10 Beautiful Day Trips Around Rome

The Italian Gems You Didn’t Know About

1. Bracciano

Vacationing like a Roman Emperor in Bracciano

What do ancient volcanoes, Roman emperors, Popes, Cardinals, and WW1 fighter aircrafts have in common?

Bracciano, Italy.

Bracciano is an old town just 18 miles to the North and West of Rome, making her perfect for day trips around Rome. Bracciano’s origins are set alongside her greatest attraction, Lake Bracciano, ancient Rome’s private lake of the Emperors. 40,000 years ago, an ancient volcano gave out, collapsing and creating the lake that is now known as Lake Bracciano. Crystal clear and having the most startling indigo blue, the waters around this lake are today a swimming spot kept free from all sorts of pollution ranging from plastic wasters to motorboats and their oil spills.

Emperor Domitian was the first Emperor to build a villa close to the lake, the Imperial Villa of Vicarello, repeatedly vacationing the spot for its hot baths after a hard day at work. A thousand years later, the Orsini – and later the Odescalchi family – revitalized the almost-forgotten town, building modern-day attractions like the Castello Orsini-Odescalchi.

Lake Bracciano is a freshwater lake supplying water to most of the city of Rome and my best activities here are kite surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, and many other boat activities. I took windsurfing classes at Centro Surf Bracciano, something I’m happy I did while in Bracciano.

Today, the Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare hosts several Italian-designed gliders, propellers, jets, and even sea-borne aircraft.

Eating Like an Emperor in Bracciano

1. Albergo Ristorante Villa Maria Now if you are crazy about fish,eating fish that is, lol, then this is the best place. My first time to dine here with my family I had an all fish-kind starter that kept on coming, filling up the table and we had to say stop!! I never saw or tasted so many kinds of fish. Anything and everything about fish is here….and it’s delicious!

On my 39th birthday dinner, I knew I wanted to go there and in as much as it was winter and they had closed on that day, they opened and served us the best fish meals…this time we ate smart, we were very strategic on what we ordered because the fish kept on coming … and the price?! I could eat there every day, just to say. It’s majorly a hotel so I’m guessing that’s why the prices are much subsidized, I mean I don’t get how they serve so much, cook so well and price so little.

2. Ristorante Alfredo da Persichella is set on the shoreline of Lake Bracciano and offers a panorama view of the Lake, giving you a taste (palette) and taste (view) of just how Roman Emperors wined and dined.

3. La Cirioletta Ignorante sometimes the restaurants around Bracciano are crowded, and what La Cirioletta Ignorante is imperial-style fast food like Roman tripe, chicken alla cacciatore, sausage and ribs.

4. Ristorantino del Castello is right on the plaza and a favorite of those touring the historic sights and scenes of Bracciano herself.

5. Uè Uè Bistrot Lounge Club is my personal favorite because I frequent here for some aperitivo and I personally know the young couple that run this Bistrot. First of all, it has the best location, facing the main piazza/square and the Castel and at night it’s even more magical. The chef is Napoletano, so that should tell you that the pizza is ”buonissimo!” 👌and his wife is the sweetest and most prompt in serving. The prices here are quite affordable.

Sleeping Like an Emperor

1. Vigna Caio Relais & Spa – Adults Only is not only a villa, but offers a king-sized experience in terms of spacious accommodations, a panoramic view of the lake, beautifully cultured gardens, and lavish services, making this villa a perfect staging post incase you opt to break off from your itinerary of day trips around Rome.

2. Vigna Di Valle had a wonderful garden and pool that drew me in, but it was the fireplace in the main guest area that gave me the feel of a Roman imperial at court, calling all the state consuls and officers to Bracciano for a relaxing day.

3. Hotel Villa Clementina was the most peaceful environment, with cozy, beautiful gardens filled with flowers and statues, while the rooms were wonderfully decorated with frescoes and wall art.

2. Bomarzo Park of Monsters

Fantastic Beasts and where their Statues Hide

Bormazo, Italy, just might be home to the world’s first zoo of animal and beast statues can be found. It was created in the 16^th century, a time when Italians and the rest of the world were beginning to see that the world was much larger – and more fantastical – than they previously thought it was.

Locally called the Sacro Bosco (“Sacred Grove”), the Park of the Monsters is filled with contemporary and fantastical beasts of lore.

The more common and familiar lions are bears, a turtle, medusa, elephants, and a whale.

Lore and legend mix up in these gardens, with a dragon – bravely attacked by lions – the Cerberus, the Pegasus, and a sleeping nymph in the garden of mystical beasts to be found.

