Daily excursions and sights near Rome Tivoli Villa D'Este, Hadrian's Villa, Pompeii, Assisi

In Latium, the region of Rome, or in the other regions surrounding the Eternal City, there are many extremely attractive sights, some of which are bewildering.

POMPEII

It is the most visited tourist resort in Italy, and it is extraordinarily interesting. Please go to the specific page for its complete presentation with many photos.
There is not an ideal way to reach Pompeii and Herculaneum from Rome. There follows advice and instructions about how reaching these very important sights.

First: don't plan on going there by train. The train leaves at any time between 8 and 9 AM from Termini station in Rome, it will bring you to Pompeii village (260 KM from Rome, app. 160 miles), and then you will have to reach the escavations. The result: you will not be there before noon (if everything goes well), and the excavations close around 5.30 PM (depending on the season). Practically, also considering that you will need time to get back to Rome, you will not have enough time to visit the excavations, as they stretch over a large area, and which deserve being visited with attention.
Second: Choose one of the three ways. None is perfect, as each has pros and cons. Before deciding, take time to ponder well about the one suiting you best.
(1) Least expensive: bus from Tiburtina station
(2) Moderately expensive: GreenLine, Appian Line, Carrani, and in general the buses of the American Express.
(3) Quality service: individual transport with chauffer-driven car service.

Let's analyze the three solutions:

(1) Bus from Tiburtina station. The bus leaves at 7 AM from the regional / international bus station near the Tiburtina train station. Unfortunately this occurs only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and in high season. You *must* purchase or reserve the tickets the *day before* at the office of the transport company called "MAROZZI", which is currently inside the station building. The cost is about for each way is appr. 20 US$ or 15 Euros or 10 GBP, twice as much the round trip. To reach Tiburtina station the morning you leave the best thing is to take the subway (line B, Stazione Tiburtina stop, or reach any line A stop, go to Termini station, and once there change from line A to B, with direction Rebibbia, the Tiburtina station is the 4th stop).
The bus will arrive at the excavations app. at 10 AM. You will have to buy the ticket to enter the excavations (app. 9 US$ or 7 Euros or 4.8 GBP), and also a very good guide book (6 Euros appr. 8 US$ or appr. 4 GBP, it is printed in many languages) as you need guidance through all the archeological marvels. Only tourist groups with guide are allowed to enter some archeological premises, but if you stay near the group members you can fake that you are part of the group and so you can enter too.
The bus of the same company leaves right in front of the excavations when they close, and you will get back to Rome to the Tiburtina station, and you can head back to your Roman accommodation from there, using the same city transport you used to get there in the morning.
(2) Greenline, Appian Line, Carrani, and in general the buses of the American Express. They present themselves as the ideal solution, as they say that they will also bring you to Naples and Sorrento (on the Amalfi coast), offering you a lunch on top. The price is app. 110 US$ or 90 Euros or 60 GBP per person. They are though far from ideal, and we do not recommend them in particular. They have in fact disadvantages: the drive to Pompeii lasts at least 3 hours and a half, or more. The visit to Pompeii lasts only 2 hours. The "visit" to Naples and Sorrento is just a pass-through. They necessarily bring you to visit a cameo and a wooden article factory (the trip is designed to make you possibly purchase them, although you don't have to). You will return to Rome as late as 9 pm, or later, after a fatiguing trip of appr. 13 hours, just to stay in Pompeii 2 hours.
(3) Quality service: individual transport with car service. From the point of view of quality, it is naturally the ideal solution. The car with driver will come and pick you up at your apartment or accommodation, at the time you decide (recommended time is around 8:30 am). The cars are extremely comfortable (Deluxe Mercedes, Chrysler Van etc.), with air conditioning and music. The corteous, dependable drivers speak English. The drive is fast (2 hours-2 hours and a half). You will have enough time to visit the excavations, and drive comfortably back to your Rome accommodation. It obviously costs more than the other ways, but not exaggerately, and if you are 4 persons sharing the cost, it costs practically like solution (2). If you are 5-8 persons, it is even more convenient.
You will find in this page a complete presentation of the car service to Pompeii

OSTIA ANTICA

It was the town of the ancient port of Rome, located on the mouth or delta of the Tiber ("Ostia" in Latin means entrance, or mouth). Gradually though the river silted up the town, which is now 3 kilometers inlandn (!). Already in the ancient times the port was moved to the present town of Civitavecchia, 90 kilometers north of Rome.
Ostia Antica is presently a big city of ruins surrounded by quiet green woods. The entrance ticket costs 6 Euro appr. 8 US$ or appr. 4 GBP.
To go there take the Metro B until Magliana or San Paolo, then change and take the commuter train or subway to Ostia Antica (with the same ticket) The ruins are open from 9am until sunset. Closed on Mondays.

