16 best things to do around Rome: our top picks

Rome’s monuments and art could keep you busy for weeks, but the Lazio region around the city deserves attention too. Within about 90 minutes, you can reach everything from Etruscan burial sites older than Rome itself to medieval hill towns perched above the countryside. Day trips here are straightforward, thanks to regional trains and buses that make it easy and affordable to explore without a car. Here’s a guide to some of the best things to do around Rome.

1. Castel Gandolfo

Castel Gandolfo overlooks the volcanic Lake Albano in the Alban Hills, about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Rome. The town has been the Pope’s summer residence since the 17th century, though the palace itself was originally built in the 1600s on the ruins of Emperor Domitian’s villa.

Since 2014, visitors have been able to tour the Papal Palace and Gardens, which feature Renaissance-style architecture, landscaped terraces, and sweeping lake views.

In summer, locals head down to the lake for swimming and canoeing, with several small Italy beaches and rental areas along the shore. After exploring, you can try porchetta along with wines from the nearby Castelli Romani vineyards.

Trains from Rome’s Termini Station to Castel Gandolfo take around 40 minutes, and the walk from the station into town is less than half a mile (0.8 km). It's a great addition to any Italy itinerary.

2. Tivoli’s Hadrian’s Villa (Villa Adriana)

Hadrian’s Villa, built in the 2nd century, was the emperor’s private retreat and covers more than 250 acres (101 ha). The ruins include theaters, baths, temples, and gardens inspired by the places Hadrian traveled.

Some of its engineering, like large domes and water circulation systems, influenced Renaissance architects centuries later. Today you can still walk along the Canopus, a long reflecting pool lined with statues, and through the remains of the baths and pavilions. This is one of the best things to do around Rome.
 

3. Cerveteri’s Banditaccia Necropolis

The Banditaccia Necropolis in Cerveteri, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Rome in Italy, dates back to the 9th century BCE and was used for more than a thousand years.

It contains over a thousand tombs arranged along “streets” in planned rows, making it resemble a city for the dead. The circular tumulus-style tombs from the earlier period have stone chambers carved to look like domestic interiors, complete with beds, chairs, and ceiling beams. Later, cube-shaped chamber tombs were cut directly into the rock.

Many still preserve carved details that give insight into Etruscan daily life, beliefs, and funerary rituals. The site is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing shared with the Tarquinia Necropolis.

4. Frascati

When you want a change from Rome’s pace, Frascati is close enough for a day trip but feels like another world. The train takes about 30 minutes, and you arrive in a hill town known for its white wine and Renaissance villas.

You can tour wine cellars still in use after centuries, walk through villas built for papal families, and take in views over Rome and the countryside.

In the main squares, people gather over porchetta sandwiches and glasses of local wine poured by the producer. The fraschette here serve simple plates in relaxed garden settings, the kind of place Romans come when they want to slow down. Wanting to slow travel throughout the country? See our guide to how to plan a trip to Italy.
 

5. Tarquinia

Tarquinia is one of the best places to see Etruscan history in person. There are more than 200 painted tombs, some dating back over two thousand years, with frescoes showing banquets, dancing, hunting, and mythological scenes.

The National Etruscan Museum displays sarcophagi, pottery, and jewelry found nearby, which adds more context to what you’ve seen underground. The medieval streets, towers, and walls are worth exploring too. Rome tells the story of the empire, but Tarquinia shows the culture that came before it.

6. Bracciano

Bracciano is known for its medieval castle and a volcanic lake that stays remarkably clear, and is one of the best things to do around Rome.

The 15th-century Castello Orsini-Odescalchi has furnished rooms that show what life was like during the Renaissance. The lake, about 22 miles (35 km) around, is free from motorboats, so it’s a peaceful place to swim or sail.

You can also eat fresh lake fish at small restaurants along the shore. The cobblestone streets lead to views over the water, and it’s close enough to Rome that you can explore the castle in the morning and spend the afternoon by the lake.
 

7. Calcata

Calcata is a medieval village on top of a volcanic cliff, left empty in the 1930s when it was considered unsafe to live in. Years later, artists began moving in and turned the old stone houses into studios, galleries, and cafés.

The narrow streets wind between arches and small piazzas, with views over the valley. On weekends, there are often live performances, workshops, or stalls selling handmade pieces. This is by far one of the best things to do around Rome.

8. Ostia Antica

Only about 30 minutes from Rome, Ostia Antica was once the city’s main port. Walking through the ruins here gives you a clear sense of what daily life was like in ancient times.

Founded in the 4th century BCE, the city grew to around 60,000 residents at its peak. The archaeological site covers more than 250 acres (100 hectares) and is laid out on a grid, making it easy to navigate. 

