DAY 1: OSTIA ANTICA

Ruins and Rome highlights by twilight

Good morning and welcome to Rome! You don’t want to head into the city yet. First, store your bags at the airport. It’s pricey (€9–12 per bag as of this writing) but you’ll be glad you did. The luggage storage at Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) is tucked away in Terminal 3.

Ostia Antica

After all that’s taken care of, catch a taxi, train, or rideshare to Ostia Antica. Get ready to hit the ground running. This not only helps fight jet lag, but it’s also the perfect opportunity (especially if this is your first visit) to see some cool Roman ruins.

Most people skip Ostia Antica (or don’t know it exists), and that’s a shame. This ancient port city was founded in the 7th century BCE as a trade hub and military base.

Ostia sat right on the banks of the Tiber (the name “Ostia” comes from the Latin ostium, meaning mouth). By the 2nd century CE, over 100,000 people called it home. Then the harbor started silting up, and the population dwindled over the centuries.

What’s left is sprawling and well-preserved, and far less crowded than Pompeii. You can wander through bakeries and bath houses and ancient fast-food counters without fighting for elbow room. It’s also close to the airport, which makes it a perfect first stop: fresh air and open space are the best antidote to a transatlantic flight.

Highlights to look for:

After your visit, I recommend walking about 10 minutes to have your first official Italian meal.

Arianna al Borghetto

This trattoria sits inside the walled medieval borgo of Ostia Antica, right next to the Castello di Giulio II. It’s a short walk from the excavations, and the seasonal Roman cooking is worth the stop. On warm days, ask for a table outside.

From there, head back to the airport to collect your luggage and grab a taxi to your apartment or hotel in the Piazza Navona area. Explore your new digs before falling into bed for a quick jet-lag nap (highly recommend). But don’t get too comfy and make sure you set an alarm!

Rome Twilight City Stroll

Around 4:30 PM, walk to the Palazzo Pamphili building near the Fountain del Moro on Piazza Navona. You’ll meet your tour group in front of the Brazilian Embassy (look for the Brazilian flag).

Welcome to Rome: Twilight City Stroll Guided Tour

Walks of Italy is one of my favorite guided tour companies. This walking tour is a good way to get your bearings early in your trip. You’ll hit the Pantheon*, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza Navona, with some Ancient Roman ruins and a gelato tasting along the way.

*Note: In order to enter the Pantheon, you must have your shoulders and the tops of your legs covered. If it’s a hot day, you can simply bring a scarf, sweatshirt or cardigan to tie around your waist.

After the tour, walk about 15 minutes to your dinner reservations.

Old Bear

Old Bear is tucked inside a 15th-century convent, which is the kind of detail that makes Rome feel like Rome. The menu leans Spanish (paella, sangria) but also covers Roman pasta and raw seafood. It’s a small, cozy space, so reservations are a good idea.

DAY 2: FREE DAY

Giorno di riposo (Day of rest)

The Italians know how to take it easy, so when in Rome… After your busy day yesterday and any lingering jet lag, I recommend taking this day to grocery shop for the week (if staying in an apartment), explore, nap, and enjoy la dolce vita! If today is Sunday for you, there really isn’t much open aside from a couple of museums.

However, if you just can’t sit still, here are some ideas:

DAY 3: THE APPIAN WAY AND PARK OF THE AQUEDUCTS

eBike your way along the Appian Way

Now that it’s been cleared of barbarians, get out and explore the countryside a bit. A half-day guided ebike tour takes you outside the city to the Appian Way and the Park of the Aqueducts.

The Appian Way was built in 312 BC as a military road and eventually stretched over 300 miles from Rome to the port city of Brindisi on the southeastern coast. It’s one of the oldest Roman roads still in existence.

This is the road the Apostle Paul walked on his way to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 28:13-15); Christians from the city came out along the road to meet him.

