Rome EBike Tour: Appian Way, Catacombs & Roman Aqueducts
Description
Explore rural Italy and discover ancient Roman ruins on this 4- or 6- hour Ancient Appian Way, Catacombs, and Roman Aqueducts electric-assist bicycle tour. Cycle on the Ancient Appian Way with an electric-assist bike with your guide. Marvel at Roman ruins such as the Aurelian Walls, the Circus of Maxentius, and the Tomb of Caecilia Metella. Delve deep into the 2nd-century San Callisto or San Sebastiano catacombs (only in the 6-hour version of the tour) to learn of Roman burial traditions and enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to 10 people. This tour comes in two variants: a shorter 4-hour version and a longer 6-hour one. The two variants are identical in itinerary but differ in their inclusions. For more info please check the Important info section.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Marvel at the imposing Porta di San Sebastiano, a gate in the 3rd-century defensive walls of Rome.
Ride on the "Regina Viarum", the Queen of the Roads - an ancient highway built in the 4th century BC, stretched between Rome and Brindisi (in its initial form, about 538 km long!)
In the 4-hour tour, a short pause to contemplate the massive burial underground, resting place to half a million souls. Please note: on Wednesdays, this stop is not included in the 4-hour tour. In the 6-hour tour, a 45-minute guided visit of these 2nd-century catacombs, in all their complexity and mystery! Note: On Wednesdays, the 6-hour tour will visit the Catacombs of San Sebastiano (instead of those of San Callixtus).
Stop by the monumental ruins of this Imperial Villa and its adjacent Circus (a private chariot racetrack), dating from the beginning of the 4th century AD.
The largest mausoleum ever built on the Ancient Appian Way - dedicated to a young noblewoman from the 1st century AD.
Witness the sprawling remains of this 2nd-century villa, which raised the envy of Emperor Commodus (stop for this highlight included only in the in the 6-hour tour).
A large park criss-crossed with the arches of several ancient Aqueducts supplying Rome with water.
A view over the remains of one of ancient Rome's largest thermal baths (highlight included only In the 6-hour tour)
Bike through this island of countryside in the midst of the sprawling city of Rome... replete with rustic animal farms and large green pastures.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note that approximately 40% of the route of this tour takes place in the city. We ride carefully chosen city streets, but some traffic is unavoidable to connect the Ancient Appian Way Park to the Aqueducts Park. In the remaining 60% of the route (riding in the parks) we encounter no traffic.
- You will cover an area of approximately 17 miles (27km), 60% of which takes place off-road. The difficulty level of this tour is intermediate (difficult with a child seat or child extension mounted on the bicycle).
- Child policy: (1) Infants under 1 year are not allowed to participate for safety reasons. (2) Infants aged 1-4 years travelling on a child seat (with load capacity of up to 49 lbs or 22 kg) come on the tour free of charge. (3) For children aged 5-8 years a child extension (child streamliner) is provided. (4) Children aged 9 and above can autonomously ride on an appropriately sized E-bikes.
- Minimum of 4 participants applies (total number of participants on tour). There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is 3 or less passengers on the tour. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative for your tour or full refund.
- On Wednesdays, the route includes a deviation, so the tour may last half an hour longer (4.5 hours in place of 4 hours and 6,5 hours in place of 6 hours). The tour may be half an hour longer long also in the period January 14th - February 11th 2026
- On Easter Sunday (April 5th, 2026), the Catacombs are closed (therefore, the 6-hour tour will not be running)
- This tour doesn't include any food or drinks; however, the route offers a few possibilities to purchase some food or drinks (which can be consumed during a suitable break).
- Are the tours safe? The answer is: Absolutely! The tours follow carefully planned routes which have limited access to traffic, and some have no traffic at all, meaning you are able to enjoy your ride around the city in total relaxation and safety and you won't have to worry about traffic
- We require that all customers wear a helmet on the tour (provided for free).
