Another Idea for a Rome Port Day--Aqueduct Park

Perhaps you've been to Rome umpteen times and you've hit all the main sites (and many more than once!) You'll be docked in Civitavecchia and want to do something a little different, but you're feeling a little lazy (don't want to rent a car) and cheap (don't want to spend any money on shore excursions.) May I suggest Aqueduct Park?

You can get there with your one-day BIRG ticket, you can spend as much or as little time as you want there, and you'll see three ancient aqueducts. And there's no admission charge!

I've put the directions and a couple of maps in my (personal) blog post.

http://www.plane2port.com/rome-port-day-aqueduct-park/

I second the recommendation. The Roman aqueducts are endlessly fascinating to me. When I first visited the Aqueduct Park in 2006, I thought I was in heaven (or even better, back in ancient Rome)!

I can't think of a better place to sit and think about all the infrastructure the Romans mastered in order to actually have a city of 1 million people (the first to reach this size): a steady water supply was essential. And roads. The park is conveniently located near the ancient Via Appia, where you can actually walk on the paving stones of this ancient "Queen of Roads" -- which was first built by Roman engineers about 300 years BEFORE the main aqueduct (Aqua Claudia) in Aqueduct Park was built.

The Pont du Gard in Nimes comes close to being as impressive. But for me, Aqueduct Park is even more evocative of the might of the Roman Empire -- and yet not that many tourists visit.

This is a great suggestion! I am slightly embarrassed to confess that I've never hear of this, even after a lot of trips to Rome and Civitavecchia. I'm definitely going to go. Thank you!

plane2port,

Thank you so much for this info. My wife and I are going to Rome in Oct. and will check this out.

 

The park is conveniently located near the ancient Via Appia, where you can actually walk on the paving stones of this ancient "Queen of Roads" -- which was first built by Roman engineers about 300 years BEFORE the main aqueduct (Aqua Claudia) in Aqueduct Park was built.

 

There is a place on the Via Appia where you can rent bicycles. I think it would be a great idea to rent some bikes here and then bike south along the Via Appia to Aqueduct Park. You would have to take a bus to the Via Appia but I imagine the logistics wouldn't be too horrible. Maybe you or I will do this one day and report back here!