SRS

My boss is currently in Italy. He and his wife are on a cruise that docks in Civitavecchia and then they need to go to the Fiumicino for their flight home.

After already accounting for the time to get checked into their flight at the airport, they will have approximately 4 hours this Sunday.

They will also have some luggage.

Any suggestions of fun things they could do during this time?

I see the luggage as the main impediment (as I don't know how fancy free you can be with luggage). My initial thought was go into Rome, but with the luggage that sounds not too great.

My boss says he would be fine hiring a driver or renting a car but where to go?

Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks,
Sally

kybourbon

Train time between Civitavecchia and Rome Termini will be at least 70 minutes. Then there is a minimum train time of 30 minutes between Rome Termini and FCO. The train to the airport only run every 30 minutes so it may take an hour total if they have to wait on a train.

That really only leaves them about 2 hours if everything goes as scheduled. There is a checked luggage option at Termini, but the lines to retrieve your luggage can be long and time consuming.

If he hired a driver or rented a car, they could tour some Etruscan towns/ruins close to Civitavecchia (there are some within a 20 minute drive)and then head for the airport. Another option would be to go directly to the aiport, check the luggage and take a taxi to Ostia Antica which is very close to the airport. If they taxi, they need to arrange for a return because they might find themselves a bit stuck.

SRS

Thanks kybourbon.

I was thinking perhaps Ostia Antica. I had not thought of checking luggage first, but that might be a great plan.

Are there other towns near the airport that are interesting for a visit?

I agree going into Rome sounds like too much!

Thanks again.
Sally

adrienne

If he goes to Ostia Antica I suggest also seeing the basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. It's huge and beautiful and one of the four main basilicas of Rome. It's on the train line from Termini to OA and not very far away. I realize he'll have a driver but wanted to give a reference as to where is is located.

macinpv

Ostia Antica - an amazing place and easily do-able in a few hours...7 miles from FCO

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...taly/ostia.htm

http://www.ostia-antica.org/

zeppole

Four hours is less than you think in Italy. Your boss really doesn't have time to do anything -- least of all Ostia Antica.

macinpv

I disagree...My husband and I visited Ostia Antica in April in 4 hours including driving from our hotel to Ostia Antica, exploring, driving back to FCO, returning the rental car and still having two hours prior to boarding our flight to LHR. We did already have the car so storing luggage was no problem. We budgeted the two hours at FCO on top of the additional time we had.

zeppole

Leaving from a hotel in Ostia to visit Ostia Antica (plus having a car) is quite a different proposition from departing a cruise ship without a car in Civitavechhia without a car and -- hauling one's luggage -- planning to use public transportation to both tour to Ostia Antica AND check into FCO for an international flight.

Sure, have a hail-mary-throw-plan. But be prepared to abandon it in favor of making your flight.

Also, bear in mind that, as far as I know, there is no luggage storeroom at Ostia Antica.

If money is no object, then perhaps hiring a private driver to take the boss to either an Etruscan hill town in Lazio or the museum in Tarquinia might work.

But basically -- like I said -- four hours in Italy is less than four hours elsewhere when it comes to trying to disembark a cruise, sightsee and catch an international flight in high season.

Vttraveler

We had a bad experience trying to find a taxi at the end of a visit to Ostia Antica so I agree with the caution about making very sure to arrange reliable transportation back to the airport.
The idea of hiring a driver to go somewhere sounds safer to me

SRS

Thanks all! I agree that 4 hours is not much time. But I think he actually has 6 (he's already accounted extra time for flight check in). And I told him to get a driver to take him for Ostia Antica back to the airport.

Thanks again for the quick help. It is very much appreciated!

Sally

Ematthew

I agree that 4-6 hours is not enough time to do a lot though if you do have a driver, it will be possible to visit Ostia Antica and see the ruins. They are as impressive as any others. Do try. It will be a great adventure.