Looking for the best Rome day trips? We have you covered.  Once you have ticked off the Colosseum, you may start thinking about where else you can visit in and around Rome.  With over 3,000 years of history to discover, you will never run out of places to see and things to do in Rome.

Rome is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason. Everywhere you explore in the city has a remarkable story to tell.  If you feel like getting out of the city and want to explore more places and see amazing sights, we can help you plan your day trip itinerary. From pristine seashores to vast mountains, and from medieval towns to Italy’s flourishing urban landscapes, here are some of Rome’s best day trips.

Florence, Italy, is one of the most visited cities in the country. A picturesque place that is described as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Florence is the capital of the Tuscan region and holds a rich history, filled with architectural and cultural marvels. It is a perfect place for sightseers, art lovers, and those who love history and culture.  Some of the places to visit in Florence include well-known churches, museums, piazzas, and palaces.  From Rome, you can reach the picturesque city in about 1 hour and 30 minutes via high-speed train.

Some of the more famous cathedrals include Cathedral of Santa Maria, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella,  and Basilica Di San Lorenzo. The churches hold some of the masterpieces of great artists such as Michelangelo, Giotto, Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Ghiberti. The city is indeed a home for world-class art. Florence is also home to some world-famous museums like Uffizi Gallery and Accademia, to name but a few.

If you are an adventure seeker, go for a one-day hike at Cinque Terre and enjoy the glorious view of the pristine Italian Riviera, and even take a boat ride.  For artisan shoppers and food lovers, you can find plenty of stores and shopping districts that sell luxury and designer goods, local wines, and works of art. There are plenty of restaurants where you can find the usual Italian favorites like pizza, pasta, and gelato. Still, most of them also offer their regional favorites such as wild-boar pasta, tripe, and bilberry steak, and many others. Florence is one of Italy’s most significant wine producers, and you may want to take a vineyard or wine-tasting tour during your day trip.

Closer to Rome, and easily accessible by train and car, is the city of Pompeii. The city offers a beautiful glimpse into the past. The civilization was buried on August 24, 79 AD by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius; the town and its inhabitants were destroyed and preserved in volcanic debris. The city is preserved almost exactly as it was on the day the volcano erupted. You will see villas with the most enigmatic frescos. The walls are well-preserved too; even the ancient graffiti is still visible on the old city walls. If you seek adventure, you can have a 30-minute walk along a well-marked path and to reach Mount Vesuvius. Once you reach the summit, you can enjoy the views into the craters and over the urban landscape beneath it. Pompeii is only a 2.5-hour car drive from Rome. You can also take the train, and the journey will take about three hours at most.

One of our most recommended Pompeii tours.

Orvieto is a small city with a significant history. The town is incredibly picturesque. It is filled with beautiful buildings oozing out an aura of antiquity. Orvieto houses Gothic and Medieval buildings that are frozen in time. Some of the unrivaled masterpieces are The Duomo, Tore del Moro, Palazzo dei Sette, to name a few. You can wander the city for hours without running out of beautiful views, and historic buildings to appreciate. The town is surrounded by small parks and gardens where you can come by, relax, and just breathe the country air. You can reach the city within a few hours’ drive. It’s also accessible by train in about an hour.

Here’s a great private tour that includes Orvieto.

Saturnia is a captivating village with well-preserved medieval nature. It is surrounded by dense woods and olive groves with plenty of Etruscan remains. The town is just 1.5 hours away from the city of Rome.

The village is known for its thermal baths, hot water spring, and excellent traditional restaurants. Its hot water spa lies at the foot of the hill near Saturnia and is famous for its therapeutic qualities. The hot water spa has been in use ever since the Etruscan and Roman days because of its relaxing, calming, and claimed therapeutic properties. It is rich in sulphur, which is believed to be full of health benefits and is beneficial for digestive ailments, throat and nose diseases, arthritis, and skin diseases.

