Bicycle tour on the Appian Way with an Archaeologist
3 hours
Off The Beaten Track
Rome
Your local for this experience
Experience hosted by Lia Beatrice
Private Tour
Carbon Neutral
Take a bicycle and follow the path of the first of the Roman streets. Surrounded by the beautiful Roman countriside, admire some of the main ruins of Rome and listen to the story of this eternal City told by a local Archeologist. Tour suggested for people aged from 14 to 60 years old.
Destination
Rome, Italy
Category
Off The Beaten Track
Duration
3 hours
Transport mode
Bike
Available languages
English, Italiano
Included
Private guide
Safety Measures
Excluded
Bicycle rent starting from 25€
9 reasons to book this tour
Colosseum and Circus Maximus: similarities and differences
Listen to the history of Rome riding a bicycle
Admire some of the most amazing ruins of the ancient Rome
Explore a side of a perfectly preserved Roman countryside
Listen to the story of St Peter when he met Jesus spirit
Fantastic imperial Villas on both sides of the road
Cecillia Metella Mausoleum and Caetani Castle
Social distancing & regulations will apply
Safe experience
What you can expect
Let's meet near the Colosseum and discover the myth of Rome. The Via Appia, called "the queen of the streets" by the ancient Romans, began near the historic center of the city. Follow with me the original route of this road, surrounded by the main ruins of the imperial era, such as the Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla, and cross the Aurelian Walls that still surround the city in different places. From here begins an area without modern buildings and a little further on we will arrive in a splendid countryside with ancient mausoleums, catacombs and villas along both sides. This area is a beautiful park, which has remained intact for centuries. Here, according to tradition, St. Peter met the spirit of Jesus and decided to return to Rome to die under Nero's persecutions. We will visit the "Domine Quo Vadis" Church built in the specific place where this miracle happened. Passing in front of St Sebastian Catacombs, the Villa Massenzio, the Mausoleum of his son Romolo and his personal circus (its ruins are stunning), we will arrive at the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, the true symbol of this road. I can't wait to tell you the whole story!
Let's have fun together and get ready to act as a visitor of Ostia in the ancient time.
Technical information: we will ride around 8 miles, there are not only bicycles paths along the itinerary, there are slopes and cobblestones, some parts of the itinerary are not covered by asphalt. E-bikes are recommended, this tour is suggested for people aged 15-60 years old. Not recommended for children smaller than 1.35 mt (the size of a small.e-bike).
In case of rain or adverse weather forecast, will be proposed another activity in the area, which is full of historical and artistical attractions, without bicycles.
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Lia Beatrice.
Meeting point
Meet at TopBike Rental & Tours | Rome Bike Tours and Bicycle Rental | Noleggio Bici Roma - Rome to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
Colosseum and Circus Maximus
From the Colosseum to the Circus Maximus listen how Romans had their fun, and how it happened that athletic competitions which were originally organised to celebrate Gods became an hinstrument of political propaganda.
Caracalla Bath ruins and the stories of the daily life in Rome.
Listen how the Romans were used to attending the public baths, to clean themselves and to listen to the last gossips. Why Caracalla built another public one. Was he really so bad?
Aurelian Walls and St Sebastian Door
Have a view of the most preserved part of the ancient city walls and of a perfectly preserved door dedicated to St Sebastian.
"Domine quo vadis" Church
Enter the little Church built where according the tradition St Peter met the spirit of Jesus and decided to face his martirdom. Inside the Church there is a slab with the footprints of the Saint, an exvoto to remember the famous religious event.
St Sebastian Basilica
Stop in front of one of the most ancient Basilicas of Rome built above a II century catacomb. Listen to the story of the first christian cemeteries and how the bodies of St Peter and St Paul were moved here for a while to protect them from Saracens thieves.
Maxentius Villa and Circus
Be surprised by the stunning ruins of the Villa that belong to the Emperor Maxentius , the ruins of the Mausoleum of his son Romulus who died as a child and the ruins of his impressive Circus.
Cecilia Metella Mausoleum and the Caetani Castle
Listen to the story of Cecilia Metella, why she was so important to deserve such an amazing tomb, and why centuries later her mausoleum became one of the tower of a medieval Castle that belong to the Caetani Family.
