Rome: Appian Way E-Bike Tour, Catacombs & Aqueducts

4.92

(137 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to hear sheep bells just three kilometers from the Colosseum. We’d barely left the city buzz when our guide, Marco, waved us onto the old stones of the Appian Way—he called it “Rome’s original highway.” The e-bikes made those chunky basalt slabs almost fun (though my hands still tingled after). There was this wild smell—kind of grassy, maybe fennel?—and every so often a jogger or a man walking his dog would nod at us like we were neighbors.

Marco kept stopping to point out crumbling tombs and tell stories about ancient families I’d never heard of. He had this way of switching between English and Italian mid-sentence, which made me laugh. At one point he tried to teach us how to pronounce “Parco degli Acquedotti” properly—my version got a big grin from an old guy sitting on a bench nearby. The arches themselves are massive up close, almost too big for photos. I remember standing in their shade while Marco explained how Romans engineered water to flow for miles. It’s weirdly peaceful out there; you can hear your own bike chain clicking.

The catacombs part was honestly a little spooky. Cool underground air hit my face as we followed another guide (I think her name was Lucia?) into those narrow tunnels lined with old frescoes and empty spaces where people once lay. Forty-five minutes went fast—I kept thinking about all the layers of history above our heads. When we came back up, sunlight felt extra bright.

I’m glad pickup was included because I wouldn’t have found that rental spot alone. By the end, my legs were tired in a good way and I had dust on my shoes. Sometimes I still think about that moment under the aqueduct arches, just listening to birds and distant traffic—a weird mix of ancient and everyday life, you know?