Appia Antica Experience

We hit the trails in the middle section of the ancient Via Appia, near Ciampino Airport. We’ll cycle for 5.8 km along the original paving stones of this important artery built in the late republican-imperial era. After having contemplated important consular-imperial villas, we’ll enter a short, but typical countryside landscape, with dirt roads and eventually we’ll come across sheep and other animals (a very suggestive landscape contrast given that we’re just a few miles away from the roman urban context). It doesn't take long and we’ll arrive at the Parco degli Acquedotti (WaterWays Park), which preserves an important historical heritage: crossroads of no less than 6 aqueducts (out of a total of 11) that were responsible for the water supply of the ancient Urbis, it is a place with a suggestive landscape that we will explore throughout the tour. From this point, we’ll follow the axis of the Aqua Marcia, Claudia and Anio Vetus aqueducts to reach the Tor Fiscale Park and, in sequence, a small but significant park located by the modern Via Appia. We arrive at one of the most naturalistic urban parks in Rome, the Caffarella Park. Here, we hit its dirt roads, paying close attention to pedestrians, to explore the area that was once a very fertile place used for agricultural crops (and not only). Along the way, we return to the Via Appia Antica to get to know the tombs of the Catholic martyrs, the impressive funerary monuments along the way and villas of emperors and then return to our starting point.

The activity requires a medium technical ability in riding the mountain bike (knowing how to apply the off-the-saddle technique, minimum balance and active riding) given that you will be riding on dirt roads and paths, avoiding busy streets as long as it is possible.