The '''South''' of Rome includes the historic '''Appian Way''' and important tourist attractions in '''EUR''', and '''San Paolo'''.

Understand

'''EUR''' was built in the first years of the 1940s. It was built in a perfect fascist architectural style, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fascism (Mussolini came to power in 1922, becoming Prime Minister). Its name means "Esposizione Universale di Roma" (Universal Exhibition of Rome); in fact it was also designated to host the International Exhibition in 1942, but this exhibition didn't take place because of the war.

'''San Paolo''' is a residential area not so far from the center. Today it hosts several buildings belonging to the RomaTRE University and a very noticeable piece of art, the "Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura" which certainly deserves a visit. For the rest, it is just a residential borough.

'''Via Appia''', or the Appian Way, was one of the earliest and most important Roman roads. It connected Rome to Brindisi, in southeast Italy, primarily as a route for troops and military supplies. The main part was started and finished in 312 BC. The original route can be followed for 10km or so, much with little or no traffic. It is lined with tombs and in places the original stones used for the road_fs construction are exposed. The Appian Way passes close to three catacombs, the Villa dei Quintili and many other important architectural sites. If you are in Rome for a week or so, an exploration of the Appia, with a visit to some catacombs, is a great day out!

'''The Catacombs''' of Rome were for underground burials. Primarily for Christian burials, they were also used for pagan and Jewish burials, either in separate catacombs or mixed together. They began in the 2nd century, due both to a shortage of land and for persecuted Christians to bury their dead secretly. The catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano are on the Via Appia and those of San Domitilla are nearby.

Get in

To reach the Appian Way from Termini station, take the 714 bus from outside the station, and change at the 6th bus stop (St Giovanni) to the 218 bus, which will take you all the way to the main entrance to the San Callisto catacombs and then on to San Domitilla catacombs and the Fosse Ardeatine. The 118 bus, which leaves from Ostiense station and passes the Circus Maximus, will get you to the same entrance and then travels a further mile and a half along the Via Appia. Beware that buses in this area are not particularly reliable, particularly in the morning or evening rush hours, when journeys can be arbitrarily cancelled. The Appian Way is closed to cars, but not buses or cycles, on Sundays and public holidays.

Metro line B goes to EUR, with EUR Fermi being the most central station. The line also passes the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le mura, with the station being named after the basilica.

See

  • The Appian Way. ee GET IN, above. The 118 goes to the catacombs of San Sebastiano before turning off the Appian Way. At the first major junction after Cecilia Metella (see below) by the bar you can catch the 660 (every half an hour traffic permitting) which will connect you with Metro Line A at Colli Albani station. A further two km along a pleasantly shaded part of the Via Appia, with many small tombs, and you arrive at Via del Tor Carbone. There you can catch the 765 bus (in theory every 20 minutes). West takes you to EUR and Metro Line B back to Rome, while east connects you with Metro Line A. An alternative, although more expensive, trip is to take the Archeobus which provides a commentary in different languages.. ttp://www.trambusopen.com/index.cfm?Id=archeo. The Appian Way begins close to the Terme di Caracalla and heads in a south-easterly direction. For the first mile it is known as the Via di Porta San Sebastiano but after passing through the Porta di San Sebastiano it becomes the Via Appia. The first three miles are still heavily used by cars, buses and coaches but from then on traffic is very light and the many ruins can be explored on foot or by bicycle in relative safety. The Church of Domine Quo Vadis is on the second mile of the road by the main entrance of the San Callisto catacombs. At the third mile on the right are the church and catacombs of St Sebastian. A little way further on the left is the Circus of Maxentius, the best-preserved chariot race circus in Rome. From there the road climbs slightly to the tomb of Cecilia Metella. After that there is little traffic and, for the fit, the road is straight and can be followed on foot or by bicycle for another four miles or so. Beyond Via del Tor Carbone there are some fascinating ruins but the trip is best done by bicycle as transport back is difficult to find. For lunch there are a few restaurants along the first few miles and a bar near the entrance to San Callisto. Opposite San Sebastian there is usually a mobile van selling drinks and panini. After Cecilia Metella is the somewhat expensive Appia Antica caffe, where you can also hire bicycles. The restaurant opposite does not seem very tourist friendly. Beyond that there is no source of refreshment, other than water fountains, without a significant detour.</see>
  • Museum of the Walls. ia di Porta San Sebastiano 18. t the point where Via di Porta San Sebastiano becomes Via Appia Antica. 118 bus or on foot from Terme di Caracalla. 9.00 to 14.00 last admission 13.30. Closed Mondays. Porta San Sebastiano is a gate in the amazingly well-preserved Aurelian Walls. Inside and upstairs is a museum dedicated to the construction of the walls and their recent restoration. You can take a walk along the top of the walls.

