The arrow-straight Via Appia Antica was the first of Rome's great consular roads, completed as far as Capua by 312 BC and soon after extended the full 563 (350 miles) all the way to Brindisi in Apulia, the heel of Italy's boot.
Bits of the Ancient Appian Way—there is a semi-parallel modern road called Via Appia Nuova; don't get them mixed up—are covered in tar now to facilitate vehicular traffic.
But the original, rutted Roman flagstones still cover long swathes of this mighty ancient road, and it is lined by magnificent ancient tombs and creepy Christian catacombs.
These tunnels, or catacombs ★★, were where early Christians buried their dead and, during the worst times of persecution, held church services discreetly out of the public eye. » more
Besides the Christian catacombs, the Via Appia Antica passes by a few other stop-worthy sights. First, at Via Appia Antica 51, is the church of Domine, Quo Vadis?, legendary as the site where the soon-to-be-Saint Peter, scurrying away from the Christian persecutions in Rome, met a vision of Christ blocking the road. Peter asked, "Domine, Quo Vadis?" Latin for 'Lord, where are you going?' » more
Past the catacombs, on the left side of the road at the top of a hillock, sits the castle-like Tomb of Cecilia Metella. » more
There are loads more tombs, funerary monuments, and roadside attractions along the Appian Way, which are all best explored during a nice stroll, easy mini-bus ride, or lovely (but bumpy) bike ride on a sunny Sunday (see below).
Riding a bike on the Via Appia Antica. (Photo by Daniel N. Lang)
On Sundays, the Via Appia Antica is closed to traffic—except for bicyclists.
You can rent bikes either in town or at one of four places along the Appian Way (figure €3 per hour or €10–€15 per day):
I warn you, however, that the ancient flagstones are terribly bumpy, so you'll end up riding on the dirt path of the grassy shoulder, which can turn into a bit of mountain biking.
The catacombs charge a fee, of course, but the road is also lined with ancient Roman tombs, monuments, and stretches of aqueduct that make for a lovely outing of free sightseeing.
When, after a while, you pass the little Appia Antica Caffé (via Appia Antica, 175, tel. +39-338-346-5440 or +39-340-319-8060, www.appiaanticacaffe.it; Closed Mon) on the left at an intersection where your choices are straight or left up Via Cecilia Metella, stock up on snacks and drinks there, as there's nothing but countryside and crumbling ancient, monuments from here all the way to the Castelli Romani hill towns, 19 km (12 miles) away.
The Via Appia Antica remained over the centuries a popular Sunday lunch picnic site for Roman families following the half-forgotten pagan tradition of dining in the presence of one's ancestors on holy days.
This practice was rapidly dying out in the face of the traffic fumes that for the past few decades have choked the venerable road, but a 1990s initiative closed the Via Appia Antica to cars on Sundays, bringing back the picnickers and bicyclists (see above)—along with inline skaters.
Biking the Appian Way has become a favorite activity (see above)—though please, try it only on a Sunday.
Monday to Saturday this road is teeming with cars, and to try to bike it would be suicidal.
Via Appia Antica 42–60
tel. +39-06-513-5316
www.parcoappiaantica.it
Mon-Fri 9:30am–1:300pm and 2–5:30pm (to 5pm in winter)
Sat & Sun 9:30am–6:30pm (to 5:30pm in Aug; to 5pm in winter)
Free
Roma Pass: No
Bus: 118, 218
Planning your day: Even if you're just riding a bus out here to explore one set of catacombs, figure on it taking half the day. If you want to see all of the catacombs plus the tomb and other sights, give it a full day—and have lunch at Hostaria L'Archeologia.
Don't forget to use your Roma Pass. No, it doesn't cover the catacombs at all—and the only marquee sight is does on the Via Appia is the Tomb of Cecilia Metella (which, wvwn now that it also includes the Baths of Caracalla, is still only €7, so don't use up one of your two Roma Pass freebies on it).
However, with the Roma Pass you will still get a discount on admission to the non-catacomb sights. (Don't bother with the Archaeologia Card, since its sights are now better covered by the Roma Pass—if you use it to get in free to the big ticket items also covered by the card—and the price has risen, making this cumulative ticket longer a good deal.)
Although each of the three major catacombs keeps the same open hours (9am–noon and 2–5pm) and charges the same admission (€8 each), they all close on a different day of the week:
So if you are gung-ho about it and want to hit all three, make sure you visit on a day when all three are open. (This, actually, is quite wise of them; that way, no matter which day you visit, at last two will be open.)
Take a guided tour of the Appian Way with one of our partners:
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Via Appia Antica 42–60
tel. +39-06-513-5316
www.parcoappiaantica.it
Mon-Fri 9:30am–1:30pm and 2–5:30pm (to 5pm in winter)
Sat-Sun 9:30am–6:30pm (to 5:30pm in Aug; to 5pm in winter)
Free
Roma Pass: No
Tours: from €60
Bus: 660 (from Colli Albani stop on Metro A); 118 (from Piramide stop on Metro B); 218 (from San Giovanni stop on Metro B)
Archeobus: Trambusopen.com (* costs €20)
This article was written by Reid Bramblett and was last updated in February 2014.
All information was accurate at the time.
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