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The Early Christian sites on the ancient Appian Way are some of the religion’s oldest. Catacombs, where ancient pagans, Jews, and early Christians buried their dead, lie below the very road where tradition says Christ appeared to Saint Peter. The Via Appia Antica, built 400 years before, is a quiet, green place to walk and ponder the ancient world. There’s a helpful office around the first milestone (at No. 58/60) that provides informative pamphlets and bicycle rentals.
Getting Here
You can take Bus No. 118 from Circo Massimo, No. 218 from Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, or No. 660 from the Colli Albani Metro station (Line A). There’s also an Archeobus OpenTram bus from Termini (www.trambusopen.com ).
Top Attractions
Catacombe di San Sebastiano (Catacombs of St. Sebastian).
The 3rd-century Christian catacombs, named for the saint who was buried here, burrows underground on four levels. The only one of the catacombs to remain accessible during the Middle Ages, it’s the origin of the term “catacomb,” for it was in a spot where the road dips into a hollow, in Greek, kata kymbe (“down in the
hollow”). The complex began as a pagan cemetery, then slowly transformed into a Christian one. It’s this type of burial that you’ll see on the guided visit—recesses carved into the galleries meant for inhumation burials. | Via Appia Antica 136 | 00179 | 06/7850350 | www.catacombe.org | €8 | Mon.–Sat. 10–4:30, closed the 3rd wk of Nov. and 3rd wk of Dec. | Station: Bus 118, 218, 660.
Fodor’s Choice |
Tomba di Cecilia Metella.
The circular mausoleum of a Roman noblewoman, who lived at the time of Julius Caesar, was transformed into a fortress by the formidable Caetani family in the 14th century. The tomb houses a tiny museum with sculptures from the Via Appia Antica and an interesting display of the area’s geological and historical past. | Via Appia Antica 162 | 00179 | 06/39967700 | €6
(also includes entry to Terme di Caracalla and Villa dei Quintili) | Tues.–Sun. 9–1 hr before sunset.
Via Appia Antica.
This Queen of Roads, “Regina Viarium,” was the most important of the extensive network of roads that traversed the Roman Empire, a masterful feat of engineering that made possible Roman control of a vast area by allowing for the efficient transport of armies and commercial goods. Begun in 312 BC by Appius Claudius, the road was ancient Europe’s first major highway. The first part reached as far as Capua near Naples, ultimately
being extended in 191 BC to Brindisi 584 km (365 mi) southeast of Rome on the Adriatic Coast. The ancient roadway begins at Porta San Sebastiano, southeast of the Circus Maximus, passing through grassy fields and shady groves and by the villas of movie stars (Marcello Mastroianni and Gina Lollobrigida had homes here). The area of primary interest lies between the second and third milestones and is still paved with the ancient basoli (basalt stones)
over which the Romans drove their carriages—look for the wheel ruts. Pick a sunny day for your visit, wear comfortable shoes, and bring a bottle of water. The Appia Antica is best reached with public transport (there are no sidewalks along the road);. For more information, or bike rentals for exploring the Via Appia, visit theInformation Point at (Via Appia Antica 58/60 | 06/5135316 |
Daily 9:30–5:30 [4:30 in winter] | www.parcoappiaantica.it). | Exit Via Cristoforo Colombo at Circonvallazione Ardeatina, follow signs to Appia Antica parking lot | 00179.
Worth Noting
Catacombe di San Callisto (Catacombs of St. Calixtus).
A friar will guide you through the crypts and galleries of the well-preserved San Callisto catacombs. Watch out for wrong turns: this is a five-story-high catacomb! | Via Appia Antica 110/126 | 00178 | 06/5310151 | www.catacombe.roma.it | €8 | Thurs.–Tues. 9–noon and 2–5. Closed Feb. | Station: Bus 118, 218.
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