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
I can personalize this tour for you
I can personalize this tour for you
Tell me your preferred date and group size
Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Mark🇺🇸 United States
3 April 2024
We did an Appian way walk and had a good morning out in the country seeing Rome from a unique vantage. An excellent guide to history
Christine🇺🇸 United States
26 September 2022
Serena🇦🇺 Australia
28 July 2022
Lia is an absolutely amazing guide; she is warm, passionate, knowledgeable and funny! We had an incredible day cycling the Appian Way with her, going back in time and finding a side of Rome that most tourists do not see. She had some wonderful stories which helped us picture life in ancient times, and the ways in which Rome shaped our modern Western society. We had a lot of laughs together, and she really looked after us as it was our first time on e-bikes and the gear changes and electric "boost" can be a bit odd and unexpected if you've never ridden one before. However, once you get used to what the bikes can do, going uphill was an absolute breeze and made cycling on a hot day less of a challenge than we expected. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat (or wear the bike helmet) - you will need them, but you will have a wonderful time on one of the oldest roads in the world! Highly recommended!So much fun in ancient Rome!
Unknown
13 June 2022
Wonderful and very through knowledge of the extensive history of Rome told with compassion and humor. Extremely delightful. Felt like I knew Rome history and current.Wonderful knowkedge of Rome History
Heidi🇺🇸 United States
13 May 2022
Lia was amazing! Great at communicating from the beginning. After lots of inner city activities it was so nice to get out into the countryside. We rented e-bikes which I would highly recommend. Lia explained lots of Interesting facts and stories of Ancient Rome. Lia made it personal and was so accommodating. Best part of Rome trip
Tony🇺🇸 United States
24 September 2021
Lia provided us three partial day tours of Rome. She spent time working with us on the planning regarding what sites we might want to see. She then scheduled the reservations as necessary, so it was seamless for us.
She was easy to understand, and enjoyable to spend time with.
We heartily recommend her for your tour. Great tour of the highlights of Rome
Mike
26 February 2025
A great tour to learn about the layers of Rome. Lia was very informative. She took us to the less touristy areas and taught us about how Rome really came to be. Lia was a lot of fun. I would recommend this tour to anyone.A fun afernoon with Lia
bzgarcia
15 February 2025
Elias
4 January 2025
Fue muy acelerado la visita, no cumplió nuestras expectativas Acelerada
Corinne🇨🇭 Switzerland
1 January 2025
Lia was a very nice and pleasant guide. She is definitely very knowledgeable about the history and culture in Rome. We can certainly recommend her to other tourists. We spent a very nice morning with her in the Vatican museum and the St. Peter’s church.
Peter🇷🇸 Serbia
1 January 2025
We had an interesting day. We initially planned the Trajan markets but they were closed without notice. Irrespective, Lia Beatrice came up with a new and innovative program where she took me to other historical sites of interest and during the entire time she transferred valuable knowledge about the Roman history.
I really enjoyed my tour and access to such a wealth of knowledge Highly knowledgeable
Petr
16 December 2024
Beatrice made our tour just perfect! She is a fountain of knowledge and knows everything about everything, but she is also very kind, nice and fun person to spend your time with. I can 100% recommend this wonderful woman ❤️ Thank you once again Beatrice, you are amazing ⭐️Amazing Beatrice
Michele🇺🇸 United States
3 November 2024
Lia was not only knowledgeable, but so personable and fun. We had the best tour of the Vatican and Saint Peter‘s basilica. She was able to get us into the Sistine Chapel, which was amazing. So worth the money. Such a wonderful experience.Lia is amazing!
Laurie🇺🇸 United States
2 November 2024
Our afternoon tour with Lia was the best part of our stay in Rome! She was fun, knowledgeable, informative, and gracious. She personalized our tour to focus on our interests and left us with a far better understanding of the city and its history. Brava e’ grazi a Lia!Best 3 hours in Rome - tour with Lia!
Nancy
29 October 2024
We are so glad we booked this tour with Lia. Her knowledge of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill is amazing. We had a wonderful time soaking in all this knowledge. It was nice to follow her lead and not have to think about where to go next. We have a greater understanding of the Roman Empire and its significance in world history. Highly recommend touring with Lia
jay🇺🇸 United States
27 October 2024
It was a pleasure being taken through the coliseum and Forum with Lia. She knows her history and told us more than we ever knew. She had a sharp and funny sense of humor. Good tour guide.Great history lesson
Sarah🇺🇸 United States
27 October 2024
Martha🇺🇸 United States
12 October 2024
Lia was very knowledgeable about the Vatican. We enjoyed her sense of humor and enthusiasmKnowledge Guide
hariolf🇩🇪 Germany
3 September 2024
perfect time with lia
she is very sympathic and
she has enormous knowledge
about rome .
thank you lialovely lia
Caro🇧🇪 Belgium
25 May 2024
We still give 4/10 because Beatrice is a lovely lady who know a lot about the history and culture of Rome! But for the tour we expected something completely different; we thought we would see 'breathtaking views, arts and crafts from locals in pretty streets and information about how the locals live'. We got a completely different tour in alleys where you don't want to come with explanation about architecture of the 'normal' buildings...Lovely lady, not the tour we asked for
Anne
3 May 2024
I want to thank Lia so very much for her tour, which was amazing. She pointed out details and had so much information about what we were seeing that we would otherwise not have been aware of.
