Via Appia

Via Appia Rome is not just “Via Appia antica pietonne”, but much more: it’s a place steeped in history and culture, where many generations of illustrious people, not just Romans, have passed.

Rome is full of secrets: each of them refers to a particular place that makes it wonderful. After all, it’s one of the most visited cities in the world, and we can’t overlook this significant place: one of the most important streets in Rome’s history.

Below, we discover the Via Appia Antica pedestrian park with its cultural, architectural and historical heritage. In this evocative place, even a simple stroll is an incredible experience. In fact, you’re surrounded by the beauty of the vivid colors, especially on sunny days, which give the whole place a dreamy atmosphere.

A truly magical charm, especially for the surrounding landscapes that accompany the visitor all the way to the Castelli Romani. In fact, it’s a good idea to include a day at the Via Appia Antica park in your trip to Rome.

This point of interest is easily accessible both for those coming from within the Italian capital and from outside.

Appia Antica is the best-known and most famous Roman road. It was built under the Roman Empire and is therefore called “Regina Viarum” or Queen of Roads. It was built in 312 BC, under the direction of consul Appius Claudius. The purpose of this road, apart from being a link, was to give Rome even greater grandeur and beauty.

Indeed, the Via Appia had – and still has – an essential function: to link the entire southern part of the Italian peninsula and the stretch from Porta Capena to the town of Capua.

Construction of this section was completed in 307 B.C., and work was extended until 244 B.C. to also link the city of Brindisi, in today’s Puglia region.

The paving of this long road is very special, as it is made of large stone blocks. These huge blocks of stone made it possible for anyone to walk on them, whatever the weather. A technique which, from then on, was extended to all the road systems inherent to the city, and not only: to the entire Roman Empire.

Today, when you walk along the Via Appia Antica, you’re retracing history. It’s like being inside a book.

This can be experienced through the monuments of great interest that line the route, which recently gave rise to the creation of a regional park.

But what can you see on the way? We often talk about hiking the Via Appia, because it’s an ideal place to fulfill your desire for historical and cultural knowledge. We’re looking at an example of beauty that has been preserved for over 2,000 years and has done so in silence, even though it has lived under the footsteps of many illustrious pilgrims.

Let’s talk about the section of the Via Appia Antica that can be visited, starting at Porta di San Sebastiano and ending at Frattocchie, where it joins the Via Appia Nuova. So you can think of an itinerary starting at the junction of the Via Appia Antica with the Via di Cecilia Metella and ending at the GRA.

This point can be reached by the Via Appia Antica Rome metro, as well as by buses leaving from the city center: regular buses and the Archeobus. You can also take the 118 bus to Via Appia Antica. It’s an excellent way to get straight to the tour area!

For those using their own means of transport, it’s best to park in Via dell’Almone or Via Pignatelli.

But let’s face it: we strongly advise against using your own car, as it’s pretty hard to find parking in the area.

This is a road steeped in history: at every stop, you’ll find wonders to admire. Within the first few metres, you’ll immediately come across Torre Capo di Bove on your left, the remains of an ancient sepulchre. And then, a little further on, the road continues, lined with century-old pines and cypresses, where you can stroll in true enchantment.

You’ll then come across and admire tombs from the fourth and fifth millennia, among which the tomb of Saint Urban stands out. The latter is very important, not only for the remains of the saint, but also because it represents the oldest example of a Christian burial on the surface.

We continue our tour of the Via Appia Antica to get to know and appreciate it in all its splendor.

There’s so much to see, and we’ll try to sum it all up so you can choose to visit what suits you best. Via Appia Antica is a total immersion in culture. For example, you can visit the tombs of Caius Licinius, Fusco and Quintus Apuleius.

A little further to the left, you can also admire the Tumulus des Curiazi surrounded by two beautiful pine trees at kilometer V. You can also see what remains of the Villa dei Quintili Nymphaeum, which belonged to the brothers Massimo and Condino Quintili. And, just to the left, you can see the Quintili aqueduct.

In this area, you can visit a number of tombs overlooking Via Appia Nuova. Among them is the Mausoleum of Casal Rotondo, an imposing cylindrical mausoleum. Its owner is not yet certain, but it has been attributed to Messalla Corvino, a consul who lived around the 1st century.

Finally, we can admire the flint tower that served as a quadrangular lookout post from the 12th century onwards. Of course, all this is surrounded by the magnificent Roman countryside. As we move on, the cobbled segments disappear, giving way to a gently sloping avenue of cobblestones.

If you like the idea of visiting the Via Appia Antica by bike, it’s possible. In fact, there are organized cycling tours with electric bikes. These professionally guided tours start at 69.00 euros.

In fact, there are many ways to visit the Via Appia park. Some are as simple as a walking tour, others as dynamic as a cycling tour. Of course, which way you choose depends on your personal tastes. What we can tell you is that either way, the Via Appia Antica experience is truly unique.