Ancient Appian Way: Explore Rome's Hidden History

Explore Rome’s ancient history on an eBike tour of the Appian Way, Catacombs, and Aqueducts. Enjoy a delicious lunch and afternoon aperitif.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Porta San Sebastiano - A grand southern entrance to Rome, the Porta di San Sebastiano is part of the Aurelian Walls constructed around 275 AD. It also marks the start of the historic Via Appia Antica. Be captivated by its charm and explore the numerous medieval graffiti that bear witness to the passage of pilgrims over the centuries.
  • **Catacombs…
What's Included
  • Guided visit of the Catacombs
  • High quality e-bike
  • Lunch
  • Child seat until 25 kg
  • Helmet
  • Mobile phone holder
  • Handlebar holder
  • Child (6-10) is valid only if they are less than 4/7 feet
What's Not Included
  • Optional Tips
Additional Information

This tour guides you through the Ancient Appian Way Regional Park, one of Europe’s largest urban protected areas. Participants will be immersed in the history of the Ancient Appian Way, a Roman road from the 4th century BC, stretching over 500km and connecting Rome to Brindisi in southern Italy. It served not only as a military road but also conceals…

Location
Roma STARBIKE - Rome eBike Tours & Experiences
Roma STARBIKE - 0,03 mi from the "Colosseo" Metro station (Line B) - Next to the Carrefour Supermarket
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(41 Ratings)
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1 star
Rebecca_s
Aug 19, 2025
Excellent, 100% recommend - This was an excellent half day (approx 5 hours) activity, skillfully led by our guide, Iman, who was friendly and attentive at all times, ensuring we knew what to expect at each stage of the ride. Prior to departing, we were given clear instructions on how the bikes worked and also had the opportunity for a brief test-ride. This was our first experience of e-bikes and they were very easy to use (and definitely took all the pain out of any inclines!) The additional stop at the catacombs is well worth doing. Iman sorted the tickets and then left us in the capable hands of the official guide who lead us into the catacombs for an awe-inspiring and very informative tour (approx 45 mins long). Iman stayed with the bikes, looking after our possessions (safely housed in handlebar bags) and we continued with the ride, stopping along the way for Iman to point out ancient walls, buildings and the aqueduct. The Appian Way is an ancient cobbled road, be prepared for some bone rattling! A stretch of approx 1 Km is the original very large and very uneven cobbles. Iman prepared us for this section prior, explaining that it was probably the most challenging part of the 23Km ride, and navigated us through them expertly. He was very patient when riders preferred to push bikes along rather than ride and made sure he checked in on any stragglers. There was not a great deal of road-riding, but each time, Iman made sure we knew what was coming and guided us safely. The brunch was better than I had expected, in a local cafe, and consisted of a variety of sandwiches and pastries and a non-alcoholic drink. (Dietary requirements were checked at the beginning of the day to ensure they were catered for). As with any cycle ride, expect some saddle-soreness, especially given the cobbly nature of much of the route (and saddles which were not at all forgiving!). However, don't let this put you off as I would 100% recommend the tour and would gladly do it again myself. (Worst case scenario, bring your own cushioned saddle-cover!)
Review provided by Viator
Rebecca
Aug 19, 2025
100% recommended - excellent experience 👌 - This was an excellent half day (approx 5 hours) activity, skillfully led by our guide, Iman, who was friendly and attentive at all times, ensuring we knew what to expect at each stage of the ride. Prior to departing, we were given clear instructions on how the bikes worked and also had the opportunity for a brief test-ride. This was our first experience of e-bikes and they were very easy to use (and definitely took all the pain out of any inclines!) The additional stop at the catacombs is well worth doing. Iman sorted the tickets and then left us in the capable hands of the official guide who lead us into the catacombs for an awe-inspiring and very informative tour (approx 45 mins long). Iman stayed with the bikes, looking after our possessions (safely housed in handlebar bags) and we continued with the ride, stopping along the way for Iman to point out ancient walls, buildings and the aqueduct. The Appian Way is an ancient cobbled road, be prepared for some bone rattling! A stretch of approx 1 Km is the original very large and very uneven cobbles. Iman prepared us for this section prior, explaining that it was probably the most challenging part of the 23Km ride, and navigated us through them expertly. He was very patient when riders preferred to push bikes along rather than ride and made sure he checked in on any stragglers. There was not a great deal of road-riding, but each time, Iman made sure we knew what was coming and guided us safely. The brunch was better than I had expected, in a local cafe, and consisted of a variety of sandwiches and pastries and a non-alcoholic drink. (Dietary requirements were checked at the beginning of the day to ensure they were catered for). As with any cycle ride, expect some saddle-soreness, especially given the cobbly nature of much of the route (and saddles which were not at all forgiving!). However, don't let this put you off as I would 100% recommend the tour and would gladly do it again myself. (Worst case scenario, bring your own cushioned saddle-cover!)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kulmac
Aug 18, 2025
Great bike tour - Don’t miss out! - We had the best day with Sadaf on our bike tour of Rome! She was so informative and we saw so many different things that we were not expecting to see! As the traffic can be very busy in certain areas, we also felt very safe with her. She took charge and knew exactly what we needed throughout the day. She was also very considerate of things we wanted to see and adapted easily. This is a great way to see and learn about Rome’s ancient history and architecture. Sadaf, you are great- highly recommend!! Thank you!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y6081mrdanielag
