Casal Rotondo

Southern Rome


Over five very historic miles from the start of the Appian Way, this ruin was once a tomb dating to the 1st century BC. In the eons since it has been a watchtower, farmhouse, stable and more. It's a moody mess today and for many it marks the end of their Appian Way trek by foot or bike.

Note: the C11 and 765 buses pass right by on the Via di Torricola, but there's no nearby stop and drivers won't pick up or discharge passengers. It's outrageous, so write your senator, care of the Forum, Roma.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Southern Rome attractions

1. Villa dei Quintili

0.68 MILES

Towering over green fields, this 2nd-century villa is one of Rome's unsung splendours. It was the luxurious abode of two consuls, the Quintili brothers,…

2. Cinecittà

2.15 MILES

Cinecittà is Italy's foremost film studio, founded in 1937 by Mussolini and used for many iconic Italian and international films. It's possible to take a…

3. Capo di Bove

2.46 MILES

Discovered when excavating the grounds of a private villa to build a swimming pool, the remains of this Roman villa give a sense of how a gracious ancient…

4. Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella

2.83 MILES

Dating to the 1st century BC, this great drum of a mausoleum encloses a burial chamber, now roofless. In the 14th century it was converted into a fort by…

5. Circo di Massenzio

2.89 MILES

Part of the Villa di Massenzio complex, this is Rome’s best-preserved ancient racetrack – you can still make out the starting stalls used for chariot…

6. Villa di Massenzio

2.95 MILES

The outstanding feature of Maxentius’ enormous 4th-century palace complex is the Circo di Massenzio, Rome’s best-preserved ancient racetrack. Above the…

7. Mausoleo di Romolo

3.01 MILES

Mausoleo di Romolo, located within the grounds of Villa di Massenzio, was built by Maxentius for his 17-year-old son Romulus. The huge mausoleum was…

8. MURo

3.02 MILES

This isn't so much a museum as a collection of murals dotted around the Quadraro neighbourhood in the city’s southern suburbs. Works by nearly two dozen…