A heads up: the ride can be bumpy and the trails are narrow in spots, so bring water and wear sturdy shoes. There are also spots with a lot of traffic to cross or navigate. No food or drinks are included, but there’s a mid-tour stop where you can grab refreshments. Plan on a low-key evening after.

Highlights:

Rome’s Appian Way Tour by eBike

I haven’t done this specific tour, but the Tour Guy (also known as The Roman Guy) is a company I’ve used before and trust. This tour starts near the Colosseum and takes you through Porta San Sebastiano, along the Appian Way, through Parco della Caffarella and the Park of the Aqueducts, and finishes at the Baths of Caracalla.

DAY 4: HISTORIC ROME AND THE COLOSSEUM

Friends, Romans, countrymen, all hail the SPQR

Linger over your cappuccino and cornetto a little longer this morning (like any good senator would). You’re touring the historic city center and the Colosseum today, but you don’t have to meet your guided tour until this afternoon.

Self-Guided History of Rome Walk

If you’re up for it, take a self-guided stroll toward the Colosseum to meet your tour group through the heart of the Roman Republic (about two miles total and beginning in the Piazza Navona).

Follow my recommended route on Google Maps here.

Highlights you’ll pass along the way:

Rick Steves’ Audio Europe app

Rick Steves’ Audio Europe app has several free narrated guided walks and maps to follow. His Heart of Rome self-guided walk follows a similar route to the one I outlined on Google Maps.

Colosseum Guided Tour

The Colosseum was completed in 80 AD and could hold around 50,000 spectators. For nearly 400 years, it hosted gladiator fights, animal hunts, and public executions. Beneath the arena floor was the Hypogeum, a network of tunnels and chambers where gladiators and animals waited before being raised to the surface through trapdoors and elevators.

“Colosseum” is a nickname, by the way. The arena’s real name is the Flavian Amphitheatre. It got the name we all use from a 100-foot-tall bronze statue of Emperor Nero that used to stand right next to it, called the Colossus. When Emperor Hadrian needed to move it to make room for a new temple, it took 24 elephants to haul it across the plaza.

If this is your first time in Rome, a regular Colosseum tour with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill is more than enough. I opted for the underground tour because I’d been before, but the standard tour covers plenty and isn’t as expensive. Just make sure whatever you book includes all three sites so you get the most bang for your denarii.

A heads up: this area is very crowded and full of people posing as tour guides. Make sure you connect with your official tour group at the meeting point.

Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

This is the underground tour I took through The Roman Guy. It includes the tunnels beneath the arena floor, the reconstructed Arena Floor and Gladiator’s Gate, the first and second tiers of the Colosseum, and a guided walk through the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. They also offer a less expensive standard Colosseum tour without underground access. I’d recommend either.

After your tour, you may want to head back to your hotel or apartment for dinner and a quiet evening. Take time to relax — you’ve got a long morning of travel tomorrow!

DAY 5: SORRENTO

Sipping spritzes in sunny, citrusy Sorrento

Pack Your Passport

Make sure to bring your passport with you. You must have it to check into your hotel. Am I speaking from experience, you ask? Yes. Yes, I am.

When the Ancient Romans needed a break from running the world, they’d grab their sandals, sunscreen, and swimming togas and head for the Amalfi Coast. You should do the same! It’s a bit of an ordeal to get there from Rome, but absolutely worth the trip.

Traveling from Rome to Sorrento and Pompeii, and back again, isn’t exactly straightforward (unless you opt for a private driver or go with a tour group). However, planning this part of your trip yourself will give you the most flexibility.

The main issue is there’s no direct train from one to the other. Instead, there are three different train lines: the Trenitalia (Rome–Naples only) and the Circumvesuviana or Campania Express (Naples–Sorrento–Pompeii). Why, you ask? That’s a question even the Italians themselves have been asking for a very long time.

