly encountered them at the cafeteria and bookshop.

I would describe Orvieto and other places being mentioned as tourist destinations whether there are tourists there are not, and since the OP appears to have posted looking at a weather forecast, I assume the excursion is within the next 2 weeks. All of the places being mentioned are very rewarding places to see. But if I wanted to see something pretty and interesting in Italy for a day that wasn't a tourist destination, and I was a foodie, I wouldn't pick the places being mentioned. Just so the OP knows. Might matter to them. Might not when all is said and done.

(FWIW, I had an somewhat analogous experience in a New York restaurant recently when I asked the waiter if a seafood dish on the menu could be made without the chiles that were listed as one of the ingredients. The waiter said "Certainly!" but when the dish arrived, it had flakes of red pepper chili flakes in it. When I reminded the waiter I had specifically asked for a dish without the chiles, he explained that the cook had substituted other chiles than the one listed on the menu, because he thought no one would want to eat a "bland" dish. I sent the dish back. It wasn't what I wanted. (Restaurant took it off the bill.)

Sure it's all "relative," but tourist cities in Italy are pretty easy to identify. They are in all the guidebooks because they have tourist sites in the them.

even a round trip train ride through something relaxing and beautiful.>

How about the Castelli Romani -a string of ancient villages on the slopes of an old volcano where rich Romans once fled the summer heat of a big city to these places -like Castello Gondolfo where Popes still go (and one ex-Pope lives)- trains leave frequently from outside Rome Termini station (not a part of Trenitalia but private from it).