Hadrian’s Villa showcases luxury and grandiosity, as it is a place built for an emperor. It is a 300-acre architectural wonder with a variety of giant and intricately-designed statues and buildings, including palaces, baths, guest quarters, and many more. The Villa holds many water attractions like swimming pools, aqueducts, bath complexes, and saunas, all screaming of Hadrian’s love for water.

Villa D’Este, on the other hand, redefines extravagance and sophistication. The Villa dates back to the 1550s. Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, a member of an influential and wealthy family, commissioned his architect to build a grand residence that will showcase his wealth. What resulted was a multi-level villa with renaissance design, filled with vivid frescoes. The Villa has immaculate gardens and hundreds of mesmerizing fountains that give off that fairytale vibe.

You can reach these two UNESCO World Heritage sites from Rome in a 30-minute drive or taxi ride.

Everyone knows that the city holds the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in the Piazza of Miracles (Piazza Dei Miracoli).  When you visit the Piazza, you will be captivated by the magnificent tower, and you can even climb to the top and enjoy the views.

Also on our list of things to do in Pisa would be  to take a peaceful walk along the Arno river and enjoy the different architectural wonders and famous landmarks nearby like the Clock Palace, Piazza dei Cavalieri- the Knights’ square founded by Napoleon many others.

Pisa is home to many famous and reputed colleges and universities. It houses the University of Pisa, highly esteemed and one of the oldest universities in Italy. Here is a fun fact: Galileo attended the university and was a professor there in 1589. The Pisa is just near the Piazza. After strolling, you can stop for lunch at one of the cafes or restaurants nearby and enjoy the city’s landscape.

If you want to include Pisa in your day trip, the fastest way to get there is via fast trains. It’ll take as little as two hours from Rome to reach Pisa’s Centrale train station.

Sorrento may be a small resort, but it is a place with a big reputation and rich culture and history. Famous for it’s wonderful lemons, the town sites on a long cliff, through the long rows of fruit, and olive groves overlooking the sea. Sorrento is a historical site, and the buildings and landmarks of its town are well-preserved. Walking along its streets feels like time traveling. There are also many activities you can do including bird watching, trekking, and shopping, to name but a few.

Sorrento is also a good base for taking day trips to explore the glorious Amalfi Coast. Take a day trip on one of the many tourist boats to enjoy the coastline, the scenic beaches, and the lovely towns scattered along the coast. Stops along the way include Capri, Pompeii, and other Bay of Naples attractions through Sorrento. The fastest way to go to Sorrento from Rome is via train; you can reach stunning Sorrento in just two hours.

Also within 1.5 hours of Rome, Montecassino is a beautiful monastery and a famous WWII battle site situated atop the mountain of town Cassino. In Montecassino Abbey, you can see and appreciate the Abbazia di Montecassino, one of Europe’s oldest monasteries, St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, in the crypt located under the basilica’s high altar, and the relics of other saints displayed in the Chapel of Relics. You will be awed by the beautiful and intricate mosaics, frescoes, and marble decorations inside the ornate church.

The Garden of Ninfa is arguably one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy. Built in the 12th century, It consists of a crumbling medieval town, castle ruins, buildings, churches, and belfries, all surrounded by a nature of lush, vivid colors, bright shades of green, and a clear lake reflecting the sky’s colors. There are at least 1,300 plants in the garden. There also dozens of varieties of birds. The best time to visit the Garden of Ninfa is when all plants and flowers are blooming between April and May.

You can reach this enchanting romantic garden using both train and bus The trip takes about two hours and 15 minutes. You can also take a taxi or drive if you want to reduce the journey time to about one hour and 10 minutes.

Some more details on The Garden of Nimfa.

Emperors, nobles, and popes used to enjoy Castel Gandolfo as a summertime retreat. This humble small town is a real gem. The city has pretty streets, churches, and piazzas and provides a perfect break from the hustle and bustle of the city. The main square, Piazza Della Liberta, is surrounded by shops selling local products, and cafes with spectacular panoramic views offering excellent food.

Just one final word of advice: do not try to see everything on a single trip, or you might miss out on the little things that make each place unique. Take your time to stop, explore, and enjoy.