Walk 9 - Appian Way (Via Appia Antica) Rome

Gentle stroll on edge of Rome within the reach of city centre

Walk: stretch of Appian Way (Via Appia Antica)

On this page

• Appian Way/ Via Appia Antica walk route

• Visitor Information Centre, Via Appia Antica

• Starting your walk of the Appian Way

Appian Way/ Via Appia Antica walk route

The Via Appia Antica is the old Roman Appian Way, which ran from Rome down to Brindisi.

The stretch close to Rome, the Via Appia Antica, is now part of an nature and archaeological park, the Parco Regionale dell'Appia Antica.

 

As well as being a genuine attraction, it is a delightful contrast to the traffic and bustle of Rome just a couple of miles away.

Do try and make your visit on a Sunday when the Via Appia Antica is closed to traffic and the way becomes delightfully informal with overseas visitors, joggers, locals taking their dog for a walk and enjoying a day out.

 

The aim of this page is to focus on the logistical aspects and give sufficient information in text, images and a map so that you can get a good idea of what to expect. A good guide book is a useful to explain the various attractions you pass along the way.

 

The walk is simple, it is basically walking down the Via Appia Antica as far as you want. You can hardly get lost.

Getting to start: Visitor Information Centre, Via Appia Antica

The starting point is the Visitor Information Centre Via Appia Antica, that is serviced by local buses from Rome.

The visitor centre although small dispenses maps and information on the sights along the Via Appia Antica. It also rents out bicycles, a popular way to visit the Appia way, the scope of the park is way beyond what you can cover on foot.

Easily missed: Visitor Information Centre Via Appia Antica

However, most of the low key “attractions” are along the first kilometre from the visitor centre.

 

We have a dedicated page devoted to the options on getting to the Appian Way.

Getting to Visitor Information Centre - full details

 

Starting your walk of the Appian Way

Most visitors on foot cover the section of the Via Appia Antica between the visitor centre and Cecilia Metella. Cecilia Metella is the furthest from Rome that the Archeobus goes, beyond that the Via Appia Antica is difficult to ride on a bike let alone a vehicle.

 

Another public bus to visit the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica) is the 660 bus, terminating also at Cecilia Metella. The 660 bus comes from Colli Albani Metro Station broadly at hourly intervals, enabling of you wish to make this a one way walk, not returning to the visitor centre .

Just beyond the visitor centre is a fork in the road where the 116 bus and the Archeobus veer left down the Via Appia Antica itself and the 218 bus goes right.

 

Our route goes down neither, but goes straight down the middle of the fork through a gateway into a park like setting away from the traffic.

Catacombs: San Sabastiano

Attraction: Tomb of Cecilia Metella

The track takes you directly to the Catacombs of of San Callisto, the largest single tourist attraction by far around here.

 

The Catacombs unlike most of the other relatively low key attractions along the Via Appia Antica caters to the coach tour crowd. There is a small information centre/gift shop and you join a guided tour of the catacombs in a language that you understand.

Continuing on the original path that brought us to the Catacombs of of San Callisto we soon come to an exit back onto the Via Appia Antica. Right next to the exit are some smaller catacombs you can visit, the Catacombs San Sabastiano.

 

It is at this point that the 116 bus turns left off the Via Appia Antica. The Via Appia Antica from this point deteriorates in some sections that even if motorised vehicles could gain access they would probably need 4 wheel drive to do so.

You can walk as far as you like along the Via Appia Antica. In the first kilometre from the Catacombs San Sabastiano there is a string of ruins and houses you can visit.

 

The handout/map from the visitor centre lists 54 attractions to visit in the Parco Regionale dell'Appia Antica, the biggest cluster being along this short stretch.

Just after passing the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, where the Archeobus turns around and the 660 also, there is a rustic restaurant and cycle hire place before the Via Appia Antica begins to head out into the countryside.

 

On either side are many tombs, some of which are well preserved while others are little more than earth-covered mounds. For most walkers this area will be as far as you will want to come.

 

If there is not a 660 bus and you are not using the Archeobus you will need to turn around either all the way back to the visitor centre or the Catacombs of San Sabastiano where you can pick up the 116 bus.

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Walk 1 - A circuit of Villa Borghese

Walk 2 - Spanish Steps to Trevi Fountain

Walk 3 - Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon

Walk 4 - The Pantheon to Trastevere via Piazza Navona

Walk 5 - The Pantheon to Vatican City via Piazza Navona

Walk 6 - A walk above and around Trastevere

Walk 7 - Trastevere to Capitoline Hill & Museum

Walk 8 - The Pantheon to Colosseum via Roman Forum & Capitoline Hill

Walk 9 - The Appian Way (outside Rome City Centre)

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