gidlaurie

Hi Fodorites,
A few years ago you helped me enormously with a full day in Rome for my family of 6. We were on a stopover and it was a great day! This summer, the stopover is just my and my husband, leaving the kids at the grandparents this year! SO, please, tell me what you would do. We will fly into Rome, we have three nights, then we will fly out of Rome. That is the plan so far. What Would You Do???
THANKS!

gidlaurie

Just to add some info, I'd like to go out of Rome for one of the days, or part of one day, to see a pretty Italian town. Wonder if that helps with ideas??

jamikins

Just so I understand - with 3 nights you will have 2 full days in Rome. One day you want to stay in Rome and one day you want to do a daytrip?

Orvieto is a lovely town north of Rome I think maybe an hour or less on the train in Umbria. It has a lovely cathedral and is on a hilltop.

With only 2 full days are you sure you want to do a day trip?

Saraho

Another vote for Orvieto. On my first couple of trips to Rome, I found it overwhelming, so I do think a trip to Orvieto might be a good idea. It is a lovely and very easy to manage day trip.

gidlaurie

Thanks for the answers so far! I know that we could EASILY spend the whole time in Rome, but I want to feel like I was in Italy, not just Rome. Have done one day in Rome 2 years ago with the kids. Orvieto sounds nice - I'll read up on it! Thinking anyplace within an hour by train or bus would be good. As I know more about dates and times, I'll ask more specific questions, but for now I'm looking for the framework. Looking forward to hearing more!

Vttraveler

I would stay in Rome the whole time myself. Not sure what you did on your other full day there.
Ostia Antica is a good half day trip if you are interested in history but if you want to see a smaller Italian city in addition to Rome I would agree with Orvieto.

ekc

I would not recommend taking a day trip out of Rome if you are only there 3 days (if you want to feel like you are in Italy, find an out of the way cafe in a piazza and drink wine and watch the neighborhood go by). However, if you really need to take a day trip, I would suggest hiring a driver and going out to Tivoli to see the gardens and wander Hadrian's Villa and have lunch at Sibilla, which is built in the ruins of a temple. It has amazing views and even better food! We did that in October and it was one of the best days of our trip. I can get you the contact information of our driver if you would like.

smithgardner

I don't understand why so many people fail to take into consideration the request of the original post (or in this case an addendum to the original post) in some of these forums. This person asked about where to go for a day trip from Rome. This person has already been to Rome once before, so why do so many people feel it appropriate to preface their comments with a suggestion that they stay in Rome for the entire time. Of course, anyone could easily find plenty to fill a 3 day itinerary in Rome, but this person wants to go somewhere else. It is their trip, and so what if they don't want to see every monument, museum, square in Rome.

With that being said, I would second (or third) Orvieto. Umbria is a beautiful region in Italy, it will provide a nice contrast to Rome. Have a great trip!

nytraveler

To make suggestions on what to see/do in Rome we really need to know what you saw on your pevious trip - and loved or didn't. Otherwise we could just be recommending a do over.

kybourbon

Orvieto, Florence, Tivoli, Viterbo, Naples.

travelmania05

Hello, I was in Rome for my tour of Europe in May - it was my honeymoon. Here's what I recommend - also I have posted some videos from my tour that include many of these sites:

1. Galleria Borghese (requires reservations in advance)
2. Coliseum
3. Palatine Hill
4. Roman Forum
5. Vatican Museums (and all four Basilicas of Rome)
6. Pantheon
7. Trevi Fountain & Spanish Steps (near each other)
8. Catacombs

Rome Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSV0h5J_KiE
Rome Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpzuTX0MqeM

travelmania05

Also, look up 'Gusto Restaurant... it's near the Pantheon. Incredible food!!!

gidlaurie

Hi Again, thanks all for your responses and ideas. Here is a link to the thread from our last mini-trip to Rome. At the end I did a summary/trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...lp-me-plan.cfm
That was a long one day visit, with 4 kids, coming off the red-eye from NY. This will be 3 days, no kids. I might yet decide that we'll stay in Rome the whole time. But we'll see. Last time we basically saw the Colleusium, Plaza Navona, the cat sanctuary, and the rest from the top of the Red Bus.

gidlaurie

Hi Again, thanks all for your responses and ideas. Here is a link to the thread from our last mini-trip to Rome. At the end I did a summary/trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...lp-me-plan.cfm
That was a long one day visit, with 4 kids, coming off the red-eye from NY. This will be 3 days, no kids. I might yet decide that we'll stay in Rome the whole time. But we'll see. Last time we basically saw the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, the cat sanctuary, and the rest from the top of the Red Bus. We certainly have a lot we still will want to see and experience! In a day or two I'll have our flights, then I'll write more specific arrival and departure times, and ask more specific questions.
In the meantime,
Ideas for a moderate priced well located hotel for 2??? Don't mind small, just needs to be modern and clean!

BeachGirl247

I wanted to fit Orvieto into our 9-day trip to Rome and it still didn't happen. There was so much to see and so much to take in that it just didn't work out and we still didn't see it all.

moneyburns

Jumping in here as I was interested in a day trip from Rome in May - 3 nights AFTER 6 nights on the Amalfi coast for a wedding in early May.

The info on Orvieto is intriguing... use a driver? or is there a train - I would love to see the countryside -but am limited on time as this is a "family wedding trip" and not really a big vacation for us (although not in inexpensive way to be a wedding guest - haha)
We just happen to be the only ones who decided to fly out of Rome to give us an opportunity to see something other than the coast.

This will give us an idea though as to what we want to see/do on a return which I assume is NORMAL once you visit Italy!

So thanks gidlaurie for asking the question and all the responses. Helps me out. I'm usually over on Africa forum and am delighted to see all the great info here- why did I not know Fodorites are all over the place.....thanks!

MB

triciafromoz

WE did a day trip to Pompeii with a short stop in Naples, I found Pompeii to be fascinating but not what you would call a pretty Italian town, just thought I would throw it into the mix. I have stayed at Hotel Canada, reasonably priced, big rooms, very Italian, near the Terminal and when I was last there with my husband we stayed at Hotel Standahl, a beautiful small hotel just 2 mins walk from the Trevi Fountain.

ellenem

moneyburns, There is an easy train ride between Rome and Orvieto. Orvieto station is outside town at the bottom of the hill. When you reach Orvieto, walk across the street from the station to the funiculare to ride up the hill. If the funiculare isn't running, there is also a bus.

moneyburns

Thanks ellenem; I am making the plan...It is amazing to me (and I live in a capital city) how Europe has trains to everywhere...always in awe how easy it seems to get around!

Mikenmass

I'll say plus 1 to the Ostia suggestion, get a tour guide because there is quite of bit of history to see. Picture baths and the usual Roman recreational services that the Patricians and chariot drivers used to relax. Chariot tracks in the streets etc.

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