Appian Way Aqueducts Bike Tour (Catacombs & Lunch Option)
Description
Ancient Appian Way e-bike Tour crosses the famous Parco dell’Appia Antica, an important biological corridor in Rome city centre, in a unique environment, in which an evocative nature frames this tour with a lot of history, culture, and art. This itinerary was created to introduce you to a magnificent road with many monuments that meet. The park of Aqueduct is a tale of the history of water in Rome and related engineering works, in fact six ancient Roman aqueducts converge here. You will ride a top-notch e-bike on a smooth 2,300-year-old meadow and relive the history of the great empire, crossing a unique landscape full of ancient footprints, imperial mansions, statues and tombs. A is a very emotional bike tour. If you choose the 5-hour tour option, you'll also visit the Catacombs of San Callisto and enjoy a lunch of traditional Roman cuisine at a restaurant in the Parco degli Acquedotti, or an aperitif for the afternoon tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
An imposing southern gateway to the city of Rome. The Porta di San Sebastiano, part of the Aurelian Walls built around 275 AD, also marks the beginning of the historic Via Appia Antica. Be enchanted by its beauty and discover the numerous medieval graffiti that testify to the flow of pilgrims over the centuries.
THIS STOP IS INCLUDED ONLY IN THE 5-HOUR TOUR. Visit to the official funerary complex of the Church of Rome. The largest underground cemetery in the city with corridors that reach a length of about 20km. The catacombs of St. Callixtus, a sacred place dating back to the second century BC, take their name from the deacon Callixtus I. More than 50 martyrs and 16 popes and half a million Christians were buried here.
Also known by the Romans as Regina Viarum (the queen of roads), it is considered the greatest civil engineering work of the ancient world. You will be fascinated by the history of the Via Appia Antica. A story that began in the 4th century BC thanks to the censor Appius Claudius, known as the Blind, who had it built with the aim of facilitating the flow of Roman troops towards the south. The initial stretch from Rome to Capua was extended in the following centuries until it reached Brindisi, the most important port of Ancient Rome.
The Caffarella Park, today an integral part of the Appia Antica Regional Park, is one of the largest green areas not only in Rome but also in Europe. It is a treasure rich in history hidden among its paths and groves where you can see the remains of ancient buildings.
Let yourself be enchanted by this sacred place that tells the love story between the Nymph Egeria and the second King of Rome Numa Pompilius, where Egeria, learning of the death of her beloved, burst into tears from grief, giving life to a spring.
This majestic mausoleum is a pagan tomb dedicated to Cecilia Metella, dating back to the 1st century BC. Incorporated into the Castrum Caetani, it remains the best preserved mausoleum on the Via Appia Antica. Here you can also appreciate the remains of the medieval house of the wealthy Caetani family and the church of San Nicola of which only the perimeter walls remain standing.
THIS STOP IS INCLUDED ONLY IN THE 5-HOUR TOUR. In the shadow of the Claudio aqueduct, a stop for lunch is planned. You will be able to taste Italian specialties in the restaurant. In the afternoon, there will be a tasty aperitif
We resume the e-bike tour along this immense green area crossed in ancient times and still visible today, from the Via Latina, the oldest road in Rome. Crossroads of the water network of Ancient Rome, here it is possible to admire the grandeur of Roman engineering through the remains of some aqueducts in some places well preserved, and surprisingly some still in operation.
Located on the Via Appia Antica, the Circus of Maxentius represents the best example of a Roman circus that has survived to this day. Let yourself be transported into the past surrounded by the remains of ancient Rome. The spina, still visible, housed the Agonale obelisk, moved during the Renaissance to the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.
Built by the emperor of the same name, the Baths of Caracalla were for about a century the largest public baths ever built, and today most of their structure is preserved. A branch of the Aqua Marcia brought water to the baths through the Antoninian aqueduct. Small remains can be admired at the Porta di San Sebastiano.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The reduction for children (age 6-10) is valid only if they are less than 4'5'' feet tall (143 cm) because they will have a trailer bike and not an individual ebike
- Max weight: 120 KG - 265 pounds.
- You MUST know how to ride a bike WELL
- In the afternoon there will be a tasty Aperitif to replace the Brunch (included in the 5-hour version only)
Reviews(1,125)
What a wonderful addition to our trip to Rome. So nice to get out to the countryside and away from the crowds. The catacombs tour was very informative and our guide, Lorenzo, was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend the tour. We did the morning tour with lunch. The afternoon tour in August would have been too hot for us.
Awesome tour with so much history to see. E-bikes were an easy way to get around. Alex was a fantastic tour guide with so much knowledge presented in such a passionate way. He was very interactive with all the tourists in our group. Highly Recommend seeing the quiet side of Rome AA++
Salah was great! he was patient, knowledgable, and kind. I would definitely set up a tour with him again!!!
SALLAH was the BEST tour guide for this tour. Not only did I learn so much from him, but he seemed to really care about getting to know us and ensuring we had a good experience. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone...just def bring water when you go in the middle of August.
