Today was my grandson’s birthday, Simon Carney.  He asked for his birthday present to ride a bike on the Appian Way. We rented eBikes, some took a golf cart and the youngest of our grandchildren rode in baby seats on many of the adult bikes.

Just outside the bustling heart of Rome lies a road older than the Empire itself—the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica), built in 312 BC. Commissioned by the Roman censor Appius Claudius Caecus, it was Rome’s first true highway—stretching from the capital to Capua, and eventually to the port of Brindisi. Soldiers marched, traders hauled goods, and even saints once walked this path. It became known as the “Regina Viarum”—the Queen of Roads.

The Romans engineered it with layered precision: heavy foundations, gravel cores, and massive basalt paving stones—called basoli—placed so tightly they’ve survived for over two millennia. Today, these same stones remain, worn smooth and rounded by the countless wheels and footsteps that passed over them.

Bike riding it now is like stepping into history.

On a quiet day, the Appian Way transforms into a peaceful green corridor. Cypress trees line the path. You pass ancient tombs, early Christian catacombs, Roman aqueduct ruins, and country villas. The road humbles you—its ruts from Roman chariots still visible in spots. The stones are uneven but alive with memory.

When we were biking we were just imagining Roman legions on the march, the Appian Way isn’t just a ruin—it’s a road still telling stories.

Rome also has some unique water faucets.  The drinking water is very clean and the spigots run all the time.  If you put your finger at the bottom then a stream shoots up you can drink.  We just filled our water bottles many many times

Tomorrow some of us head back to the US.   We have seen so much, enjoyed spending family time and it has been a fantastic vacation.  Some will stay on for a couple more days but that will be their story to tell.

Final post will be our trip summary and a wrap up top places and highligts of our trip.