  • The Catacombs of San Callisto. ia Appia Antica 110-126. ocated in a large diamond-shaped park between the Appian Way and Via Ardeatino. To reach the Appian Way, see above. If you don't fancy the 1km walk from the main entrance, the 118 goes further along the Via Appia and you can enter the catacombs through a small gate to the right at the third stop. Beware, however, that the 118 is only every 40 minutes and not reliable.. 39 06 513 01580. .00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. Closed Wednesdays. ntry is ?6 and includes a guided tour in several languages. Although started in the 2nd Century, San Callisto has had many more recent burials, including 16 popes. The burial arcades are almost 20km long.

  • Domine Quo Vadis . This is not the real name of the church on the corner by the main entrance to San Callisto but it is universally known by this name. By legend it is located on the spot where Saint Peter had a vision of the risen Christ while fleeing persecution in Rome. According to the tradition, Peter asked Jesus, Domine, quo vadis? _gLord, where are you going?_h The current church is from 1637.

  • The Catacombs of San Domitilla. ia delle Sette Chiese 280. ontinue on the 218 from the entrance to San Callisto. Get off at the junction with via delle Sette Chiese and walk northwest for 200m.. .00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. Closed on Tuesdays and in January.. The Catacombs of Domitilla are considered to be the best preserved of all Roman catacombs. They are the only ones still to contain bones. Domitilla also has a subterranean basilica, much of which was reconstructed in 1870.

  • Fosse Ardeatine. 18 bus takes you to the entrance. 300m east of catacombs of San Domitilla. This was the site of the slaughter in 1944 of 335 Italians, including many Jews from the ghetto, in retaliation for a partisan attack on German troops in Rome. The caves where the massacre took place are now a National Monument and Memorial Cemetery and can be visited daily.

  • Basilica and catacombs of San Sebastiano. us 118 to the entrance. Bus 218 to Fosse Ardeatina then turn left along Via delle Sette Chiese for 400m.. .00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. Closed Sundays and 15 Nov. to 15 Dec.. 6.00 for the catacombs. The basilica was originally constructed in the 4th century and dedicated to San Sebastian, a martyr of the 3rd century. Sebastian's remains were transferred to St. Peter's in 826, prior to a Saracen assault when the church was destroyed. The current church was largely constructed in the 17th-century. Entrance to the catacombs, which are smaller than the others in the area, is in the church. You can rent a bicycle at the catacombs for further exploration of the Appian Way.

  • Circus of Maxentius. ia Appia Antica 153. 18 bus to San Sebastiano then 200m further along the Appian Way, on the left. 67850350. 5.00. This well-preserved Roman circus was built at the beginning of the fourth century. It was part of an imperial villa built by Maxentius and the complex also contains the Mausoleum of his son, Romolo.
  • Tomb of Cecilia Metella. ia Appia Antica 161. mposing monument just after the Circus of Maxentius. ttp://www.ceciliametella.com/index2.html. rom 09.00. Variable closing depending on time of year. ?6 ticket gives admission to the tomb, to Villa dei Quintili and to the Baths of Caracalla. The mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, who died in 69 BC, is the best preserved monument on the Appian Way and dominates the surroundings. In the Middle Ages it was transformed into a fortress and battlements were added. At that time there was considerable competition for ownership because of its strategic location.

  • Villa dei Quintili. Via Appia Nuova, 1092. ifficult to reach by public transport. 6 39967700. rom 09.00 to 19.00 or sunset, whichever is earlier. Closed Mondays. This impressive villa was recently excavated and restored. It covers 23 hectares. It is accessed from the Via Appia Nuova but parts can be seen from the Appian Way at around the 5th mile. The villa was built by Maximus and Condinus Quintilii. The emperor Commudus liked it so much that he put the brothers to death in 182 A.D. and took it for himself. A museum has friezes and sculptures from the villa. The nypheum, the tepidarium and the baths may also be visited.