Jul 28, 2025
Amazing Rome e-bike tour experience - My friend booked this tour for us. Our tour was on Saturday, July 12, 2025. This was one of our favorite experiences.. I have to be honest, I was a little nervous about being on a bike tour around Rome. I had nothing to be worried about, our tour guide Alex was amazing. What a great guy and unbelievable tour guide. Request him if you can.. He was thorough explaining the terrain of all the areas we would be visiting. He was knowledgeable and enthusiastic.. We got to see so many beautiful historical sights that we might not have seen.. we had the best group of people in our tour group. Everyone was kind and fun. I absolutely loved this tour. My friend and I are so happy we booked this tour! Thank you Alex!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelot4628vv
Jul 27, 2025
Awesome E-Bike Experience - This was a really terrific experience. Alex was our tour guide, and was an informative and kind leader for our tour. We cannot say enough good things about him! We experienced the ancient city wall, catacombs, the Appian Way, and aqueducts; this was a really wonderful way to see some extraordinary sights that might be hard to see for a tourist any other way. Recommended for people with at least some biking savvy; it was not particularly physically taxing, but did require navigating some traffic and dirt trails. The e-bikes were very comfortable, well-maintained, and provided a fairly "cushy" ride. Highly recommended experience, and ask for Alex if you can!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taub47
Jul 14, 2025
A fun family adventure in Rome and beyond - This was one of the highlights of our trip to Rome. We did a 5-hour tour, half of it on bikes and the other half touring catacombs and having an early light dinner. There were 4 of us on the trip -- my wife and I, and my two sons aged 20 and 17. First of all, the e-bikes themselves were good quality: good brakes and treads and 4 levels of engine assistance so you could tune it to your fitness level, the intensity of the hill, or how tired you are. We are not frequent bikers, but we were able to make it the whole way without tiring. The portions through the city weren't too bad either, particularly because we went on a Saturday, which I think helped with the traffic. The only challenging aspect for us was the roads themselves. Some parts were particularly bumpy, other parts curvy or narrow. If you're a reasonably skilled biker, you won't have problems, but I wouldn't recommend this tour to someone who has only biked a few times before. My wife did take a fall at one point, but otherwise we managed just fine. Iman as our tour guide was excellent. He is very knowledgeable, and he gave us great information about what we were looking at along the route. No less valuable was his experience with groups. He helped to stop traffic at intersections, he made sure our information stops were in the shade, and he was able to accommodate our vegetarianism where food was concerned. We were lucky to have him. Overall, the trip was a lot of fun. We got to see a little bit of everything, escape the heart of the city, explore the catacombs, play with e-bikes, eat, learn, and have an adventure together with the family. I would recommend this to anyone except novice bicyclists. Also, you may want to bring your own mini first aid kit just in case someone takes a tumble.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camillasx1363ei
Jun 23, 2025
Make time for this activity - I would do it again - We started out just around the block from the Colluseum and within a few minutes were outside the city walls and in the country. Our guide, Alex, got us off to a good start with his patience and encouragement as our group of varying skill levels all got comfortable riding an eBike through traffic. In addition to the Catacomb di San Callisto, the Appian Way, and the Aquaducts, Alex stopped to talk to us about several other historical sites along the way. This activity exceeded my expectations - highly recommended. Make sure to ask for Alex!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Benbo5628yy
Jun 21, 2025
Appian Antics - Amazing Time with Alex and Chris our tour guides!! Alex the lead tour guide was fantastic right from the word go and made the tour very informative all the way around with great knowledge of the points of interest we stopped at. Very conscientious with the needs of all in the group. Went at a pace that was comfortable to all. Brought the tour to life with some of the smaller details and overall made the trip fun. Would definitely recommend to anyone!! Many people go to Rome and see the main attractions but getting to see some of the smaller things that played a big part in history add a great dimension to the big picture!! Thanks to the whole team for all there input and would definitely do this again on the next visit!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A7181cakaylas
Jun 19, 2025
StarBike tour- thank you Alex! - Alex was an amazing tour guide! He is VERY knowledgeable and provided us with a unique tour through Rome and parts of the countryside. Our tour included lunch at a local bar/restaurant near the aqueducts. We took our StarBike tour on a Tuesday around 2pm and there were several periods where we were the only people around. This was hands down one of the best tours we took during our time in Italy. Alex provided our group with a fun and adventurous tour that was nothing short of fascinating!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jenna_g
Jul 5, 2025
Cool, but HOT and brunch is in the afternoon. - It was a neat ride, but very long. It is a full 5 hours of biking with some stops. The e-bikes makes it easy, and the guide knows what he’s doing, but at 100 degrees in Rome, it was rough! Also, you should know that “brunch” was actually just cold cut sandwiches served just after 1 pm at a bar. We had expected something earlier and skipped breakfast, which wasn’t ideal. We had booked a private tour, and I definitely overpaid by a lot for the experience. My boys did enjoy the guide and had a good attitude about it.
Review provided by Viator
From $104
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).