More importantly, however, she was an absolute delight to spend a few hours with. She was accommodating to my mother, who is unwell and needs to move slowly. She had us laughing constantly. And at the end of our tour, she was uncommonly helpful with helping us navigate the complex transportation to our next destination. I wish I could hang out with her more often ☺️ And thank you again Lia, for giving me a memory with my mother that I can keep after she leaves. ♥️♥️♥️Lia was spectacular!
kelli🇺🇸 United States
21 April 2024
Lia was personable, knowledgeable and just fun. We thoroughly enjoyed our underground tour of churches, stores and homes from the 1st century to the the 12th century. Loved it!Excellent tour?
hugo🇺🇸 United States
29 February 2024
We spent three wonderful days with Lia (Jan 25, 26 and 28). We had a wonderful time with her!! First, we pre-planned what we wanted to do and see and Lia helped us and offered suggestions on how best to optimize our time. We arrived in Rome and we met her on the first day at the Caracalla Baths. We spent the afternoon walking amongst the ruins and listened intently as she explained the history of Rome and the baths. She was thorough and answered any question we had and allowed us time to take photos because the light in the afternoon was perfect. We walked along the Circus Maximum and then through old Rome. As we walked, she explained the history of Rome, the Emperors and how they viewed the games, she pointed out old Churches built aside ancient temples. What was apparent through her story telling is that Rome is a city that is eternal, centuries of buildings built next to one another, buildings repurposed, etc. We walked through Rome, stopped at the Pantheon, on to Trevi Fountain and finished our evening at the Spanish Steps. Every step of the way was filled with facts, stories, folklore, tidbits about Italian culture, restaurant recommendations – we were captivated with Lia. On our second day we met her in the afternoon at the Vatican. Again, a day filled with wonderful stories about wars, Popes and art as she guided us through the Vatican. She thoughtfully got all of our tickets ahead of time and we bypassed every line for all 3 days. Our treasured moments came when we entered the Sisteen Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. She took us thoughtfully through each and allowed us time to enjoy and savor the spaces. On our third day together, we toured the Colosseum. Lia arranged a rare opportunity for us to go down beneath the Colosseum – a glimpse at the underground as Lia told us stories of the gladiators. We finished our day having lunch and then walked to the Basilica of San Celemente. It was a treasure trove of Roman ruins beneath it. We went here on Lia’s suggestion - and it was well worth it.
Lia is amazing and we would highly recommend her. She is relatable, funny, witty, and knowledgeable. She allowed us time to really enjoy all the places we visited. She was thoughtful and gave us opportunities to break when we needed. We found her to be incredibly flexible and she was able to accommodate us with last minute changes. After our time with her I knew I had a better understanding of Rome’s history and felt like I learned something. Plus, I really enjoyed Lia’s personality and charm. We will be back to Rome in the Fall and will gladly book more time with Lia. Thank you, Lia, for an incredible experience!!!Magical. Lia is amazing!
Michael🇬🇧 United Kingdom
9 February 2024
Lia was very knowledgeable and amusing. She guided us through parts of Rome that are less well known as well as the more famous places. She was also happy to talk about current politics - something you can only get from a local and we always find interesting. She was flexible when we had suggestions of something we wanted to see but also happy to suggest places. We enjoyed the tour enormously.A really enjoyable and informative tour!
David🇦🇺 Australia
14 January 2024
We had a great time with Lia, and she was able to find things that were interesting and engaging for our 6 year-old and also our 75 year-old. We are very glad we booked the private tour of the Forum and Palatine Hill since otherwise we would be staring at rocks and wondering what they meant. I particularly liked her metaphor that “Rome is a lasagne” in that it has layers. Awesome: informative, flexible, engaging.
Nicole🇺🇸 United States
1 January 2024
Lia brought the ruins of the Colosseum to life with every step we took. Through her eyes we saw how the structures reveal the history of Rome, as each transfer of power saw architectural changes. Layer upon layer, we learned the story of the City through the millennia.
