Since I was too whooped to participate in sightseeing activities on Friday (there was extended napping--I'll say no more), I was happy to get back into the swing of things on Saturday morning (see the smiling evidence above). The weather was just about perfect for walking along Appia Antica, on the outskirts of Rome. There, we had lots of beautiful scenic moments, saw a ton of random ruins, and ended the day with a tour of the catacombs of San Sebastiano. This trip was a welcome respite from the indoor sights and large touring groups within the city proper.
We walked just a small portion of the ancient street--one can only make it so far on cobblestones (unless you're the Roman woman who was doing the whole thing in wedge sandals). Renting a bike from one of the nearby vendors is probably the best way to see more on Appian Way, especially for outdoorsy folks who want to make a longer day of it. There are plenty of water fountains along the path, which we shared with cars, horses, runners, dogs, and bikers. Touring the catacombs after a few hours in the sun was a nice choice (it probably sounds weird to say it was "nice" in the catacombs)--it is substantially cooler several meters below ground. The church of San Sebastiano above-ground is small but it houses two sculptures, by Bernini and one of his pupils, that are worth passing a little time inside.
No comments:
Post a Comment