4 Summer Day Trips From Rome

Di Richard Greenbury
20 Oct 2019

Whilst there is enough to see and do in Rome to keep you busy for weeks (if not months), occasionally a change of scene and pace is needed to revive travellers, and the area around Rome has such a wide variety and choice to satisfy all requests! There are lakes, mountain ranges, hilltop villages and sandy beaches encompassing history, culture, food and more where you can relax and decompress from the intensity of Rome.

If you are visiting Rome, the suggestions in this article might help spark your own ideas about how to enjoy a day out of the city, especially in the heat of summer!

Capalbio

Capalbio is a beautiful medieval town in the area called Maremma in southern Tuscany. The town itself is full of interest, including a 13^th century Romanesque church called San Nicola and the dramatic fortress of Aldobrandeschi, whose tower dominates the skyline of the town.

What else to do there:

Visit the nearby beaches (15 minute drive from Capalbio town, or get off the train at Capalbio Scalo). This is a particularly stunning stretch of coastline and the free beach (spiaggia libera) is the perfect place to relax.
Check out the Giardino dei Tarocchi (Tarot Garden) – an esoteric garden full of sculptures based on tarot cards. It really is unique!

Where to eat:

Trattoria al Pozzo combines excellent typical Tuscan cooking with friendly service and reasonable prices (Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 17).
If you want lunch by the sea, head to Rosso e Vino alla Dogana (Via Graticciaia, Chiarone Scalo). Delicious seafood with stunning views!

How to get there:

If you just want to go to the beach, you can take the train from Rome which takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. Return tickets to Capalbio Scalo cost €10, but check the timetable carefully as they are not that frequent. However, if you want to visit the town of Capalbio or the Giardino dei Tarocchi, you would need a car. See below for car rental recommendations.

Arezzo

arezzo

If your idea of a good day out involves looking at interesting things, eating delicious food and finding unique shopping opportunities, all in a beautiful setting then Arezzo is the place for you! It is a gem of a Tuscan town, known and loved by locals but it is often overlooked by tourists in favour of Florence or Pisa.

What else to do there:

If you can time your visit to fall on the first Sunday of the month, then you will find the main square and the surrounding streets filled with stalls selling all manner of antiques.
Arezzo is the proud owner of some wonderful pieces of art, including frescoes by Piera della Francesco in the Basilica of San Francesco and Cimabue’s famous Crucifix in the Basilica di San Domenico.

Where to eat there:

Bistrot 31 has many things to recommend it, but their tasting menus are really worth trying. Their knowledge and expertise is evident so sit back and enjoy being spoiled with the best of Tuscan food! (Via Guglielmo Oberdan, 31)
When in Tuscany, eat truffles! And if you are in Arezzo, eat at Dario e Anna Gastronomia. People come from all over the area to eat here, so make sure you book in advance – you won’t regret it! (Via Giorgio Vasari 16)

How to get there:

Trains from Termini take about 2 hours 15 minutes and a return ticket costs just under €

Norba Antica

norba antica

To really escape the crowds, why not visit a lesser known archaeological site, as opposed to Ostia Antica or Pompeii? Norba Antica was an ancient town, colonised by the Romans in 492 BC thanks to its strategic position above the Pomptine Marshes. Today, it is a dramatic ruin with entrance gates and towers which give a really atmospheric feel of the military power of the Roman Empire. You can walk around the walls and take in the stunning 360° views over the marshes below.

What else to do there:

History buffs can visit the Archaeological Museum which is on the same site – it is free to enter, and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9:00 – 14:00 and 15:00 – 18:00 year round, apart from public holidays.
Visit the famous Gardens of Ninfa – there is a fantastic range of flora and fauna in a breathtaking setting. Check the opening times on https://www.frcaetani.it/en/garden-of-ninfa/

Where to eat:

La Piccola Fontana (Via del Corso, Norma): savour the local prosciutto from Bassiano whilst you look out over the valley below
Il Piccolo Ducato (Via Tivera 24, Cisterna di Latina): this lovely restaurant is in a beautiful setting and you will probably pass it if you take the SS7 to drive back to Rome.

How to get there:

It takes about an hour and 20 minutes to reach Antica Norba from Rome, by car.

Subiaco

subiaco

Subiaco is an attractive hill top town in Lazio, to the west of Rome, where Nero chose to build one of his many summer villas during his reign as emperor – definitely one of his better decisions! Nowadays, you can either follow in Nero’s hedonistic footsteps and enjoy the material pleasures (for wining and dining recommendations, see below) or in those of Saint Benedict’s, who came here to repent and seek solace in the monastery he founded.

What else to do there:

Visit the imposing complex of buildings which form the Sacro Speco (or ‘St. Benedict’s monastery’) dating from the 13^th century with some unique examples of art from this era.
Walk up to the ruins of Nero’s villa, set on a hill above the town and imagine the parties which went on there!

Where to eat there:

Follow the hum of happy diners and you will arrive at the restaurant called ‘Cristallo di Neve’ which serves large portions of lovingly prepared dishes, such as their antipasti which just keep arriving! (Piazzale Campo dell’Osso 6)
Don’t judge a book by its cover – Tre Bruschettieri does not promote itself excessively, but that does not mean it is not worth visiting. On the contrary, stop here for the freshest ingredients carefully prepared. (Viale Emilio Blenio 1)

How to get there:

Take a COTRAL bus from Ponte Mammolo (on Metro line B) to the end of the line which is the centre of Subiaco. Make sure you buy your tickets before getting on the bus, but then validate them once you are on board – a single ticket costs about €50 and the journey takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Useful links:

Train timetables and tickets are available from www.trenitalia.it or www.italotreno.it
Bus (COTRAL) timetables are available from https://servizi.cotralspa.it/Orari
Cars are available for hire from https://www.europcar.com/en/car-rental/locations/italy/rome and other rental companies.

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Richard

Richard is the founder of Cribmed. He was born and grew up in New Zealand. In his twenties, he traveled and backpacked extensively before finally settling down in Rome, Italy in 2011.