  • Parco degli Acquedotti (Aqueduct Park). etween Via Appia Nuova and Via Tuscolana. etro Line A station Giulio Agricola and a 500m walk to the west, but best approached by car from the Via Appia side via the Viale Appio Claudio.. pen all the time. This pleasant park contains very well-preserved ruins of two Roman aqueducts. Gets crowded on Sundays but almost empty the rest of the week. Good place for joggers.

  • L. Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography. iale Lincoln 1, EUR. u-Su 9-14. 39 06 549 521. 4. An ethnographic collection of around 60,000 pieces from European indigenous cultures, Including a national prehistoric documenting evolution from the Palaolithic- to the iron age.

  • Museo di Civilta Romana (Museum of Rome's Civilization). iazza G. Agnelli (close to the Pigorini museum). etro Line B to EUR Fermi. 9.00 to 14.00, Tuesdays to Fridays, and 09.00 to 19.00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Perhaps most famous for a large model of imperial Rome, (see[http://en.museociviltaromana.it/percorsi/percorsi_per_sale/plastico_di_roma_imperiale]for a photo of the model) but has a large display of various aspects of ancient Rome, using plaster casts, models and reconstructions of works found in museums throughout the world. </see>

  • San Paolo fuori le Mura. ia Ostiense 186. Also known as St Paul Outside the Walls. This is on the outskirts of Rome in an otherwise drab modern neighborhood. The enormous basilica is a faithful reconstruction, finished in 1854, of the ancient basilica which burned down in 1823. Parts of the original interior were rescued from the fire and have been extensively restored. Visiting in the afternoon may avoid the tourist coaches. Don't miss the medieval cloister, which survived the fire.

  • Santa Passera. ia Santa Passera 1. 1.858598. 2.460197. This church can be a interesting deviation if you are passing through its neighbourhood. It is believed to be the grave of the Saints Ciro and Giovanni, killed during the time of the Emperor Diocletian. The original name was ''Abba Cyrus'' and through Appaciro and then Appacero it finally became Pacera, very close to today's ''Passera''. The building is on top of a 3rd century building still visible in the lower floor and in the underground. The main part of the building dates back to the IX century as do the frescoes on the higher floor. Some of the frescoes have recently been restored. Downstairs there is a small quadrangular room and the underground, where the remains of the two Saints are supposed to be. There are still visible III century traces of Roman frescoes; in front of the stair you can enjoy a small bird, the Justice, and an athlete while in the vault some eight apex stars. ''Bus 128,780,781,775 (first stop in Via della Magliana)''.
  • Abbey of the three fountains (Abazzia delle tre fontane). ia Laurentina. ttp://www.abbaziatrefontane.com/informazioni/strade.html. A truly quiet oasis close to the hustle and bustle of EUR. There are three churches in this complex and the doors are open all day, unlike city churches. The monks produce a range of products such as liqueurs, chocolate and honey, as well as a cure for the illnesses Romans suffer when the Scirocco wind blows in from the Sahara. These are on sale at a shop at the Abbey.

    Do

  • Bike. Rent a bike and explore the many remains of the Appian Way park area.

    Buy

    Eat

  • Mama Che Pizza. ia Poggio Ameno 34/38. Worth stopping by if you're close to the EUR and it's cheap. They also own the deli right next to it, where you can also get miniature pizzas and breads.

  • Al peperoncino. ia Ostiense, 369. 39 06 54 10 192. Very close to the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura and the Metro B ''San Paolo Basilica'' station, this pizzeria has a good Roman style pizza (the thin one) and also a good choice of fried vegetables and appetizers. Price is low to mid-range, food quality and service are medium.

  • Il gelato. ia dell'Aeronautica, 105. us 764 - Metro B Laurentina. loses around 11PM. Nice place to have some weird flavor of ice cream. You'll choose among maybe 50 different and sometime unusual flavors (such as Gorgonzola or Mortadella). Great variety of chocolates and fruits.