You can see apartment blocks, bathhouses, temples, and a theater, along with mosaics in taverns and public buildings. Some walls still have graffiti left by the people who lived here nearly 2,000 years ago. It’s generally much less crowded than the ruins in central Rome, so you can explore at your own pace. This can be a great area to stay in Rome.
 

9. Sperlonga

About 90 minutes from Rome, Sperlonga is a coastal village known for its clear water and connection to Emperor Tiberius. His villa was built around a natural sea grotto, where he held elaborate banquets.

His villa was built beside a large natural sea cave, which was adapted into a banqueting hall decorated with marble sculptures depicting scenes from Homer’s Odyssey, now displayed in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Sperlonga next to the site.

The old town is made up of whitewashed lanes and balconies covered in flowers, with beaches stretching out below. It’s a good place to spend a summer day by the sea. See our guide to the best time to visit Italy to find which season is best for your trip.

10. Viterbo

Viterbo is a walled medieval city with a papal palace and a well-preserved San Pellegrino quarter. In the 13th century, it briefly served as the seat of the papacy, and its palace is the oldest surviving one in Europe, where the tradition of conclaves began.

The volcanic landscape around the city feeds thermal baths that have been in use since Etruscan times. They are a great way to relax after walking the walls and climbing the towers.

In September, the Macchina di Santa Rosa festival sees locals carry a 100-foot (30-meter) illuminated tower through the medieval streets. This is a great place to get off the tourist trail in Rome.

11. Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita di Bagnoregio, known as “the dying city,” is a small medieval village on a crumbling plateau, reached only by a pedestrian bridge that crosses a deep canyon.

Founded by the Etruscans about 2,500 years ago, it now has fewer than a dozen residents. Despite it's low population, visiting here is one of the best things to do around Rome.

Its layout still follows the Etruscan plan, with medieval buildings, a 16th-century church, and remnants of Renaissance architecture. Because the plateau is losing about 3 inches (7 centimeters) of ground each year, large parts of the village have already collapsed into the valley.

12. Anzio

Anzio is about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Rome, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. In ancient times, it was a favorite retreat for emperors, most notably Nero, who built a massive villa here that stretched for nearly a mile along the coast.

Portions of the villa’s walls and mosaics can still be seen along the cliffs and underwater.

In modern history, Anzio was the site of the Allied landing on January 22, 1944, which was crucial in the campaign to liberate Rome. The Anzio Beachhead Museum has photographs, uniforms, and weapons from the battle, while the nearby Sicily-Rome American Cemetery holds over 7,800 graves of soldiers who fought in the campaign. 
 

13. Nemi

Nemi is a small town above a volcanic crater lake, known for its wild strawberries, Roman history, and quiet forest trails.

In ancient times, the lake and woods were sacred to the goddess Diana, whose temple overlooked the water. Emperor Caligula built two large pleasure barges here, later recovered in the 1930s and now displayed in the local museum.

In June, the town celebrates its strawberries with a festival that includes traditional dress and plenty of strawberry-based dishes. Forest paths lead to clear views over the lake, and it is worth trying strawberries and cream while taking in the scenery. If you'd like to go even further, this can be a great stop on a longer day trip from Rome.

14. Montecassino Abbey

Montecassino Abbey stands high in the Lazio mountains, about 90 minutes from Rome. St. Benedict founded it in 529 CE, and it went on to shape Western monasticism and safeguard classical knowledge through the Middle Ages.

The abbey has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, most recently after heavy bombing during WWII’s Battle of Montecassino. Inside are mosaics, frescoes, and marble inlays. Outside, the views stretch across the Liri Valley, and the Polish cemetery below is a memorial to the soldiers who died here.
 

15. Genzano di Roma

Genzano di Roma is a small town where life still revolves around local traditions. It is known for pane casareccio, a dark, crusty bread with protected status, and for wines produced in the surrounding hills.

The historic center has the Sforza Cesarini Palace and terraces with views that reach toward the Mediterranean.

In June, the Infiorata festival lines the main street with floral mosaics often spanning 820 feet (250 m) in length. The tradition began in 1778 and continues to draw visitors from across the region. It's easily one of the best things to do around Rome. 

16. Ariccia

Ariccia is in the hills southeast of Rome and has both impressive architecture and a strong food culture. Bernini designed the Piazza di Corte, the domed church, and Palazzo Chigi, which still has its original baroque interiors.

The town is famous for porchetta di Ariccia, which holds IGP status and is typically seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and black pepper before being slow-roasted. Many fraschette serve porchetta with local white wines like Frascati Superiore DOCG. 

Looking for more to do in the city? See our guide to the  best things to do in Rome.