Ancient gods like Triton, Aphrodite, and Ceres, also graced my eyes in the garden, with Orcus the largemouth guarding the entrance.

When Pier Francesco Orsini’s wife died, overwhelming grief and sadness prompted him to commission the park. Time healed his wounds, and the park was lost to memory and it was only centuries later when Salvador Dali brought the park back to contemporary times.

Today, Bomarzo Park of Monsters serves as a private park, a favorite of those planning day trips around Rome, and opens from 8:30 am to 7 pm. It can be crowded, being a popular spot, but it also has a rather large parking space that accommodates loads of private transport.

Here’s the Bomarzo Park of Monsters video.

Getting to Bomarzo Park of Monsters

Trains take about 1 hour from Roma Termini to Attigliano-Bomarzo. They run every 3 hours and charge about 7-14Euro. There are train services to Viterbo then connecting to Bomarzo via bus coach is another option.

Taxi services from Rome to Bomarzo are costlier, but are more comfortable and under your control. Private cars will have to take the A1/E35 road to the north of Rome and drive for 93 km.

The park has a restaurant, opened over lunch hour, owned by the Bettini Family. There are a number of places to stay in Bomarzo that are quite affordable if you do not plan to head back during day trips around Rome: La Casa di Augusto, B&brown, La dimora nel castello and Hotel Umbria were some options I considered while planning our itinerary.

3. Orvieto

What came before the Romans?

Orvieto, Italy is old, so old it came before the Romans were an idea in the mind of Brutus.

An old Italian town perched on a hill and barely 1.5 hours from Rome, Orvieto is home to the ancient Etruscans, the people who were there before the Romans, and she is full of their ancient fingerprints.

We found Orvieto a perfect addition for our itinerary of places to see on our day trips around Rome. Orvieto is home to many more wonders of the world, including the 14th-century Orvieto Cathedral and her incredible Gothic style of ribbed ceilings and pointed arches. The viewpoint from the square in front of the cathedral is the most impressive the Tuscan region has to offer; at night, the lights from the ground level give the cathedral a glow that is reflected from the stone edifice before disappearing into the void of the night sky above.

There is also St. Patrick’s Well, a strange and ingenious well 170 ft deep that they let you descend.

My favorite was the ancient and mysterious subterranean world of the Underground Orvieto, one of the few yet comprehensive cavern dwellings of the Etruscans. There are places it feels as if the former dwellers carved their home out of the very rock of the Earth, like Dwarves seeking deeper and further in search of mithril. An ancient and massive stone mill reinforced this thought in my mind; who but the dwarves could have thought of building something so massive and necessary?

Places to Stay

Orvieto was too large to sample via simple day trips around Rome, especially with the Underground Orvieto and St. Patrick’s Well to visit, but you can still make it. Even so, some of best places to stay include one my family personally stayed in, and several others I went to investigate:

Hotel Duomo was very comfortable and very modern, a break from the ancient aura of the old town with their glass doors and windows a stark contrast to the rocky, cavern-like recesses of the underground world.

Altarocca Wine Resort Adults Only absolutely ranks highest in terms of style, lavishness, and wines and olive oils on offer. Their dining rooms – inside and outside – are massive and comfortable, and the pool, gym, and terraces were more than enough to settle as a temporary staging point for our travels.

B&B La Casa Di Tufo was an interesting place to see with their mix of modern and ancient décor. It was built from local Tufo, with thick wooden planks for ceilings, and modern décor for the rooms and bathrooms.

4. Civita di Bagnoregio – Italy’s dying City – ”probably one of my best day trips around Rome”

The Enchanted Kingdom

Civita di Bagnoregio is one of the most magical villages in the world. From a distance, if you are lucky enough to catch the morning light, the morning mists lazily sway around and down the hill, like a maiden undressing, slowly revealing the tiny magical kingdom’s tower, then rooftops, then the walls, and finally, the bridge leading into the village.

Perched high on a hill, just getting there requires walking across a walking bridge linking the village to Bagnoregio. Just the walk up to the village itself is enchanting, with the panoramic view of the surrounding Valle dei Calanchi is enough to fill your memory banks.

The village is straight out of a fairy tale with its lanes and alleys linked to each other via ivy-covered arches. The houses are medieval, some 500 years old and counting, and yet the fantasy village does not look out of place in time.

There is a reason they charge you to enter the village; the Giardino del Poeta that tourists try to get to to catch the morning light sweeping over the valley below. As the Sun’s heat washes offer the valley, the mists roll back, a drape that once covered the grand windows now slowly revealing the mosaic on the glass.

