My summer adventures with IES Abroad have been some of the most incredible moments of my life, and my time spent in Rome has opened up so many other opportunities for travel and exploration in other exciting places around Italy. After a busy week of classes, it was important for me to balance my time spent studying by going on new adventures, which sometimes led me outside of Rome toward other interesting towns and villages that I visited on short day trips with my friends! In this post, I outline two of my favorite daytrips in small, neighboring towns that I highly recommend to any other students studying in Rome or other Italian cities.
Daytrip 1: Orvieto
One of the first independent excursions that my friends and I made during our time in Italy was a daytrip to Orvieto, a small medieval town that can be visited by a short train ride from Rome (roughly 1.5 hours). Located in the Umbrian countryside between Rome and Florence, Orvieto’s quaint atmosphere is nestled in the hills once established by the Etruscans, and was later occupied by Romans and members of the papacy during the Middle Ages. While the village is quite small and unassuming, it holds many beautiful historic structures, including the stunning Duomo di Orvieto and the Torre del Moro, a 13th century clock tower in the center of the village that you can climb and admire a breathtaking panoramic view of the area.
We arrived shortly after 8.00, and the morning air carried a chill when we exited the train and made our way toward the funicular to bring us toward the village, which is located upon cliffs overlooking the surrounding countryside. It was the perfect excursion for a morning in early June, and the weather was breezy in comparison to the rising summer temperatures in Rome. Orvieto’s ancient history has contributed to its rich cultural atmosphere maintained today, which was apparent as we strolled through the town and explored the narrow cobblestone streets lined with independent local shops specializing in leather goods, ceramics, and other handmade crafts, as well as small restaurants and businesses owned and operated by local residents for generations. During these explorations, we stumbled across several small museums that housed ancient archeological pieces found in the local region and learned about the complex series of underground Etruscan caves and tunnels—some of which have been repurposed and used as unique dining rooms, wine bars, art galleries, and museums, as well as preserved and used for specialized tours of the centuries-old hidden underground areas.
It’s a perfect excursion for anyone interested in historical sites or Italian culture, as well as small-town enthusiasts and explorers of all kinds! When visiting Orvieto, it’s also a great opportunity to practice speaking Italian with local shopkeepers and observe the Italian principle of “la dolce vita” of living a slow, peaceful lifestyle in this quaint town.
Daytrip 2: Santa Severa
Shortly after arriving in Rome, the approaching summer heat led my friends and I to seek relief somewhere outside of the city. Since air conditioning is rare to come by in Italy, one of the only reasonable ways to escape the heat was to take a day trip to a nearby beach. Luckily for us, the IES Abroad Rome staff had given us a list of local beaches with inexpensive travel options, and my friends and I were immediately struck by Santa Severa, a beautiful beach town outside of Rome that is relatively secluded, where we could swim along the shore beside the neighboring Castello di Santa Severa originating from the 2nd century BC.
The beach is only a short walk away from the train station, and it can easily be followed along a marked road in about 10 minutes of walking. When we arrived, it was mid-morning and still quite cool as we ventured along the shoreline, where we found beautiful pieces of multi-colored sea glass and marbled stones speckling the wet sand. It was very easy to find a place to establish ourselves, and despite being one of the warmest days of the season when we visited, there were only a few other groups of people, all of whom were Italian families and locals, which was much better than having to fight for a place at another crowded beach club. After a few hours of swimming in the bright blue water, our journey home was brief and we still had enough time to relax, shower, and prepare dinner as the evening cooled back in the city. Although many of the other nearby beaches (with beach clubs and nightlife) were more popular among some of the other students, such as Ostia, my visit to Santa Severa was comparable to paradise and I would return in a heartbeat! I highly recommend visiting if you’re looking for a calm, relaxing afternoon spent swimming and soaking in the sun, especially since it is complimented with the idyllic views of the countryside on your journey toward the sea and the magnificent Castello placed along the beach beside you.
My penchant for small towns is likely due to my own rural origins, and during my time abroad I wanted to dedicate a portion of my free time to the exploration of these special places that often host some of the most beautiful hidden gems unknown by many. While they’re often dismissed as ‘boring’ or are bypassed for other opportunities to visit popular destinations such as Florence or Venice, I cherish the small towns and hope that others will take advantage of their time abroad by finding the hidden gems of the Italian countryside.
Many of the other students in my program decided to use their weekends to book flights and spend time in other large cities, and sometimes different countries! While the world is at your fingertips when studying abroad and international travel is much more accessible, I would also recommend finding a good balance between traveling and spending time in your IES Abroad destination. I haven’t done any traveling outside of Italy while studying abroad, and although it has been tempting to take advantage of the opportunity to travel during my program, I’ve developed a great attachment to Rome and have found that my weekends here are calm, uninterrupted periods full of exploration in and around the city.
My best piece of advice for anyone planning on studying abroad in a large city: make sure to incorporate some small-town adventures into your travel plans! You’re sure to make lasting memories and will be able to learn about the ancient history of the region with unique first-hand experiences. My journals are full of special memories from my days spent exploring these places, and I am so glad to have ventured out beyond the popular tourist destinations that often overtake unique travel experiences such as these. I truly have no regrets about it, and I encourage you to go out and embark on your own adventures like this!
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Bailey Gregory
Hi, I’m Bailey! I’m from the mountains of western North Carolina and currently am a junior at UNC Chapel Hill studying Creative Nonfiction Writing and Art History. I love to read, and can usually be found fiddling in my garden or going for a walk.
