7 Places to Visit near Rome
The perfect location of the Eternal City allows you to complete your trip with a visit to its surroundings, full of nature, history and architecture.
Oval Fountain in Villa de L'Este, Tivoli | ©Astelus
Medieval cities, ruins, imperial villas, vineyards, the Tuscan countryside... beyond the outer walls of Rome, there are countless places to see, touch and feel Ancient History.
Read on and I'll tell you which excursions near Rome are worth doing!
1. Discover Assisi and Orvieto
Booking an excursion to Assisi and Orvieto is the ideal complement to a trip to Rome: you will be able to enjoy a simpler and quieter atmosphere than that of the City of Seven Hills, you will travel to the region of Umbria and you will get to know Orvieto and its incredible cathedral whose façade resembles a pictorial triptych, showing scenes from the New Testament in mosaic.
At the end of your visit to Orvieto, you will head to Lake Trasimeno, a beautiful expanse surrounded by small villages and inhabited by cormorants and fishermen, where you will stop for lunch. And to finish the day you will go to Assisi, where you will visit key places of the historical figures of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare. You will visit convents, basilicas and palaces, as well as an ancient Roman temple. On your return to Rome, the tour will end with a short tour of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Martyrs, next to Piazza della Repubblica.
In my opinion, this tour is totally worthwhile, as it includes return transport, a professional guide who will explain all the details about the visits and lunch at the lake.
Recommended if
If you have a day to spare on your trip to Rome and want to explore the history of St. Francis of Assisi.
2. Get to know Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica is the name given to the archaeological site of what was once an important port near Rome. These ruins are an open window to the ancient world, and you can stroll through a perfectly preserved open-air theatre, a commercial square with mosaics of the different guilds of the settlement, the forum, the temple and a good number of warehouses, as it was a site dedicated to the exchange of goods.
If you book an excursion to Ostia Antica you will have a professional guide at your service who will know the ruins like the back of his hand and will know how to set the scene so that you can imagine yourself in the days of splendour of the Roman Empire.
The experience includes the guide's narration and transport to and from the site.
Recommended if
If you have been left wanting to explore ancient ruins after a visit to Pompeii (or want to do a shorter tour than Pompeii).
3. Go to Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este
Booking an excursion to Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa is one of the best experiences you can include in your trip to Rome.
- Villa Adriana, as the name suggests, was the residence of Emperor Hadrian, from where he ruled the vastness of the Roman Empire. It is a unique place, built in an environment of pools and natural aqueducts on which gardens were cultivated for the emperor's rest. The more than 30 buildings of Hadrian's Villa are ruins today, including residences, dining rooms, a theatre, baths and buildings inspired by various corners of the world. With the narration of a guide it is not difficult to imagine yourself in the times of the Empire.
- Villa d'Este offers a diametrically opposite visit, being a luxurious 16th century villa with spectacular gardens and a myriad of fountains and statues, so exquisite that on my visit I felt like I was on a theatre stage.
Included in this tour is the return journey from Rome by air-conditioned coach, as well as full narration by a professional guide.
Recommended if
If you would like to combine two visits of architectural and historical interest and prefer not to take an excursion to another city outside Rome.
4. Visit the Catacombs of Rome
If you book a visit to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus you will see the most important catacombs for early Christian worship in history and the burial place of some of Rome's most famous martyrs and the first sixteen popes.
Because of this, you will find an immense amount of early Christian symbolism and art, such as the Chrismon, the monogram of Christ, the Alpha and Omega, and the icthus, all of which were part of the secret code of this early persecuted cult.
One of the main attractions of these catacombs are the Papal Tombs, as well as the many beautifully preserved tombs and pieces of art, which constitute the most important display of Christian art in the world.
Recommended if
If you are particularly interested in Christian history or want to literally visit Rome from top to bottom.
5. Don't miss Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo is the Pope's summer residence, located 25 kilometres from Rome,
. Opened to the public in 2014, this place boasts the beautiful Barberini gardens, Lake Albano and the Apostolic Papal Palace, which hides a collection of works and objects of great value.
You can book an excursion to the papal villas of Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence, which includes a return transfer, so you don't have to worry about how to get there.
Recommended if
Visiting the Vatican.
6. Find your inspiration at the Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli
If you book a ticket for the Villa Gregoriana at Tivoli you will have the opportunity to enter this park located just half an hour from Rome, a place described by many as a real "fairy tale" with its Grand Cascade, which has been a source of inspiration for many artists and writers.
