HOW TO GET THERE: From Oikos (in Spinaceto) take the bus 705 and get off at EUR FERMI (terminus). Then take the bus 765 from VIALE DELL’ARTE and get off at VIA APPIA ANTICA. You can use a "BIT" ticket. It is valid for 75 minutes and costs £1.500. You can also use a "BIG" ticket, valid for one day at the cost of £ 6.000, or the weekly card ("CIS"), which costs £ 24.000. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Oikos to Appia Antica Park.
Appia Antica Park is situated in the south-east of Rome, between Via Appia Nuova and Via Ardeatina. Via Appia Antica is an ancient road rich of archeological artefacts, attracting tourists form all over the world.
The soil is very rich since it is of vulcanic origins, the area is mostly used for farming and stock-raising. The trees and bushes are typical for mediterranean and moderate climates. Species like Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), Cork Tree (Quercus suber) Laurel (Laurus nobilis) Elm Tree (Ulmus Campestris), Myrt (Myrtus communis) la Fillirea (Phyllirea variabilis), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Black Poplar (Populus nigra) and White Willow Tree (Salix alba) grow up in this area.
Animals are not very numerous in the Appia Antica Park, whereby in other Italian parks they are. You can find foxes (Vulpes vulpes), hedgehoges (Hystrix crystata), dormouses (Moscardinus avellanarius) and wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
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The Dormouse |
Reptiles like the dark green snake (Coluber viridiflavus), the grass snake (Natrix natrix), the seps (Chalcides chalcides) and the green lizard (Lacerta viridis) are living in this park.
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The Dark Green Snake |
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The Grass Snake |
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The Seps |
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The Green Lizard |
Amphibians, as the crested tryton (Triturus crystatus), can also be found.
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| The Crested Tryton |
The park is known for the archaeological artefacts found along the Via Appia Antica. This road has connected Rome with the south of Italy since the time of the Ancient Roman Republic. Evidence of this lies in the original block-paving still found today.
The most
important monuments are the Tomba di Cecilia Metella and the
Tomba Annia Regilla (the graves of ancient Roman noble women),
the Circo di Massenzio (the gladiator theatre) and the Villa dei
Quintili. You can also find famous ancient churches such as
Chiesa di S.Nicola, Basilica di Sebastiano with the catacombs and
Abbazia delle Tre Fontane.
If you come to Rome this great attraction is worth a visit. Help us to keep Appia Antica Park safe!
