Appian Way bike tour Rome: catacombs, lunch & e-bikes

Underground history on two wheels: the Appian Way without the car traffic

This five-hour bike tour follows the Ancient Appian Way through Rome's Aqueduct Park and Regional Park, with a guided descent into St. Callixtus Catacombs—the city's largest underground cemetery, holding 16 popes and half a million Christians—and a lunch break at a local restaurant on the route. You ride electric bikes fitted with helmets and phone holders; the guide speaks English or Italian. Morning tours include lunch and water; afternoon tours include an aperitif and cold cuts.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ancient Appian Way and Catacombs

• Visit Porta di San Sebastiano gateway
• Tour St. Callixtus’s Catacombs underground
• See the mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
• Descend Roman quarry tunnels
• Enjoy Roman lunch at local restaurant
• Admire Villa dei Quintili remains
• Visit sacred spring of Nymph Egeria
• Ride electric bikes through Aqueduct Park

The Experience

The tour starts at Porta di San Sebastiano, the southern gateway built into the Aurelian Walls around 275 AD, where the Via Appia Antica begins. Medieval graffiti marks the stone—evidence of pilgrims crossing this threshold for centuries. From there, you ride electric bikes through meadows and archaeological sites, covering ground that would take hours on foot and passing the remains of Villa dei Quintili, a second-century mausoleum belonging to wealthy Roman brothers, and the spring of Egeria, tied to a legend of the second King of Rome.

The catacombs visit is the centerpiece. St. Callixtus Catacombs stretch about 20 kilometers underground and served as the official funerary complex of the Church of Rome. A guide leads you through corridors dating to the second century BC, explaining the history of the 16 popes and 50 martyrs buried there. You also descend 40 feet into a Roman quarry—silent tunnels that later became air raid shelters during World War II—a detail few visitors to Rome encounter. The contrast between the ancient sacred space and the wartime repurposing is stark and rarely mentioned.

Lunch or aperitif happens at a local restaurant in the heart of the Appian Way, breaking the ride roughly halfway through. Morning tours get lunch and water; afternoon tours get an aperitif with cold cuts and drinks. The route then continues through Aqueduct Park, where nature, art and history converge, before looping back. The entire day is five hours, and the electric bikes mean the hills and distance don't require competitive fitness—they're designed to let you move at a pace that lets the archaeology sink in.

What’s included

• High-quality electric bike with helmet, mobile phone holder and handlebar holder.
• guided visit of St. Callixtus Catacombs with a live guide in English or Italian.
• lunch and water (morning tour) or aperitif with cold cuts and drinks (afternoon tour).
• child seat for children up to 25 kg, or trailer bike for children ages 6–10 under 4'5" tall.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Roma STARBIKE

Is this one for you?Pick the morning departure for lunch and a leisurely exploration of the sites, or choose afternoon if you prefer a later start and an aperitif instead.

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Top questions

How hard is the biking on the Appian Way tour?

The tour uses electric bikes, so hills and distance don't demand athletic conditioning. The operator notes the tour suits all physical fitness levels, though you must know how to ride a bike well. The e-bikes handle the terrain and pace of the route.

What exactly is inside St. Callixtus Catacombs?

St. Callixtus Catacombs are the largest underground cemetery in Rome, with corridors stretching about 20 kilometers. The complex holds 16 popes, 50 martyrs and roughly half a million Christians buried over centuries starting in the second century BC. A guide leads you through the tunnels and explains the history.

Does the tour include food, and when do we eat?

Yes. Morning tours include lunch and water at a local restaurant on the Appian Way, roughly halfway through the ride. Afternoon tours include an aperitif with cold cuts and drinks at the same point. The break is built into the five-hour schedule.

What's included with the bike rental?

Each e-bike comes with a helmet, mobile phone holder and handlebar holder. Child seats are available for children up to 25 kg; children ages 6–10 under 4'5" tall ride in a trailer bike instead of an individual e-bike. Specialized infant seats are also available.

Which stops on the Appian Way are actually worth seeing?

Villa dei Quintili, at the fifth mile of the Appian Way, is the remains of a second-century mausoleum belonging to wealthy Roman brothers and is the best preserved on the route. The spring of Egeria, tied to a legend involving the second King of Rome, is a quieter sacred spot. Aqueduct Park is where the route ends, mixing nature, art and archaeology in one space.

Can I do this tour if I'm not an experienced cyclist?

The tour requires that you know how to ride a bike well, though the electric bikes reduce the physical demand of hills and distance. The operator notes the tour suits all fitness levels, but confident bike handling is necessary for safety on the route.