We're glad you had a good time with us, thank you for sharing your feedback
Wij hebben de Appian road fiets toer gedaan met onze gids Chris. We hebben echt een geweldige tijd gehad super mooi en echt een aanrader! Samen met Chris ook echt een leuke tijd gehad echt een geweldige gids! Een aanrader voor iedereen die graag een actieve en prachtige route wilt rijden en echt mooie stukken van Rome wilt zien die je anders niet snel zal bezoeken! We did the Appian Way bike tour with our guide, Chris. We had an absolutely amazing time! The route was stunning, and we highly recommend it. Chris made the experience even better—he was a fantastic guide and great company throughout the tour. We would recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys an active adventure and wants to explore some of the most beautiful parts of Rome that most visitors would otherwise never get to see.
We are thrilled by your kind feedback. It's great to see you had an amazing and enjoyable time with us, thanks to Chris who made this amazing experience for you.
A great change of pace in the countryside from visiting Rome landmarks and the heat. Our guide Saleh was terrific, was careful to match the pace of the group, took us on a few side visits, and was very informative and friendly. The Catacombs and lunch were great options as well, and cool break underground during the heat wave. Lots of history outside the city to see as well.
We appreciate this detailed feedback. Good to see you have had an enjoyable time with us
We went as part of our honeymoon and my wife thought it was easily the best part of the trip. We were a little worried going in based off how hot it was but the e-bike made it so easy even in the heat. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable about the area and provided the perfect amount of information. We had a smaller group than usual so we were able to do a more in-depth tour than normal and got to see some really cool parts of the aqueducts. This is a tour we would easily do again and again if we were to visit. The only thing people need to know is that you do ride in the streets at point with cars near you so you need to be somewhat comfortable riding a bike.
We're thrilled you had the best part of your honeymoon with us and we appreciate your feedback. Wish you all the best and hope to see you again
Very interesting and beautiful tour, saw many things, learned a lot of history . Bikes were fun too (one of our group would have benefited from a little more explanation of mechanics of how to use bike (gears and e-assist) but we were also late, so might have missed it !) The lunch was excellent !
Thank you for your kind feedback
We did the 2:30 PM Appian Way bike tour, which lasted about five hours, and it ended up being one of the absolute highlights of our time in Rome. First, our guide, Salah, was incredible. He was knowledgeable, kind, and incredibly patient. Since it was just my husband and me, we essentially had a private tour. As someone who isn’t an experienced cyclist and is fairly risk-averse, I really appreciated that Salah was always checking to make sure I was still with him and never made me feel rushed. He also made a point to ask if we’d like him to take photos of us at each stop, which was such a thoughtful touch. The history along the route was fascinating. We saw the ancient Roman city gate, an old Roman bathhouse, the catacombs, ancient mausoleums, an old toll station, a historic church, the springs that fed the aqueducts, sections of the original city walls, and the magnificent Roman aqueducts. We also got to ride on the original Appian Way and compare the ancient Roman paving stones to the newer cobblestone sections. It was surreal to be cycling on what is considered the first great Roman road. That said, this is not an easy tour. If you’re looking for a leisurely bike ride, this probably isn’t it. I’m not an avid cyclist, and there were definitely moments that pushed me outside my comfort zone. Parts of the route share the road with cars, and Roman drivers can be quite assertive. I was genuinely nervous at times because the last thing I wanted was to get hit by a car in a foreign country. The terrain itself is also challenging. The ancient stones are beautiful, but they definitely weren’t designed with bicycles in mind! By the end of the ride, I was completely covered in dust, and let’s just say the bike seat had thoroughly won the battle. We stopped for an aperitif along the way, which was a nice chance to rest, although I probably could have skipped it in favor of spending a little more time exploring. One thing that surprised me was the weather. It was around 102°F (39°C) the afternoon of our tour, but once we got out of the city and onto the Appian Way, the breeze from riding made it feel much more comfortable than I expected. The airflow made a huge difference, even though it was still very hot. If you’re considering this tour, I’d recommend being in reasonably good physical shape and comfortable riding a bike for several hours over uneven terrain. You’ll enjoy it much more if you’re confident on a bicycle. A few tips: * Wear plenty of sunscreen. * Bring sunglasses. * A neck fan is absolutely worth bringing, especially in the summer. * Wear clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting dirty because many sections of the route are dusty dirt roads. * Bring water and be prepared for a workout! Despite the challenge, I would absolutely do this tour again. We got to experience parts of ancient Rome that most visitors never see, the scenery was beautiful, and Salah made the entire experience unforgettable. If you’re willing to step a little outside your comfort zone, this tour is an amazing way to experience the history and countryside surrounding Rome.
Dear Christy, We're so glad and amazed by your super detailed feedback. It was so kind, beautiful and precise that will help our future guests a lot. And we are also delighted that you have had this wonderful experience with us, thanks to Salah your guide, who has delivered the highest quality of service for you. We would love to have you again in our tours. Wish you all the best
This was such an amazing tour! Family of 6 with kids aged 10-16 and it’s been everyone’s highlight. A mix of history and fun! Our guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable. The views and landscape and architecture was captivating. The e-bikes were easy to ride and the pace was perfect. Highly recommend!