- Our bike equipment carries a weight limitation of 300 lbs (136 kg)
Reviews(1,915)
This is such a great way to get out of the busy city. I was worried that it would be a little too hot considering the summer weather. But I think it was better than being on the city streets. Our guide, Tommaso, was fabulous. He was full of information and very friendly. And despite riding on some city streets, he made sure we were quite safe.
We did a eBike tour along the Appian Way with TopBike Rental in mid July. Our guide Icaro was fantastic. He was a very safe guide who was enthusiastic with sharing information. The bikes were very comfortable and we had no concerns with safety throughout. Whilst it was hot, we had frequent stops for gelato, nasoni visits. The Appian was very interesting including the amazing catacombs and aquaduct park. It was one of the highlights of our holiday for our 15 year old son. Thanks Icaro!
I'm a fairly confident mountain biker but had never ridden an e-bike before. These things are great for touring - they take all the work out of pedaling and allow you to enjoy the scenery while also catching speed when possible. We did this tour when it was 100' F so the pedal assist was critical. The tour itself was very fun and interesting. Anna was our guide and really made the day fun and interesting. In addition to the history she also gave very helpful information about upcoming hills, turns, and safety as we went. She was also very patient with our thrill-seeking boys. I would recommend the tour to anyone who is reasonably comfortable on a bike, and ask for Anna.
What a great way to see many of the attractions of Rome. The history of the area is immense. Despite the high heat for the time of year, the power-assisted bikes helped keep you moving so it didn't feel as hot. Our guide was excellent, friendly, and very knowledgeable of all the sites we saw. It also helped that we were a relatively small group size. The only way I could see for improving the tour was if they were to add a radio communication to all of the riders so the guide could pass on his wealth of knowledge for all the areas we didn't get a chance to stop at. I highly recommend this tour.
Wonderful views so nice to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and on a beautiful bike ride
This was really the most fun experience in Rome. You will discover the city in a different way and cycle in the countryside for a large part, so you will not be bothered by the traffic. The groups are small and the guide will guide you safely through the city and enthusiastically tell you about the sights. We did the trip with our children, they could keep up and loved it.
Hartelijk dank voor uw geweldige review! Wat fijn om te horen dat het voor jullie de leukste ervaring in Rome was en dat ook de kinderen zo genoten hebben. We hopen jullie bij een volgend bezoek aan Rome weer te mogen verwelkomen!
This was our favorite excursion while in Rome. We had a small group with only another couple which made navigating easy and simple. Our guide was excellent and not only made the trip fun but had lots of historical and interesting facts. We chose the 6 hour trip that included a hour long guided tour of the catacombs. This was also cool experience and nice way to get out of the heat.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that this was your favorite excursion in Rome. A small group really does make the experience more enjoyable, and we’re happy your guide could share history, stories, and fun facts along the way. We’re glad you also enjoyed the catacombs visit as a refreshing and unique part of the tour. Kind Regards, Simone TopBike Rental&Tours
More technical and nerve wracking than advertised. However, so glad we did it. Beware it is hot in summer, and 40% of it you are dodging cars. Loved our guide, he took good care of us. Last name started with an I.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re happy to hear that, despite being more technical and exciting than expected, you enjoyed the adventure. We always appreciate feedback about the summer heat and road conditions, and we’re glad your guide took great care of you throughout the ride. We’ll make sure to pass along your kind words to him! Kind Regards, Simone TopBike Rental&Tour
An absolute highlight of our trip to Rome! Our guide Mehran was knowledgeable, fun, and took great care of us throughout the tour. The e-bike made getting around the city effortless, and the whole experience gave us a perspective on Rome we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We're thrilled Mehran made this such a highlight of your trip to Rome. So glad the e-bikes gave you a fresh perspective on the city. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to the guide, and hope to welcome you back to TopBike soon! Ali
Paola was fantástic. She had so much knowledge and was very flexible! 10 out of 10. Lots of ruins to visit and beautiful scenery.
Thank you so much for this fantastic review! We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Paola, and hope to welcome you back to TopBike soon! Ali
