It is very unlikely that anyone ever gets bored while visiting Rome. However, it can happen that with all the dazzling array of spectacular palaces, monuments, museum, galleries and endless activities in Rome you might feel like something different, more quiet and relaxing.
I bet not many of you know that a third of the city’s land is agricultural and another third is different nature reserves. You do not even need to leave the city limits to find peace and tranquility of the countryside.
The Appian Way Regional Park is only a short drive from the center of Rome. It incorporates 16 kilometers of the ancient Appian Way that was built more than 2000 years ago to connect Rome with Apulia in the South. You can walk or cycle, accompanied by cicadas and birds, or have a picnic in the shade of pine trees watching a flock of sheep grazing nearby. Being in Rome it is hard to escape from the city’s glorious past, and ancient ruins of tombs and nymphaeum, medieval towers, two old churches Quo Vadis and Sant’Urbano, as well as a Renaissance farmhouse are scattered across the park for the curious to see.
Veio Regional Nature Park is another green oasis in the hustle and bustle of the city that covers 37,000 acres. Walking and cycling paths will take you through oak and chestnut tree woods, fertile fields and green riverbanks. The name of the park hails from the ancient Etruscan city of Veio that was located here.
At the Portonaccio archaeological site remains of a temple remain where the famous terracotta statue of Apollo was found that is now on display at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome. Walking along along the river Crèmera will bring you to a small beautiful waterfall of the Mola di Formello. You will certainly forget that you are less than 50 minutes away from the Rome’s Colosseum!
Photos by: Luca Di Ciaccio, Giampaolo Macorig, Aurelio Candido.