The good news is that once you get to Naples and find your way to the Circumvesuviana/Campania Express platform, there are plenty of helpful guides herding tourists onto the correct trains. They speak excellent English and very friendly. Don’t hesitate to utilize them. Here are the steps I would take based on the different parts of the journey. From Naples, you can also take a 40 minute ferry to Sorrento, which is the most recommend route, I’ve since discovered. Next time!

If all went to plan, you should arrive shortly before 1:00 PM check-in. The rest of the day is yours and Sorrento is yours to explore, but here’s what I like to do.

Hotel Villa di Sorrento

I adore this hotel and you will, too. It may be a bit worn for some tastes, but it’s my favorite place to stay in Sorrento. The location is great, the rooms are sparkling clean, and the breakfast is delicious.

Beach Club

Sorrento doesn’t have much in the way of beaches (as far as the “dig your toes in and build sandcastles” kind, that is). If you want to spend the day lounging by the Mediterranean sipping Aperol spritzes, you’ll need to head to one of the many privately-owned beach clubs. These are large sundecks built out over the water with changing facilities, a restaurant/snack bar, and so on. You can rent a chair, towel, and umbrella for the day or by the hour.

I did a lot of research before settling on Bagni Salvatore because it has one unique feature the others don’t: swimming among the ruins of a Roman villa. Sold.

I emailed them ahead of our trip and reserved chairs, towels, and umbrellas for everyone (see their website for how to make reservations). They also have pedal boats and canoes for rent. The food was awesome and the drinks were even better.

Bagni Salvatore

Bagni Salvatore is located in the Marina Piccola (sometimes referred to as Marina San Francesco), which is what the bay area below the cliff is called. From the hotel down to the location is kind of a haul but there really is no other way to access it because, you know, cliff. To get to the bottom you can either take the elevator (AKA the Sorrento lift) or walk the switchback ramp.

The elevator is next to the Imperial Hotel Tramonato. It’s about a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The quickest way there is through a charming little park with a statue of St. Francis of Assisi. It costs a couple of euro each way, so make sure you have change with you.

Giardini di Cataldo

There’s a lemon grove right in the middle of Sorrento, and I highly recommend stopping in. It started as a family operation producing limoncello, marmalades, and gelato for guests at the nearby Excelsior Vittoria Hotel. It’s beautiful and a very Sorrento-y thing to do.

For dinner, there’s plenty of spots to choose from. I’ve eaten at Michelin-star restaurants and counter-only takeaway joints — both delicious. You really can’t go wrong. I mean, it’s Italy. Honestly, just wander around and check the Google reviews or ask your hotel for recommendations. You can also find lots of great suggestions here. The pizza place right next to the hotel is really good, and they have a walk-up window. I will say I tend to stay away from the super-touristy options surrounding the Piazza Tasso.

Pizzeria Rosticceria da Michele

This is my favorite pizza place in Sorrento. Don’t let the laminated menu and plastic tablecloths fool you. The reviews don’t lie — it’s some seriously great food.

DAY 6: POMPEII

And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we loved

After sleeping in a bit and enjoying breakfast at the hotel, it will be time to say ciao to Sorrento and check out of your hotel. There’s a great little seaside town on the way back to Rome, so you should stop and check it out. Did you happen to hear some rumbling around that area last night? I’m sure everything’s fine…

Pompeii

Pompeii was a thriving Roman city of around 11,000 people, sitting in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius along the Bay of Naples.

In 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted and buried the entire city under roughly 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice. The city stayed hidden for nearly 1,700 years until explorers rediscovered it in 1748. Because the ash preserved so much (buildings, frescoes, even food), walking through Pompeii today feels like stepping into a time capsule.

Plan to spend at least three to four hours exploring Pompeii. A few things to remember:

Chora

Once inside, your only option for lunch is the on-site restaurant, Chora. Yes, it’s overpriced. No, there aren’t any other options and reentries aren’t allowed. It is what it is and overall, it’s not bad. I like to grab some sandwiches and fruit, and find a picnic spot among the ruins.