  • '''Sapore&Arte''', Via Efeso 24/26 ''Metro B San Paolo Basilica'', Tel. 06 59 60 03 40 Really good and fresh food, this place is run by young people who make extensive use of fair trade food. They have very good dressed potatoes and salads, bruscetta and sweet cakes. Mid-range at lunch and cheap at dinner. Don't miss it if you visit the nearby Basilica of San Paolo fuori le mura.
  • '''Le Bistrot''' [http://www.ristorantelebistrot.com/], Garbatella - Via delle Sette Chiese 160, 06 512 89 91. Creative French and vegetarian cuisine with a very kind staff and a homey environment. Better to reserve.
  • '''FelFel''', Viale dei Consoli 106, Cinecitta, Roma tel 3290989802, [http://www.felfel.it]. East Mediterranean tastes and spices, CousCous, Shawarma, Kebab, Baklava.
  • Gelato di San Crispino. ia Acaia 56. airly easy walk from Porta San Sebastiano. ttp://www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it/. 1-24 Closed Tuesdays. By common consent one of the best, if not the best, ice cream maker in Rome. From humble beginnings here, San Crispino has expanded and you can now buy special packs at Fiumicino airport to take home with you. Pure ingredients; good selection of fruit sorbets (flavours according to the season) and ice creams.

    Drink

  • Bibelot Arthe. iazza dell'Alberone 13bis, Via Appia Nuova. 47 33 18 178 . 64. etro. ine. Cozy tea room.They offer free table games and serve excellent milk and fruit shakes as well as tea and coffee blends. Prices are mid-range to expensive, but the place is very nice and well furnished. It's possible you'll find a queue around 11PM. Perfect for couples.

    Sleep

    <!-- BEFORE ADDING A HOSTEL, HOTEL, OR ACCOMMODATION AGENCY ENTRY HERE: 1. Include enough information to make the entry useful when PRINTED OUT. 2. Include direct telephone numbers and web address. 3. INCLUDE expected range of PRICES for a single room (one person) and for a double (two persons). 4. State where the bathroom (toilet and bath or shower) is: in the room or communal? 5. Remove useless verbiage such as "nice", "cheap", "close to" and "near" 6. Only include "comfortable", or "friendly" if you as a paying guest felt that during a stay. 7. Only add one listing per hotel/hostel IF YOU FAIL TO ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES YOUR ENTRY WILL BE DELETED SUBJECT TO OTHER USERS DISCRETION DUE TO EXCESSIVE PROBLEMS WITH SPAMMING AND USELESS LISTINGS ON OUR ROME GUIDES --> If you plan to spend most of your time exploring the centre of Rome, hotels in this area may limit your options and involve you spending rather a lot of time on public transport.
  • Villa EUR. arcellino Champagnat, 2. etro: Laurentina. 39.06.54220627. ttp://www.villaeur.it. ouble room is 150 Euros including breakfast.. Very quiet and stylish in midst of a park. You can reach it from the subway by a 5 min walk. The hotel has a small bar, excellent breakfast and a restaurant. In the vicinity of the hotel you can find an excellent restaurant '''La Taverna de Porto''' if you want to go out eating. There is also a tennis court, a gymnasium and even an Aikido Dojo.

  • Hotel EUR American Palace Rome. ia Laurentina, 554. 39 06 5913 552. 39 06 5911 740. ttp://www.americanpalacerome.com/. This four star hotel has been recently refurbished to offer large and well decorated bedrooms divided in single, twin, double and triple, also has two meeting rooms to host conference, seminars, presentation and private anniversary.
  • Relais Horti Flaviani. ia delle Sette Chiese 290. elf: 06.45554800 - Fax: 178.2288677. ttp://www.hortiflaviani.it/ING/Home.html. Upmarket hotel in own gated grounds right next door to San Domitilla catacombs.
  • Hotel Victor. ia Annia Regilla, 60. 6-71289441. ttp://www.hotelvictor.it/en_index.html. Inexpensive 3-star hotel in the Quarto Miglio area. Convenient for exploring the Appian archeological zone but infrequent bus services needed to reach downtown. Parking available.

    Contact

    Get out

  • '''Rome/Lido di Ostia''' is not far from the center of Rome, it's considered the Capital's beach and it is also well-known for the "Tourist Port" with moorings for boats from 8 to 60 metres in length. Every angle of this geographic area makes you relive the sparkle of the past of the Roman coast.