Given the number of viewpoints you will want to get your fill of during your day trips around Rome, it would be wise to book a place to stay just so you can leave this area of Lazio with a full belly, so-to-speak.

Places to Stay

Le Calanque La Terrazza su Civita is about 1 km from Civita di Bagnoregio and one of the best staging grounds if you want to catch either the morning light from the village or bridge, or the evening lights as the village lights up for the evening.

Acqua di Civita Beauty & Rooms is but 30 minutes from Civita di Bagnoregio and has one of the most commanding views of the Valle dei Calanchi in the Civita di Bagnoregio region.

How to Get there

By train and car. The nearest airport is Rome-Fiumicino and you connect to Orvieto – by train – or Bagnoregio – by bus – then hoof it to Civita di Bagnoregio on foot.

Cars make the most sense for those planning day trips around Rome. You take the A1 exit at Orvieto if coming from the South. Alternatively, take the Motorway A1 from Rome to exit at Orte while heading for Viterbo, then exit at Bgnaia-Montefiascone to drive on the Teverina to get to Bagnoregio.

5. Tivoli

A Forest of Stone, Statues, and Waterfalls

Tivoli, was Emperor Hadrian’s private getaway and I am thankful that enough of it remains to this day.

Tivoli is a mountain town filled with Roman-era walls through which waterfalls pass through. Fountains blast through up from the ground to spray the air, and grand statues standing under archs and are to be found the Villa Adriana, Villa d’Este, and Villa Gregoriana.

We were in a heated debate over which among the three would take up most of our time during this section of our day trips around Rome. Hadrian’s Villa Adriana is older and ravaged by time. Yet, the ancient statues that remain, the crumbled architectural wonders, and the pools of water lined by statues speak of the ancient might and artistic brilliance of the ancients.

Pope Gregory XVI’s Villa Gregoriana, and the older Villa d’Este definitely got inspiration from the older villa, but went further. The combination of waterfalls and stone bridges immediately drew me to think of the ancient arboreal homes of Elves and made me wonder whether, perhaps, Tolkien was thinking of Tivoli when he wrote his novels.

Our cities today are urban monstrosities that have abandoned nature. I feel that if civics courses in college and high schools allowed us to just see images of Tivoli the world would be a much brighter and beautiful place.

Places to stay in Tivoli

Il Giardino is a good choice if you plan to spend extensive time in Tivoli at the risk of messing up your schedule of places to visit during your day trips around Rome.

Casale Colleoni looked like the very villa the Roman emperors went to hide away from the rest of the world. While the modern décor looks far from the lavish expanse of the imperial villas, the gardens and exterior are enough to make your weekend getaway fantastical.

Domus De Cinti has such ultra-modern décor and furnishing Hadrian himself would declare it an imperial holding and take it for himself.

How to get to Tivoli

Tour operators are some of the best options when planning day trips around Rome. They offer round trips of Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este in Tivoli – just 33km away – in air-conditioned busses. The Blue Cotral buses leave from Ponte Mammolo on Metro Line B in Rome and while they make more stops along the way – compared to trains – they are more regular with trains leaving every 15 mins.

There are hourly Train transport is mainly via the Roma-Avezzano-Pescara regional (Regionale) line from the Tiburtina rail station in Rome to Tivoli.

By Car, Tivoli is 35 min away on the A24 and parking space is available at the Villa d’Este.

6. Isola del Liri

The Village of Waterfalls

Veritably the real village of waterfalls, Isola del Liri is an islet surrounded by branches of the river Liri. Named after the river herself, Isola del Liri was a graceful addition to our itinerary of day trips around Rome because of the magical effect created by light and water mixing.

1000 years ago, the Boncompagni decided to build the first iteration of the Castle Boncompagni Viscogliosi at the spot where the rive splits in two as a military outpost. The Castle would change hands over time, with the Boncompagni, Della Rovere, and Sforza each taking turns before the Viscogliosi family took over in the mid-1920s. Over time, these owners would remodel and refurbish the structure, ultimately creating the water world wonder we see today.

It was the idea of water constantly moving and falling all around you that drew us to Isola del Liri. The river passes by schools and residents, its slow water with reeds and lilies a dreamy addition to the picturesque dream world around the village.

During the day, colorful flowers add to the water world created by river and waterfalls. At night, the addition of colored lamps cast such incredible lights around you get to see rainbows during the evening.

If you move to the far edge of the village, catching the Castle up above, the waterfall to its side, and the residential buildings flanking the river, you will capture an incredible photo shot of both the village and a mirror image of the same reflected in the clear and calm waters below.

