Our booking recommendation: The e-bike tour of the Appian Way and the Aqueducts, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Book this Compare options
On foot, 9 km is manageable; by bike, in half a day, you can connect the Appian Way, the Villa of Maxentius, Cecilia Metella and the Parco degli Acquedotti, which would take more than a day on foot. With electric assistance, even the climbs and departures from the city center become manageable.
There are three options: a guided e-bike tour, which can include a catacomb or a tasting; a longer guided ride that also passes through Caffarella and the aqueducts; or free rental for those who want to explore independently.
The short answer
Yes, cycling is the best way to see the Appian Way, as it covers in a few hours distances that would take a full day on foot. The guided e-bike tour lasts 3.5-5 hours depending on the option and can include a catacomb and a tasting; the longer ride covers about 27 km in 4 or 6 hours. Those who prefer freedom can rent a bike for a day at Via Appia Antica 60. You don’t need to be athletic, but the Roman basalt paving stones require a minimum of balance.
What is the best way to see the Appian Way?
For most visitors, a bike is the best choice, especially an electric one: it allows you to cover the Appian Way, the Villa of Maxentius, Cecilia Metella and the aqueducts in half a day, stopping wherever you like.
On foot, the Appian Way is beautiful but slow: the monuments are spread over many kilometers, and at the end of the day, there’s the issue of getting back. In a golf cart or minibus, you see a lot without effort, but you’re less connected to the road. Cycling strikes a balance: you feel the Roman basalt paving stones, you stop in front of the tombs, and you go far.
If walking is what you really enjoy, read the guide to walking along the Appian Way; if you want a vehicle without pedalling, find golf carts and minibuses in how to reach the Appian Way.
What is the e-bike tour on the Appian Way like?
The e-bike tour with catacombs and food lasts 3.5-5 hours depending on the option, is also available in Italian and uses full-suspension CUBE electric mountain bikes.
Depending on the offer, the e-bike tour between Appian Way and aqueducts crosses the park along the Appia, passes by the Villa of Maxentius and the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella and reaches the Parco degli Acquedotti. You can choose between a small group or a private tour, in Italian, English, French or Spanish; bookings made within the last 24 hours are usually in English.
Two options significantly change the experience: with the catacombs option, a visit to San Callisto or San Sebastiano is included, with the ticket covered; with the food option, there’s a tasting of local products for lunch or as an aperitif. The meeting point varies depending on the option and is indicated in the confirmation. Arrive 15 minutes early. In case of bad weather, the tour will be rescheduled or canceled.
Full-suspension e-bikes, Italian-speaking guide and, if you wish, catacomb visit and tasting included: the most complete tour on the Appian Way.
Book thisDo you need experience to ride an e-bike?
You just need to know how to ride a bike: the e-bike tour requires basic or intermediate skills, a minimum age of 12 and height of 150 cm. Not suitable for pregnant women or people with reduced mobility.
The assisted pedalling removes the effort, not the need to control the bike. On the Roman basalt paving stones the wheel bounces, on the dirt sections there are potholes and when leaving the centre you cross traffic. If you haven’t cycled in years, take a test ride the day before or choose the rental to move at your own pace.
Each offer has its own limits, and it’s worth reading them before booking:
- E-bike tour with catacombs and food: from 12 years old, minimum height 150 cm.
- Long tour with aqueducts and Caffarella: children from 1 to 4 years old in a child seat, from 5 to 8 with a trailer tandem, from 9 years old on their own bike; maximum weight 136 kg.
- One-day rental: not suitable for pregnant women, those with back problems or weighing over 120 kg.
- Full-day tour to Castel Gandolfo: ages 16 to 79, maximum weight 95 kg, driving test before departure.
How do you cycle on the Roman basalt paving stones?
Slowly and with relaxed arms. The basoli are large, irregular stones with carriage grooves: a full-suspension bike makes a big difference.
Guided offers focus precisely on this: the tour with catacombs and food uses full-suspension CUBE e-MTB, the long tour uses Cannondale e-mountain bikes with puncture-proof tyres. Those who rent can choose between e-bikes, mountain bikes, city bikes and e-MTB: on the basoli, the city bike is the least comfortable.
On the roughest sections many cyclists prefer the side pavement or get off and push for a few metres. There’s nothing wrong with that: the basoli are a monument, not a cycle path.
Is there a longer bike tour, including aqueducts and Caffarella?
Yes. The TopBike tour covers about 27 km in 4 or 6 hours, mostly off-road in the parks, and combines Appian Way, Caffarella and Parco degli Acquedotti. It departs from Via Labicana 49, near the Colosseum.