Lia was the perfect guide for me and my 18 and 23 year old children. She knew exactly how to talk to young adults and clearly understood their mindsets, always stopping at the perfect spot for selfies or group photos. When we ended the tour in driving rain, Lia became a second mom as the two of us tried to talk my kids into going back to the apartment to change clothes. lol. We all loved her. Kind and Deeply Knowledgeable
Patrick
5 December 2023
Lia was the perfect guide for this tour, she was very informative and funny.
The tour itself I would highly recommend and Lia was
Fantastic. Awesome
Matilda🇺🇸 United States
27 October 2023
This was my first time using WithLocals and I was incredibly impressed. My husband and I bought a tour of the Vatican with Lia. She is a wealth of knowledge - about the history of Rome, the art and sculptures and tons of little details that might be overlooked with a different tour. Lia was funny and engaging and really helped us get the best experience possible. I highly recommend Lia and cannot thank her enough !!Lia is an exceptional tour guide !!
Susan🇺🇸 United States
4 October 2023
My husband and I visited the Vatican at a very busy time. Lia Beatrice was able to secure tickets and provided a great tour. She was able to guide us around the crowds (we would never have been able to navigate the crowds without her guidance) and explain everything in great detail. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a great tour of the Vatican or other areas of Rome.Vatican Tour
Cyndy🇺🇸 United States
31 August 2023
Olivier
25 August 2023
We met Lia right beside the Vatican city. She took grand care of reserving our tickets to get in. Once in, she made it effective for us to go straight in and avoid any wait. She took the time to explain in full detail the history of the Vatican (since we told her we knew not so much about it) She went into full and interesting details, making it easy to understand. She showed us and explained every key points, as we walked through every part of the museum / Sistine chapel/ St-Peter’s Basilica. We really enjoyed our experience and if you are a first timer at the Vatican, make sure to book with someone like Lia who will go back to the beginning through the end. Chapel Sistine - Vatican - museum
Donald🇺🇸 United States
25 August 2023
Wow! This was a fantastic experience. Lia is amazingly knowledgeable and gave me one of the best tours I have ever had in my life. I have been to Rome over 10 times and yet she took the time to show me amazing things that I had never seen before. Her love of Rome and the subject was very obvious and I enjoyed every moment with her. It was a 10 star review in every single way. Thank you so much Lia for an absolutely wonderful and memorable day! I feel lucky to have had this day with you learning about the amazing sites of Rome. Thank YOU!!!!! Amazing tour with an amazing tour guide.
morgankeller🇺🇸 United States
23 August 2023
We were in Rome for my mother in laws bday and reached out to Lia to see if she could take us through the Vatican. Wow! What a great choice! She has a wealth of knowledge that we were so lucky she shared with us. She’s knowledgeable, fun, kind and funny! She navigated the crowds with ease and stopped us at all the most interesting places to make sure we didn’t miss anything. I cannot recommend her enough! What an incredible experience! Can’t wait to come back!! Don’t hesitate!! Book now!
Paul🇺🇸 United States
18 August 2023
We booked on short notice during a busy time. Lia Beatrice got everything organized and moved us along so we could see all the top sites before they closed. Very informative on Papal history and the artifacts. Vatican tour
Uta🇩🇪 Germany
31 July 2023
Lea Beatrice was a very experienced and passionate tour guide. Deeply knowledgeable. She answered every question and gave us a wonderful time. She customized the tour perfectly for us.
Brings history to life!
We are taking away many great memories!
Grazie mille!Top notch and very impressive!
Dirk🇺🇸 United States
30 May 2023
Lia was very nice and informative.
Withlocals needs to update your info on the voucher to remove tha meeting point for a restaurant in the square that no longer is there to the statue in the Center of the square where we met
I was confused trying ti find the restaurant that did not exist and track down Lia to get the info on the new location by the statue.
Dirk
Paul🇺🇸 United States
27 May 2023
Our guide was Lia who is the most incredible and knowledgable host one could ever hope for. HIGHLY recommend her tour...she will make you feel like family!Beyond Expectations!
Catherine🇺🇸 United States
14 April 2023
Lia Beatrice was great! I forgot to book tickets to the Borghese and she was able to secure for us. She was so flexible and kind. Her tour was so informative and she was great with our kids. We were so pleased with our experience!Great guide and so helpful!
