Biking the Appian Way, one of the earliest and most important Roman roads, was a wonderful experience.

First off, getting there was an adventure. The cab driver dropped us off quite a distance from the main road, so we had a long way to walk. When we had finally reached the gates we headed off in the wrong direction, but it was worth walking down the quiet, calm and almost vacant tree-shaded road.

Soon enough, we were on our bikes coasting down the (sometimes uneven and bumpy) cobblestone road. The course of the main road that seems at first to be never-ending is sprinkled with ruins, inscriptions, small churches and temples, and tombs.

Venturing off la Via Appia Antica onto dirt side roads, we came across a chicken coop with a magnificent rooster and tiny baby bunnies. Continuing further from the main road, there was a stone ruin in a vast expanse of wildgrass, ane we actually had the opportunity to go inside, and climb up to the top! Besides the abundance of fascinating ancient remains, the most amazing thing about the Appian Way is that it felt like we were in the countryside, despite being just a short cab ride away from the heart of Rome.