Rome Advice?
 

Me, my boyfriend and another couple will be spending 10 days in Italy in the middle of May. We would like to spend some time in the Rome area to be able to access some cool coastal towns as day trips. Any advice on where to stay, the best towns to visit etc would be greatly appreciated by us first time Canadian travellers :)

We are interested in hiking, eating great food, seeing beautiful sights. We aren't really into art and museums so much. Thank you!

"We aren't really into art and museums so much."

That being the case, maybe stay away from Rome, because Rome is all about art and museums and ancient ruins etc., and it's a big unwieldy city, not really a good base for day trips.

What do you mean by "cool coastal towns"? Popular beaches like Rimini? Popular coastal cliff scenery with small towns that are chocj full of tourists like the ever-so-popular "five lands" = Cinque Terre?

Or the picturesque mini-Venice fishing town of Chioggia with the nearby "Po Delta", the regional park where the rive Po broadens and empties into the Adriatic Sea? Great for hiking and boating etc.: http://www.parcodeltapo.org/index.php/en/

Decide on a few of what you call "cool" coastal towns, then see if a car is needed or even recommended, or if it will be more of a hindrance (parking, and ZTL no-drive zones can make having a car miserable).

www.trenitalia.it for trains; for harder to reach places google a town name and the word "autobus' and see what comes up.

Second to michel, that if you're not interested in art and museum then just skip Rome. How about Naples region and Mount Vesuvius? It'll provide the hiking, the great food and the coastal towns that you love.

I visited Gaeta last September and am returning this June. Wonderful, small coastal town. Approximately 1 1/2 hours from Rome. Split mountain there offers some hiking. I don't want to discourage Rome as I really love it but I have to agree that it's not really conducive to what you want.

Santa Marinella is nice for lunch and to swim. Sperlonga is beautiful. You can go to Fregene on the bus from Rome for sunset and dance on the beach in summer. If you go in May, I am not certain the bars are open.

It is not nice to swim in Napoli but you can walk by the sea and have a pizza. Napoli is crazy but it is fun to go from Roma and visit. Go to the Cappella Sansevero and the chiostro in Santa Chiara --this is very beautiful. Look at the Galleria or the opera theatre San Carlo. Have a pizza and see Vesuvius and go back to Roma. Napoli is beautiful. The train to Napoli is one hour.

Napoli, Sorrento hills, Vesuvius, Amalfi, Capri. Those have great food and hiking. In May it is very beautiful. Capri can be cold at night.