Yuliya🇫🇷 France
11 April 2023
We had a tall order: a two-hour tour of the Roman Forum two days before Easter (read, all historical sites were a zoo) for a three generational family of vary different knowledge of Roman history ranging from a 10 and 70- year old first timers to frequent travellers to the Eternal City. Lia did a fantastic job for all of us. She managed to fit the essentials in, but also delighted with special sites never seen on our previous tours of the Forum. She is a very knowledgeable and dynamic guide who truly shines when you go more in depth with her. I am sure she can be fantastic even if you know nothing about Roman history, but really, if you do a bit of homework ahead of time, her wealth of knowledge will make her tour unforgettable and truly unique for you. Also, three hours is better than two. We were time constrained, but otherwise, I would not recommend shortening a proposed 3 hour tours.Passionate and energetic archeologist
Nathaniel🇺🇸 United States
27 March 2023
Lia assembled a custom experience, guiding our family of four (two boys) through the Colosseum and Roman Forum. She then booked a pasta lunch. And we ended the day with an e-bike ride along Rome’s ancient Appian Way. She brought expert knowledge of historic Rome and a local’s experience of the city. She was great teaching our two boys in the morning and then cycling along the streets in the afternoon. We planned an ambitious and BIG day, and Lia nailed it! 10/10 Amazing custom tour: history + adventure
Meghann🇺🇸 United States
9 March 2023
Lia was amazing. She knew a considerable amount of knowledge when in came to the construction and uses of Ancient Roman structures. She was also able to answer any question we through at her during and before our tour. Additionally, Lia was a pleasure to be around, she was interested in getting to know us, was concerned with how our experience was going throughout the day, and was extremely personable.Extremely Knowledgeable and a Pleasure
Kristin🇮🇹 Italy
29 December 2022
Lia Beatrice was lovely - personable and knowledgeable. The tour was quite interesting and I learned a great deal. I would not necessarily recommend this tour for children. Although Lia Beatrice tried very hard to engage ours, it was a lot of information for our 9 and 6-year-olds and they were antsy. She managed to interest our 11-year-old which was no small feat! And she was very kind about our younger two needing to move around.
All in all, would highly recommend. Wish I could go again sans children :)Great experience
Pierrot.leclercq🇫🇷 France
30 October 2022
My wife and I spent 2.5 hours with Lia visiting the Vatican.
It’s the best thing we could have done.
In terms of personality, Lia is extroverted, easy to be with and fun.
She knows her subject perfectly, and will give you explanations you cannot find it in books.
All this with lots of passion!
Thanks Lia!Fantastic time with Lia!
Stephen🇺🇸 United States
30 October 2022
We had a private tour with Lia for five people. She was a wonderful guide - easy to understand, very personable and extremely knowledgeable about this subject. As a trained archeologist, she was able to give insights on the multiple layers that is Rome! Great experience!Underground with Lia
DAVID🇺🇸 United States
18 September 2022
Lia's passion and knowledge for the Colosseum and Palitine Hill/Forum was infective. She keeps things moving without rushing reading our minds on how much detail to provide. A private guide for 4 was so worth the price. Energetic
victoria🇮🇹 Italy
5 September 2022
Lia Beatrice is hilarious and fun. She really knows her subject and despite my husband and I being somewhat late, hot, and having done far too much wine tasting the night before, really did a great tour. Would highly recommend. Excellent time
Marnie🇦🇺 Australia
5 September 2022
Lia has the best personality and so knowledgeable and really took the time to make it a personal experience for us. She was so happy to answer all of our questions and more. She is also a lot of fun to be with and we had so many laughs. We would definitely say it was a life changing experience and of all the tours we took over Italy this was hands down the best!!! Her English is fantastic as well. Thanks Lia, we hope to meet with you again xxExperience of a lifetime!!
Oneida🇺🇸 United States
3 September 2022
Lia provided an excellent tour! Her knowledge of the art and architecture added so much to seeing the historical underground sites. And, she is quite fun also!Excellent, in-depth tour
Jody🇺🇸 United States
28 August 2022
As two mobility impaired people my husband and I were nervous about this tour. Those nerves were unfounded. Lia was not only accommodating, she was able to switch up what she was showing us as she learned our interests. Her love and passion were evident and made our experience much richer. Lia is an incredible guide and we couldn't ask for more. Highly recommended!!Jewish Ghetto and other wonders
Spencer🇺🇸 United States
27 August 2022
Lia is an extremely personable woman. In addition to being very responsive she is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge regarding Italian and European history, art, architecture and archeology. She brought the art and architecture alive, integrating form and function while teaching with enthusiasm. As we told her, she is a benchmark for all our future guides as we travel in Italy Outstanding
Withlocals experiences
are always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.
More about me
I studied archeology, mainly roman architectures, medieval castles and churches, but I have two big passions: dance and to show the beauty around me to the ones that are as me full of curiosity. Love to have fun with my clients, learn by their comments how even little dettails can be important to transform a tour into a unforgettable experience.