Pompeii Museums and Vesuvius

There’s very little in the way of found objects at the archaeological site. To see those, you’ll need to go to a museum. The Antiquarium, the museum located right in Pompeii, reopened in 2021 for the first time in 40 years (requires the Pompeii Plus ticket). However, if you want to see the bulk of its most famous treasures you’ll have to visit the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli). The Naples Museum is also where you’ll find the Gabinetto Segreto — ”Secret Room” — full of over 250 sexually-themed objects excavated from Pompeii and nearby Herculanum. Phallus side table, anyone?

There are also guided tours that take you up to Vesuvius. I’ve heard they can be a bit underwhelming, but haven’t been myself so I can’t say. But hey, if staring into the gaping maw of an active volcano is your jam then go for it!

Wait — you didn’t mention anything about a guided tour. Should I book one?

I could do a whole post just on Pompeii, but here are some quick thoughts. It can feel overwhelming and get monotonous if you don’t know what to expect or have a plan. I’ve been to Pompeii three times, once with a private tour guide, once without a guide at all, and once with a guided group tour. All options have their pros and cons, but if this is your first time, I’d say book a guided tour for sure. Beyond that, my advice is to take yourself and your travel companions into consideration.

Complete Pompeii Tour with Archaeologist: Past, Present, and New Discoveries

If you want to book a guided tour, I recommend this one. If you have little ones with you, consider the express option. It’s an hour shorter and doesn’t stop at the brothel.

From the train station, catch a taxi or rideshare back to your hotel or apartment for night in, or scout out a restaurant that looks promising and grab a table.

DAY 7: ORVIETO

Head on over to Orvieto

Holy black and white stripes! Literally. The Duomo di Orvieto is like no other. Take this entire excursion as sort of a free day; Orvieto is an absolute joy to wander. Be prepared to fall in love and look for excuses to return.

Orvieto is a small city perched on a volcanic rock cliff in Umbria. The Duomo di Orvieto, which broke ground in 1290, has an incredible mosaic facade and houses a marble Pietà sculpture inside.

If you’re up for something a little different, the Pozzo di San Patrizio is a 16th-century well shaft with a double spiral staircase that goes straight down into the rock. Underground, there’s a whole network of caves that date back to Orvieto’s Etruscan roots, and if that era interests you, the National Archaeological Museum has ceramics, bronze pieces, and other artifacts from that period on display.

You’ll be arriving on the northeast side of town, below the city center. There are a couple of ways to get to the top, but I recommend the funicular. This will put you in the old town near some fortress and Etruscan ruins. You can learn more about the various options for reaching the top here.

Activity and sightseeing options:

After enjoying the sites, head to the main Plaza del Duomo for lunch or an early dinner at two of my favorites: Enoteca al Duomo followed by gelato at the much-loved Gelateria Il Gelato Di Pasqualetti.

Enoteca al Duomo

This place is right on the main piazza with views of the cathedral, and it’s a great spot to sit and watch the town go by. Get the mixed platter of cured meats to start, and let the staff point you toward a local wine. Umbria produces some really good reds, especially Sagrantino and Montefalco Rosso.

Gelateria Il Gelato Di Pasqualetti

It’s right on the main drag heading toward the cathedral, and has been a local favorite for years. The flavors are made fresh daily with local ingredients, and they rotate with the seasons. Grab a cone and keep walking!

After you eat, you can explore Orvieto some more, or walk back to the train station to catch your train back to the Rome Termini station.

DAY 7: DEPARTURE

Arrivederci, Roma!

The bittersweet day has arrived. The night before, schedule a rideshare to the airport to pick you up at a specific time. It’s really important to get to the airport at least three hours prior to your departure time. Getting through security at the Rome airport can take a very, mind-numbingly very, long time.

Return home with heads and hearts full of memories of your Roman adventures!