13 Fun & Easy Day Trips from Rome

Rome is a great place to visit in Italy. It's centralized, easy to get to, and acts as an excellent hub for all of the exploration you might want to do.

If you're staying in Rome and are thinking about doing a day trip to see a little bit more of what Italy has to offer, there are a lot of options nearby.

We've put together a list of some of the best places for day trips from Rome. Most of the locations are accessible in a couple of hours or less!

Naples, Italy: Delicious pizza and history

Distance from Rome: ~139 miles (~225 km)

While it seems a bit far for a day trip, Italy has high-speed trains that run from Rome to Naples in about an hour and 8 minutes.

Naples is a coastal city that is southwest of Rome. This city is colorful (literally), has winding streets and old architecture, and a lot of history.

As one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities, there is a sort of vibrancy you can feel while walking around.

It's the birthplace of pizza, close to Pompeii (which we will discuss later in the list), and gives you an interesting day trip from Rome at only around an hour each way. Hard to beat.

Capri, Italy: Cliffs and salty sea air

Distance from Rome: ~164 miles (~265 km)

Capri is a small island off the coast of Italy (near Naples, actually). The high-speed train from Rome to Naples will take you about an hour, then you can catch a ferry from Naples to Capri, which will run you another hour or so. That's about two-three hours each way, which is manageable for a day trip.

If you want Italian island vibes, Capri is a great choice - especially if you're interested in Roman history. Emperor Tiberius ruled Rome from Capri for an entire decade.

Capri is famous for the Blue Grotto (an incredible cave in the sea), sandal making, wild goats, and bright blue lizards unique to the island!

Tuscany, Italy: Rolling vineyards and Renaissance towns

Distance from Rome: Tuscany is a region, so it depends on where exactly you go. Anywhere from ~110-186 miles (~180-300 km).

Florence is one of the most famous cities in Tuscany, which could be a great place to add to your itinerary. There's also Pisa (you'll recognize the Leaning Tower of Pisa). High-speed trains can get you to the region affordably and quickly.

The region itself is famous for many things, especially because it was the birthplace of the Renaissance. Today, many small towns hold medieval/Renaissance festivals. Some even have boar races. It can be a cool experience if your calendar lines up that way.

This region is also famous for its delicious Chianti wine. Its rolling hills are ideal for wine production in general.

Pompeii, Italy: Ancient life in ruins

Distance from Rome: ~149 miles (~240 km)

Located just outside of Naples, Pompeii is one of the most famous ancient sites in all of Italy. A high-speed train can get you there in under 2 hours.

You might recognize the name Mount Vesuvius. In the year 79, Mount Vesuvius unleashed a devastating eruption that buried Pompeii, killing many of the people who lived there who couldn't (or didn't want to) evacuate.

Now, you can explore the ruins of the ancient city. It gives probably the most accurate and fascinating look at what life was really like for the ancient Romans.

There are buildings, mosaics - you can even still see old graffiti on the walls and fast-food style counters from back in the day.

We really aren't all that different than ancient peoples, after all.

Sorrento, Italy: Sunsets, sips, and sea views

Distance from Rome: ~165 miles (~265 km)

In around 2 and a half hours, you can leave Rome and set foot in the seaside community of Sorrento.

In fact, it's on the way to Capri, so it could be worth seeing both in a single day.

If we are looking way back in time, Sorrento was a popular vacation location for Roman Emperors of the day. Its popularity continued on, with elites like Lord Byron staying there too.

Today, it's still a popular vacation spot. One of the unique draws of Sorrento is its love for and production of lemons! The lemon trees in Sorrento are a unique strain. They're so cherished that Sorrento even holds an annual lemon festival.

Sorrento is actually located on "The Amalfi Coast", but it isn't to be confused with the little village of Amalfi.

Orvieto, Italy: Clifftowns and cathedrals

Distance from Rome: ~75 miles (~120 km)

Orvieto is home to one of the most jaw-dropping cathedrals in Italy: Duomo di Orvieto, but it's more than that. It was once one of the most important cities in Etruria (which pre-dates Rome).