You can lose yourself in the trails, natural caves, ruins and woods, and you will discover the second highest waterfall in Italy. Commissioned by Pope Gregory XVI at the beginning of the 19th century, this park is a haven of peace just a few kilometres from the Italian capital.
Recommended if
You are passionate about nature.
7. Tour the vineyards of the town of Frascati
Book your excursion to Frascati and discover this wine-growing town with an expert guide. You will delight in Italian wines and enjoy a delicious and typical lunch including local products such as breads with olive oil, biscotti or porchetta.
You will also have some free time to look for little treasures in the shops of the town.
The trip starts at the central train station in Rome and you will have the opportunity to tour the vineyards of the region.
Recommended if
You are a lover of wine and beautiful scenery.
What you should know before booking an excursion to the surroundings of Rome
- When you make your booking, you will receive a confirmation email to your email address. There is no need to print the confirmation, just meet your guide at the meeting point and show him/her the voucher included in the email from your mobile phone.
- Some of the tours are conducted in English. Please bear this in mind before booking and check this on the experience page to avoid a surprise.
- To receive a refund, in the event that you are unable to go on the tour or for any other reason, you must cancel at least 24 hours in advance.
Tips for excursions in and around Rome
- There's one thing you can't forget to wear: comfortable shoes. Whichever tour you choose, by the end of the day you'll be thankful you're wearing trainers.
- Except for the excursion to Assisi and Orvieto, lunch is not included in the above experiences. So, since you won't have much freedom in choosing a place to eat, it might be a good idea to pack your lunch in your backpack from Rome.
- Especially in the case of the Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este from Rome, it is important to take an organised excursion. They are such huge places that on your own it is easy to miss out on the highlights, and to wait in endless queues that you won't have to do with a guide.
- When visiting the Catacombs, bear in mind that you should cover your knees and shoulders, as you would at any other Catholic place of worship. Jeans and a jumper are usually sufficient for the cold weather in Rome in the winter months, but in summer, the last thing you want to wear is long trousers. Try to pack something covering but light if you're travelling during the summer season- you'll need it to visit the city's myriad Catholic sites.
- One thing they don't tell you when preparing for these excursions is that, especially in the case of Ostia Antica and the Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este, they are poorly adapted for people with special mobility needs. The ruins are full of stones and mounds that can make access difficult, so bear this in mind before deciding on an experience.
Other tours you may be interested in
Rome is an exciting city that you will never fully get to know, but the endless possibilities it offers when it comes to making an excursion is, without a doubt, something to take into account on your trip. You can read more about the other excursions we recommend in this link: The 9 best excursions from Rome.
If reading about Ostia Antica has made you want to visit Pompeii and see with your own eyes the ruins left by the eruption of Vesuvius, you can read more about how to take a trip to Pompeii from Rome here: Day Trips to Pompeii from Rome.
In addition, it is also possible to visit the famous cities of Florence, Naples and Pisa from Rome on a day trip. On these experiences, you can see Michelangelo's David, discover the marvellous Florence Cathedral and its architectural genius, or taste authentic Italian pizza. Here are two articles where you can read all the details about these experiences: Day Trips to Florence from Rome y Day Trips to Naples from Rome.
Compare the various options
- Assisi and Orvieto Day Trip with Lunch from Rome
- From RM725
- 12 and a half hours
- Excursion to Assisi and Orvieto from Rome with lunch included
- With guide
- Book now
- Ostia Antica Day Trip from Rome
- From RM231
- 4 hours
- Excursion to Ostia Antica from Rome
- With guide
- Book now
- Tour to Tivoli: Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa
- From RM635
- 5 hours
Excursion to Tivoli: Villa del Este and Villa Adriana
- With guide
- Book now
- Rome Catacombs of Callixtus Guided Tour
- From RM71
- 1 hour
- Guided tour of the Catacombs of St. Callixtus in Rome
- With guide
- Book now
- Pope’s Summer Residence Guided Tour with Lunch
- From RM2,638
- Free time
- Excursion to the pontifical villas of Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence
- With guide
- Book now
- Rome Tivoli Villa Gregoriana Tickets
- From RM47
- Free time
- Tickets for the Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli Rome
- Without guide
- Book now
- Frascati Day Trip from Rome with Wine Tasting and Lunch
- From RM509
- 5 and a half hours
- Excursion to Frascati from Rome with wine tasting and lunch included
- With guide
- Book now