Appian Way Segway Tour
You’ve probably heard the popular phrase “all roads lead to Rome.” Now is your chance to experience one of the roads that inspired the saying of “the famous Appian Way”. One of Rome’s most ancient and strategic roads, it still connects Rome with Brindisi in southeastern Italy – a long way away. You don’t need to go so far south to get a true taste of the Appia Antica. The road closes to vehicle traffic once a week on Sunday, clearing the way for exploration by Segway! You’ll experience the beauty, serenity and famous monuments that continue to make the road famous today.
Your tour departs from our office, conveniently located a short walk from the Colosseum – and very close to the start of the Appian Way! You’ll enjoy a brief and easy training as you discover just how easy it is to learn to ride a Segway.
As we make our way out of the Colosseum area and towards the nearby Appia Antica, we’ll pass through the Celio, one of Rome’s original famed seven hills. Here we’ll glide past the Terme di Caracalla (the Caracalla Thermal Baths) on our Segways. The baths were once Rome’s second largest and have been stunningly preserved, an impressive feat considering they date back to 212AD.
Soon we’ll be rolling down the ancient paving stones of Via Appia itself. With no car traffic to interfere with the route, you’ll enjoy a relaxing itinerary at a leisurely pace. More than two thousand years of fascinating history lie beneath these very stones. It was here Spartacus was crucified along with his army, early Christians buried their dead here in massive underground catacombs, and during World War Two, Allied and German forces used the road as they fought for control of Rome.
Stops along the Appia Antica include the impressive Porta San Sebastiano, which signals the ‘gateway’ to Rome at the start of the Appian Way. You will experience the “Domine quo vadis” church, made famous by the legend of the apostle Peter. It is said that while Peter was fleeing execution in Rome he met a vision of Jesus here which led him to turn back and face his destiny as a martyr. You will see large swaths of green under which lie ancient Christian burial grounds the size of small cities. At Capo di Bove, you will come face to face with an archeological site dating back to the 2nd century AD containing the ruins of thermal baths. At the end of our itinerary, before heading back to the office, you’ll enjoy a light lunch at a spot right on the Appia Antica (on us!).
At each stop you’ll enjoy a presentation on a personal iPod, which you’ll be provided with at the beginning of the tour. You’ll discover fascinating facts and curiosities about each of the spots you’ll visit in a modern and entertaining audio-visual presentation – created uniquely for this tour!
If you are looking for a unique way to visit Rome’s most famous and historic road – we’re sure you’ll love our eco-friendly Sunday Appian Way Tour by Segway including Light Lunch! You’ll cover more ground and see more without the effort it would take the cover the same route on foot. All tours depart from and end at our office near the Colosseum where a bathroom, free Wifi, water and caffé are available to all of our guests.