Second visit to Rome
 

I will be visiting Rome for 8 days the week before Labor Day. I have been there for 4 days before, and seen most of the "big sites" briefly. I want to absorb more into the life of the city (walk slowly in Trastevere, linger at the Vatican), and see some of the outskirts (Tivoli, Hadrian's Villa). Any suggestions of "smaller" sites or out of the way intersting things to do?

The province of Rieti is a world away, but the closest really "undeveloped" real estate from Rome, just about 40-50 minutes northeast. You'd need a car, of course, but I liken it to what Tuscany may have been like 70 years ago, before it became "Chianti-shire".

A car for a one-or two day rental is rarely a good bargain, but if you moved out of the city for a few nights, you could "dollar-cost-average" down your lodging expense more than enough to pay for the car rental.

Best wishes,

Rex

Jeffrey, you might want to purchase a book called City Secrets Rome, edited by Robert Kahn. Amazon carries it. This book is full of offbeat, lesser known, and fascinating things to see in Rome. It's small enough to carry in a pocket, and it's beautifully written, with pages in the back to make notes for yourself. We found it invaluable when we visited Rome last year. When you're walking through Trastavere, don't miss the churches recommended--you'll see an incredibly beautiful Bernini Ecstasy as well as a heart-wrenching St. Cecilia.

About forty minutes south, by train, is the seaside town of Nettuno which contains a huge, impressive American military cemetary and a little trattoria lauded in Fred Plotkin's book. Worth consideration.

If you haven't been to the Borghese Gallery, that's a must.

Basilica of San Clemente...fascinating because the excavations reveal 2 previous buildings underneath, including an old temple, possibly to Mithras. Fascinating.

Outside town, reachable by train...Ostia Antica.

If you are there on Sunday, and want to see local life, visit the Villa Borghese gardens. Lots of families enjoying the local park...

To learn a great deal about Rome, I suggest Christopher Hibbert's "Rome: The History of a City". In addition to the valuable historical information it also contains an appendix with tons of material on the sights.

Another good read is H.V. Morton's "A Traveller in Rome," published in the late 1950's and still available in print at most big book stores in the travel section. I just finished it in preparation for a week's visit this October, our third. Like you, I'm looking foward to seeing more of the out-of-the-way Rome as well as spending more time in places that we gave short shrift to on previous visits. However, there are certain places you can't see enough - especially the Vatican - so we'll be doing the "tourist thing," too, revisiting some of the must-see sites. The Borghese Gallery and the Capitoline Museum are definitely on the list.