For those who like a more unusual attraction, Orvieto also has a large underground city of tunnels carved inside of its volcanic rock.

Getting from Rome to Orvieto is simple via train. In an hour and a half, you can be exploring a place that people have lived for centuries.

Amalfi, Italy: Bright colors and lemons

Distance from Rome: ~170 miles (~275 km)

It's a little bit more off the beaten path, meaning it takes a couple more steps to get to (and a little longer), but if you're not sure when you're going to make it back to Italy, this is one you should try to make happen!

The Amalfi Coast is very famous when it comes to tourism. It looks straight out of a picture book with its colorful cliffside buildings and bright blue waters. Like mentioned above, Sorrento is on the coast too.

It takes 3-4 hours to get to the Amalfi coast from Rome, so it's only a day trip for those who are used to traveling a bit further regularly. That said, you could always do a "night" trip from Rome, where you spend one night away, just to give you a little more time between your travels.

Amalfi, like Sorrento (they're not far from each other, actually), is also famous for lemons and limoncello!

Gaeta, Italy: Fortress, olives, fun

Distance from Rome: ~86 miles (~140 km)

Though it's not that far from Rome, it does take about an hour and 15 minutes to get there. Don't worry - it's well worth it.

Gaeta is a town with ancient roots. Its Roman military port and, later, Medieval fortress both played big roles in Italy's history.

A visit to Gaeta means you can enjoy great beaches, sea cliffs, fortress views, a type of olive unique to the area, and even a unique thing to see.

Gaeta has a chapel wedged between large rocks, referred to as "Split Mountain".

Viterbo, Italy: Medieval, plus hot springs

Distance from Rome: ~62 miles (~100 km)

While it's close to Rome, it does take a little bit more time to get to Viterbo because there aren't any high-speed train options. That said, you can typically get there in around 2 hours.

There are a couple of really interesting historical attractions here that are worth experiencing.

First, Viterbo served as the Papal seat in the 13th century and was actually home to the first ever Conclave.

There are also medieval thermal baths that are still being used today!

Tivoli, Italy: Villas and views

Distance from Rome: ~21 miles (~35 km)

Right outside of Rome, you will find Tivoli, and there are trains that go directly to and from.

Tivoli is home to Roman Emperor Hadrian's massive retreat, Villa Adriana. This estate has fountains, incredible Italian architecture, lush gardens, and more.

Sulmona, Italy: Tales and charm

Distance from Rome: ~99 miles (~160 km)

You can get to Sulmona via train (and, rumor has it that the train ride is quite pretty!). This small town has Renaissance vibes and is surrounded by mountains.

If you've ever seen those pastel candy-coated almonds at weddings, this is where they come from!

Sulmona is also home to a couple of interesting tales.

One is that the local fountain (Fontana del Vecchio) ran with red wine in ancient times. The other is that the streets are still haunted by ghosts from a devastating earthquake that took place in 1706.

Cerveteri, Italy: Etruscan tombs and mystery

Distance from Rome: ~31 miles (~50 km)

The photo doesn't do it justice. Cerveteri is a fascinating place to visit for history lovers.

Cerveteri was an important Etruscan city, and today you can visit the ruins, particularly the Necropoli della Banditaccia.

Etruscan tombs were shaped like houses, and visitors can walk the streets of the Necropolis and even step inside of some of the ancient structures.

Caserta Palace, Italy: The Versailles of Italy

Distance from Rome: ~124 miles (~200 km)

Often referred to as the Versailles of Italy, the Caserta Palace is an expansive property with a large castle (1200+ rooms) and massive gardens. One of the reasons for this? It was modeled after Versailles!

Trains run directly from Rome to Caserta (and vice versa), so you can get there in about an hour and a half or two hours (one way).

It isn't famous just for its looks. Star Wars and Mission: Impossible were filmed here!

The Bourbon Kings of Naples commissioned Caserta in the 18th century, and it's now one of Europe's most awe-inspiring estates, and a great day trip from the capital itself.