Isola del Liri has much more to offer, being a village with over a millennia of settlers. Here is the Church of Santa Maria della Forma, the Church of Madonna delle Grazie and the Church of San Lorenzo Martire today serve as ancient repositories of artworks and the architectural wonders people and time have graced Isola del Liri.

In truth, we almost regretted not planning to stay for longer during our day trips around Rome because of how much she has to offer, and I am definitely going back to capture more of this incredible town.

Places to Stay

Waterfall Vicolo V is a small and clean ‘Waterfall’ BnB close enough to the waterfall you can hear the falling water.

Il balcone di Angelina has this balcony looking out over the river and to the left is the waterfall itself, a romantic and getaway spot I’ve found difficult to find elsewhere.

Wonderfalls Cascate del Liri is also very close to the waterfalls, but comes with the added benefit of beautiful décor in their apartments.

7. Nemi – Castelli Romani

Sailing like Caligula

Named after Diana of Nemorensis, Nemi is a medieval village whose fortunes turned when they discovered the remains of Caligula’s ships were something people wanted to see. Nemi is worthy of a place to go visit on anyone’s schedule of day trips around Rome because she has much more than ancient ships to offer.

Nemi looks out over Lake Nemi, the clear waters whose beauty prompted the ancient Emperor to think of making the lake his private sea. While he could not get a sea as large as the Mediterranean to call his own, he could build the Nemi ships, a pair of floating vessels so large Caligula regularly hosted banquets and feasts within them, dining on strawberries and dances with the sort of lavish only an emperor could enjoy.

Nemi is also home to architectural wonders that establish the genius of the ancients. The woods around Lake Nemi drew the ancient Latins to construct the Temple of Diana way back in 300 BC and, to protect the building’s structure and foundation from the lake’s overflooding, they built an underground outlet leading away excess water. Little of the Temple above remains, but the outlet is a little-known wonder of the world that remains to this day.

One thing that drove my family to Nemi as part of our day trips around Rome was the Terrazza panoramica sul Lago di Nemi, at a spot right by the statue of the great mother or La Grande Madre, where you get a panoramic view of the lake and surrounding woods that can serve as a cover for your photo album of traveling around Italian towns.

Accommodations

In case you were thinking about spending more than a day in Nemi…

il Lago di Nemi has a balcony looking over their garden and the lake and, most importantly, air conditioning for when you tour in Summer.

Holiday Homes – mini spa – Nemi (Roma) has great views of the lake to offer, with the addition of spa treatment on demand.

Incanto sul lago by Vivere il Borgo is quite distant from Nemi and located in Genzano di Roma. They have an amazing terrace overlooking the lake and a good choice for family groups looking for a place outside of Rome yet pleasant and affordable.

8. Nepi

The Town of Water

Like Nemi, Nepi is a town off the beaten path in terms of just how many tourists know about it. Oddly enough, I feel this is perfect as a town to add to my iteinerary of day trips around Rome because we would not run the risk of large crowds like we did in Bomarzo.

Nepi is an old town, full of architectural wonders from the Romans down to the medieval ages, and many of these old buildings and structures remain.

First we have the Basilica Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, a Romanesque era cathedral whose internal décor of heavy arches and Dome, frescoes and crystalline chandeliers are a draw for tourist and art student alike.

The Cascata dei Cavaterra were why my family chose to spend a quick day touring the small village. The village buildings are built from Tufa, a volcanic rock common to the region, and their walls seem to blend in to the surrounding rock as if one and the same. The waterfalls are a beautiful, scenic, and restful spot in the world where you can relax and reflect on nature’s wonders.

The Catacomba di Santa Savinilla are literally the anti-thesis to the waterfalls. The empty recesses in the cavern cemetery eerily remind you of the souls that once rested in that dark part of the world.

There are many other places to see in Nepi, many enough that I was tempted to break the cardinal rule of day trips around Rome; staying longer…

I plan to turn the words on screen into my photo album the next time around I visit Nepi because what I got was definitely not enough. Nepi’s Museo Civico Archeologico bore many ancient Etruscan and Roman artifacts, and taking photos around the Acquedotto di Nepi and the Il Forte Dei Borgia give you a feel for how the ancient and medieval towns of old used to look like, a feel deserving of more time spent at this town.

Accommodations

There are several options available for those that want to stay in Nepi for longer:

Oltre la Siepe Apartment seemed like a good choice and was recommended to me because of its pool, high-ceiling rooms, and water-heated bathrooms.

Both Lake House I Pioppi and Country House di Campo Stivaletto Nepi were recommended as well because of their wood-themed décor and marble flooring that are cool and refreshing in the Summer.

