The Appian Way

The Via Appia Antica was the first of Rome's great roads and the most famous, begun in 312 BC by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus to link the city with Capua and later extended to Brindisi on the heel of Italy, the gateway to Greece and the East. The Romans called it the Regina Viarum, the Queen of Roads. Because burial inside the city walls was forbidden, its first miles became a long avenue of tombs and mausoleums for wealthy families, and later a corridor of underground Christian cemeteries. Today the stretch running south from the Aurelian Walls is protected within the Appia Antica Archaeological Park, a landscape of umbrella pines, cypresses, fields and ruins that feels astonishingly rural for a capital city. Long sections still have their original polygonal basalt paving, rutted by cart wheels. Highlights include the Catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano, where guided tours lead through galleries of early Christian burials; the cylindrical Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella, a first-century BC tomb later turned into a medieval fortress; the Circus of Maxentius and the Villa dei Quintili, a vast imperial-era villa; and, in the park's eastern section, the dramatic arches of the Parco degli Acquedotti, where ancient aqueducts stride across open meadows. The road itself is free to walk or cycle; individual sites such as the catacombs and the state-run monuments charge admission, and some have limited opening days. Bike rental and electric bikes are available near the start of the park.

The best way to experience the Appian Way is by bicycle or e-bike, which lets you cover the most interesting few miles without exhaustion; the paving is rough, so a sturdy bike or e-bike is better than a road bike, and walking is perfectly good for a shorter stretch. Sundays have traditionally been the quietest for traffic, when stretches of the road are given over to walkers and cyclists, but cars can still use parts of it, so stay alert. Start near Porta San Sebastiano, where the city walls house a small museum, and head south past the Domine Quo Vadis church, the catacombs and Caecilia Metella; beyond the Mausoleum, the traffic thins and the ancient paving and tombs become the whole landscape.

Visiting the catacombs is a highlight. They are run by religious authorities and visited only on guided tours, which last around half an hour and take you through narrow galleries lined with burial niches, painted chambers and early Christian symbols. Each catacomb has its own closing day and a midday break, so check before you go; it is cool underground year-round. The state-run sites — Caecilia Metella, Villa dei Quintili and others — operate under the archaeological park, with separate tickets and hours.

Practicalities: the Appian Way is outside the centre, so plan a half day. Buses run from the centre toward the catacombs, and a taxi to Porta San Sebastiano or the park's visitor point is quick. Bring water, sun protection and a snack, since services along the road are limited, and wear comfortable shoes for the uneven stones. For families it is a wonderful release from the city's museums — open space, picnics, bikes and real Roman ruins underfoot — and for history buffs it is the most evocative ancient landscape in Rome. Combine it with the Baths of Caracalla near the start of the road for a full day of ancient Rome beyond the Forum.