TIVOLI

This hill town was called in ancient times "Tibur" (and hence the name Tiburtina of the road leading to it). The most important sight is the Villa d'Este (entry 9 Euros appr. 12 US$ or appr. 6 GBP) with its amazing Italian garden and with the hundreds fountains. Some are so big that you can walk inside, surrounded by the water jets. Some will make an organ play. It was built from 1570 by Cardinal Ippolito d'Este. Is is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. The Villa d'Este is open from 9 Am until sunset every day except Monday. Please go to the specific page for its complete presentation with beautiful photos.


Tivoli, Villa d'Este: the three large pools and the palace, seen from the Neptune fountain	Tivoli, Villa d'Este: the Neptune fountain

On the way to Tivoli, precisely at Bagni di Tivoli you can also visit Hadrian's Villa, where the emperor, a keen politician, administrator and architect created his summer resort, which is actually a little town. He deployed the most famous architects of his times, like Apollodorus of Damascus. It is a large area packed with an impressive layout of monuments, pools etc.. Closed on Monday.

There are two different ways to get to the Villa d'Este and to Hadrian's Villa. We will present both the less expensive and what we believe is the best way.
Least expensive. Take the subway Line B until Ponte Mammolo, then the blue regional Cotral bus (app. 4 US$ or 3 Euro or 2 GBP) to Tivoli. To go to Hadrian' Villa, you should get off at Bagni di Tivoli (before reaching Tivoli), and then walk or take a local bus.
Best service: we recommend again the daily excursions of Romecarservice.it®, ideal from the point of view of quality, and above all because you will be able to visit also with an extension of the tour the lake of Albano, Castel Gandolfo (the Pope summer residence), and the Ancient Appian Way. You can have a break for lunch in highly recommended characteristic restaurants in the Roman Castles. The courteous and professional driver will come and pick you up at the time you will indicate, with a most comfortable car (Mercedes DeLuxe Car, Chryler Van), with air conditioning, and will bring you straight to the place, and then back home.

ROMAN CASTLES or CASTELLI ROMANI

The Castelli Romani" or Roman castles are 13 airy and panoramic little towns on the southern hills around Rome, with a very enjoyable atmosphere, and an unspoilt, beautiful natural environment. Each has its distinct history, personality, cuisine, urban layout, and environment. They were the birthplace of the Latin civilization. There are many sights, like two lakes (Albano and Nemi), the summer residence of the Pope in Castel Gandolfo, archaeological areas (Monte Tuscolo), aqueducts (Claudio, Felice), and the Ancient Appian Way flanked by monuments and ancient mausoleums.

To reach the Roman Castles you usually have to take the subway Metro A to Anagnina, then the blue Cotral buses. For some Roman Castles, like Frascati and Albano there is also an efficient train service from Stazione Termini. However the best way of exploring the Castles is with the daily excursions of Romecarservice.it®. The advantages are:
- the Roman Castles are scattered in a large area, and it is simply not feasible exploring them by public transport (you would have to visit one each day). With the two tours of Romecarservice.it® you can visit practically *all* the Castles, even same day. Some places cannot be reached with public transport, like the Ancient Appian Way.
- at the end of the excursion, or at lunch time if you take the full day tour, you will be brought to a characteristic restaurant preparing home-made specialities.
- you will be picked up at your residence or hotel, and brought back.

UMBRIA

St. Francis' birthplace, the "Land of Saints", or "Mystical Land", famous for its green rolling hills and its medieval towns perched on green and most inspiring hills, can be reached in a number of ways. You can go by train, which brings you though to Perugia (the largest town). By public transport the best way is by bus, leaving from the regional bus station adjacent Stazione Tiburtina (do not confuse it with the square in front of the station where you only find the normal city buses, of orange colour).
Most of the bus lines have an office either on the side of the building of the station, or in the shops at the feet of the building in front of the station. Buses cost a little more than trains, yet they are faster, and they reach practically all towns. Of course you can also go to Umbria by means of our dedicated and courteous individual car service.

Daily excursions from Rome

POMPEII

OSTIA ANTICA

TIVOLI

ROMAN CASTLES or CASTELLI ROMANI

UMBRIA