Depending on the offer, the TopBike e-bike tour between Appian Way, catacombs and aqueducts enters the Appia through the Aurelian Walls and visits villas, tombs, the Circus of Maxentius, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Parco degli Acquedotti and the Caffarella valley. The rest of the route follows city streets chosen by the guide. Helmet, handlebar bag and water bottle are included; food is not.
The difference between the two durations is the catacomb: the 6-hour option includes a guided tour of San Callisto or San Sebastiano, while the 4-hour option only includes a brief explanation at the entrance. A minimum of 4 participants is required, groups can have up to 10 people, and on Wednesdays the tour may last 30 minutes longer. Languages: Italian, English, French, Dutch, German and Spanish.
About 27 km along the Appian Way, Caffarella and aqueducts, starting from the Colosseum, with a guided catacomb tour in the 6-hour option.
Book thisWhere can you rent a bike on the Appian Way?
At Via Appia Antica 60, at the park's visitor point: the daily rental includes a helmet and lock, and you can choose between e-bikes, mountain bikes, city bikes and e-MTBs.
Il one-day bike rental on the Appian Way is the choice for those who want to decide their own route and stops. Depending on the offer, the times are:
- from late March to late October: Monday to Friday 9:30-18:00, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9:30-19:00;
- from late October to late March: Monday to Friday 9:30-13:00 and 14:00-17:00, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9:30-17:00.
Bring an ID and water; bikes are also handed out in the rain. The rental point is reached by bus 118 and 218. A route idea is to go up towards Cecilia Metella and the Roman basalt paving stones south of Capo di Bove; the stops are described in the guide on what to see along the Appian Way.
Which bike tour should you choose?
The e-bike tour with catacombs and food if you want the most complete experience and a guide in Italian; the TopBike tour if you want more kilometres and to explore Caffarella; the rental if you want freedom.
The table summarises the main differences according to each offer.
| Offer | Duration | Catacombs | Departure | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-bike tour with catacombs and food | 3.5-5 hours depending on the option | With the catacomb option: San Callisto or San Sebastiano | Varies depending on the option | Those who want a guide in Italian and a tasting |
| TopBike tour with aqueducts | 4 or 6 hours | Only in the 6-hour option | Via Labicana 49, near the Colosseum | Those who want a long ride, also with children |
| One-day rental | 1 day | Not included, to be booked separately | Appian Way 60 | Those who cycle independently |
| E-bike up to Castel Gandolfo | 6 hours | No | Via Appia Antica 136 | Trained cyclists aged 16 to 79 |
Prefer to cycle without a guide? The daily rental starts at Via Appia Antica 60 with helmet and lock included.
Book thisCan you cycle all the way to the Castelli Romani?
Yes, with the e-bike tour to Castel Gandolfo: 6 hours along the Appian Way to Lake Albano, for cyclists aged 16 to 79 who pass a riding test.
Il e-bike tour on the Appian Way to Castel Gandolfo starts at Via Appia Antica 136, in front of the entrance to the San Sebastiano catacomb (bus 118, Basilica di San Sebastiano stop). About three-fifths of the route is on the historic Appian Way, the rest includes roads open to traffic. You reach Castel Gandolfo and the crater of Lake Albano, with time for lunch.
E-bikes, guide, helmet and poncho are included; lunch, return train ticket and monument entries are not. Maximum weight is 95 kg, at least 4 participants are required and groups are 8 people per guide, in Italian or English.
From the Appian Way to Lake Albano by e-bike: a day between Roman road, Castelli Romani and lunch in Castel Gandolfo.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
How long does the e-bike tour on the Appian Way last?
The tour with catacombs and food lasts 3.5-5 hours depending on the option. The TopBike ride lasts 4 or 6 hours, the day trip to Castel Gandolfo lasts 6 hours.
Do the e-bike tours include the catacombs?
Only with the right option: the catacombs and food tour requires the catacombs option, the TopBike tour requires the 6-hour option. Rentals do not include them.
Can you cycle on the Appian Way in the rain?
Rentals deliver bikes even in the rain. The catacombs and food tour, in case of bad weather, is rescheduled or cancelled.
How far in advance can you cancel?
The offers indicate free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
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Bookable on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Appian Way and Aqueducts by e-bike
- Full-suspension electric e-bike, suitable for the uneven surface of the Roman basalt paving stones
- Multilingual guide: Italian, English, French or Spanish
- Villa of Maxentius and Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella along the route, then the Parco degli Acquedotti
Appian Way, Caffarella and Aqueducts by e-bike
About 27 km mostly off-road, from Caffarella to the Aqueducts; the guided tour of a catacomb is only included in the 6-hour version
Bike rental for a day on the Appian Way
Bike, helmet and lock at the rental point on the Appian Way; you choose the itinerary, among catacombs, villas and tombs
