ITALY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 996

two small mosaic-floored dressing rooms. Niches in the walls once held statues. The baths'
statues are displayed elsewhere: For example, the immense Toro Farnese (a marble sculp-
ture of a bull surrounded by people) snorts in Naples' Archaeological Museum.
In its day, this was a remarkable place to hang out. For ancient Romans, bathing was a
social experience. The Baths of Caracalla functioned until Goths severed the aqueducts in
the sixth century. In modern times, grand operas are performed here.
Cost and Hours: €6, includes the Tomb of Cecilia Metella and the Villa dei Quintili on
the Appian Way, Mon 9:00-14:00, Tue-Sun 9:00 until one hour before sunset (19:00 in sum-
mer,16:30inwinter),lastentryonehourbeforeclosing,audioguide-€5,good€8guidebook;
Metro:Circus Maximus, plusa5-minute walksouthalongViadelle TermediCaracalla; bus
#714 from Termini train station or bus #118 from the Appian Way—see “Getting There” on
here ; tel. [phone].
▲ Appian Way
For a taste of the countryside around Rome and more wonders of Roman engineering, take
the four-mile trip from the Colosseum out past the wall to a stretch of the ancient Appian
Way, where the original pavement stones are lined by several interesting sights. Ancient
Rome's first and greatest highway, the Appian Way once ran from Rome to the Adriatic port
of Brindisi, the gateway to Greece. Today you can walk (or bike) some stretches of the road,
rattling over original paving stones, past crumbling monuments that once lined the sides.
The wonder of its day, the Appian Way was the largest, widest, fastest road ever, called
the “Queen of Roads.” Built in 312 B.C. and named after Appius Claudius Caecus (a Roman
official), it connected Rome with Capua (near Naples), running in a straight line for much
of the way, ignoring the natural contour of the land. Eventually, this most important of Ro-
manroadsstretched430milestotheportofBrindisi—thegatewaytotheEast—whereboats
sailed for Greece and Egypt. Twenty-nine such roads fanned out from Rome. Just as Hitler
builttheAutobahnsysteminanticipationofempiremaintenance,theexpansion-mindedRo-
man government realized the military and political value of a good road system. Today the
road and the landscape around it are preserved as a cultural park.
For the tourist, the ancient Appian Way offers three attractions: the road itself, with its
ruined monuments; the two major Christian catacombs open to visitors; and the peaceful at-
mosphere, which provides a respite from the city. Be aware, however, that the road today is
busy with traffic—and actually quite treacherous in spots.
The road starts at the massive San Sebastiano Gate and Museum of the Walls, about
two miles south of the Colosseum. The stretch that's of most interest to tourists starts an-
other two miles south of the gate. I like to begin near the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, at the
far (southern) end of the key sights, and work northward (mostly downhill) toward central
Rome.