The best waterfall hikes and walks in Riserva Naturale Statale Del Litorale Romano

🚴‍♂️ A journey through time on two wheels: the Appia Antica 🏛️ If there is one route that every cycling and history enthusiast should take at least once in their life, it is this: the Regina Viarum. Cycling on the Appia Antica is not simply a bike ride, but literally crossing through history. Imagine the sound of wheels on the cobblestones and original Roman paving, the same trodden by legions thousands of years ago, surrounded by centuries-old pine trees, mausoleums, catacombs, and monumental remains that emerge at every turn.

This church, then located "outside the walls" of Rome and still named after it today, "San Paolo fuori le mura," was dedicated to Saint Paul, and this is where his tomb lies. Initially an opponent of the Christian movement, he was not called to the apostleship by Jesus Christ during his lifetime like the other apostles, but was only later converted through the famous "Damascus experience" (see Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9). His attribute, with which he is usually depicted in paintings or as a statue, is the sword with which he was executed. According to Roman law at the time, such a sentence was a "privilege" (a quick death, unlike other forms of execution, associated with a long, painful agony) reserved for the citizens of Rome. Peter, along with Paul, is also known as the "Prince of the Apostles"; their common feast day in the calendar of saints is June 29th.

The Appian Way offers an easy walk on flat, paved terrain. Taking it from Via di Tor Carbone toward Castelli Romani and continuing along the Appian Way, just under a kilometer beyond the large nymphaeum of the Villa dei Quintili, you'll come across the imposing structure of Casal Rotondo. Located about 50 meters from the intersection with Via di Casal Rotondo, this majestic circular tomb dates back to the late 1st century BC. Over the centuries, it has undergone numerous reuses: in the Middle Ages, a peperino stone watchtower was built over the mausoleum and later incorporated into a farmhouse, now a residence. Next to the tomb, the 19th-century architect Luigi Canina built a high brick wall to display some marble fragments found nearby, which he believed were part of the monument's original decoration. Among these remains was an inscription bearing the name "Cotta," which led to the hypothesis of a connection with Marcus Valerius Messalinus Cotta, son of the famous Messalla Corvinus, consul in 31 BC. However, more recent studies have revealed that these fragments belonged to another tomb, leaving the identity of the Casal Rotondo's true owner still unclear. The marble fragments of various sizes are today the defining feature of the complex.

nice place and little noise

Suggestive

Very suggestive passage above the necropolis

Easy there is an easy point to pass on an adjacent log

The route on the offline map isn't always clear, in my opinion. We were forced to turn back because the trail took us past a barbed fence, leaving us unsure of where to go next, having already walked a long way. The place is very beautiful, but the map may not be up to date.