9. Calcata – A ONCE DYING TOWN

The Haven of Artists and Hippies

Calcata is also perched on a Tufa hill/boulder – they all seem to be going for the hills – and has an impressive panoramic view of the surrounding Treja river valley and woods. They allow you to walk – and ride a horse – around the nature trails surrounding the small village, perfect for a series of day trips around Rome.

The reason they call Calcata the village of artists and hippies is mostly because of the loads of artwork in Museo Opera Bosco that are designed from wood for the most part. The Giardino Portogesi, or Portuguese Garden, is a three-hectare large garden park filled with shrubs, oak, olive trees, and flowers. Small fauna like pelicans, ducks, and other rare birds can also be found in this recent addition to Calcata. Much of the reputation for being a hippie garden might come from the dozens of lecterns scattered all over the place filled with words of wisdom.

What I loved most about Calcata was how not only the woods and trails are covered in vines, flowers, and all sorts of flora, the village itself looked ancient and antique. They use the ancient caves and rock recesses cut into the surrounding hill to park their vehicles, and incidentally, accommodating our own private transport during our day trips around Rome.

The houses may appear run-down, but that was just the volcanic Tufa rock they used for construction, which left them with this ancient feel and look. Plus, the residents love to let vines and flowers cover their doorways, walls, and stairs, making it seem as if the woods outside kept reaching into the village.

How to Get to Calcata

While there are train services to Calcata, the easiest means of transport are by car. Train shuttles leave from Flamino Train Station but make some eight stops along the way before getting to Saxa Rubra along Montebello-Viterbo, then you have to exit and head for a Cotral bus that heads to Calcata, and you also have to buy the return ticket in advance because there are no ticket booths available at the destination point.

Car travel is more convenient because you have better control over your time and schedule if you are going for day trips around Rome. There is the paid Parcheggio Calcata Centro Storico car park in Calcata Nuova before a 15-minute walk to Calcata Veccia. The road trip itself is fairly simple: take the SS2bis to Viterbo then exit at Mazzano Romano.

Here’s a more detailed article on Calcata and the corresponding YouTube video.

10. Tarquinia

Where Etruscans Lie

Tarquinia in Lazio is an ancient town renowned for its wealth in Etruscan art and artifacts. It is even a UNESCO World Heritage site, not simply because of how its medieval look and aesthete has been preserved, but also because of the monuments and museums to be found. Much of Rome’s early history can be watched and walked here.

There are many reasons hundreds of travel blogs and websites rank Tarquinia high among places to see suring your day trips around Rome. For one, there are the frescoes and wall paintings known as the necropolis of Monterozzi scattered over some 200 tombs! They depict scenes from the lives of the ancient Etruscans such as funeral scenes filled with banquets, dancers, musicians and acrobats, and the necropolis of Monterozzi is one of the main reasons we know so much about the ancient Etruscans.

Then there is the National Etruscan Museum of Tarquinia inside the Gothic era Palazzo Vitelleschi. Many wonders are there, the most interesting to me being the two Sarcophagus of Veltur and the Sarcophagus of Laris. They apparently themed an entire series of sarcophagi: the Obese, the Magistrate, the Magnate, and the Priest. I felt as if the Etruscans have this odd relationship with death for them to plan entire generations of a family according to some lore.

Archeologists worked to restore the bas relief of the Winged Horses found from an ancient ruin, allowing us today to view the amazing stone work. Then there are vases, buccheri, ceramics from Attica, and the 2600 yr old vase of Bocchoris.

Did I mention other places to see such as the Cathedral of Saints Margherita and Martino, the Romanesque and Gothic buildings around the Palazzo Comunale of Tarquinia, the ancient Etruscan Port Clementino, and the Bagni di Sant’Agostino beach?

Frankly, unlike most other small towns and villages in Italy, I feel it is a disservice to use only a single day in your itinerary of places to see during your day trips around Rome. Tarquinia is too big; her history is too big, her wealth in artifacts and archaeology is too big, and her culture is too deep.

Tarquinia has much to offer the casual and serious traveler, and it is literally impossible to cover the entire town in a single day and will have to dedicate an entire blog to this town alone at a later date.

Accommodations

Here are several links to hotels and AirBnBs in and around Tarquinia you could opt for:

The Civico Zero Resort, Palazzo Castelleschi, the Hotel Villa Tirreno and the Villa Hotel Valle Del Marta Resort whose pools I highly recommend for the Summer heat.

P.S:

I would love to know which of these 10 beautiful day trips around Rome you love and if you have visited, which was your favorite.

Watch my 10 Beautiful Towns & Villages to Visit around Rome video for a more visual video on the day trips around Rome worth visiting.

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