Rome by bike

17.07.2019

AIDA Western Mediterranean

Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, is about 1.5 hours drive from the city center. The industrial port is quite unspectacular, so we watched the ship's arrival for the first time from the breakfast table. Since AIDA's bike tours make good use of the berthing times, we hurried to refill our AIDA water bottles and catch the bus on time at 8:30 am.

Exploring Rome by bike, what an adventure?!

So we took the bus towards the city center. Arriving there, we stopped directly at Circus Maximus. A truck was waiting for us, which loaded the bicycles. Shortly before, our Roman tour guide got on our bus, who tuned us into the excursion with good German (she spent her childhood in Bavaria).

After the obligatory briefing on handling the bike and helmet, the group of 15 participants set off. We crossed the Tiber River through small alleys to a small hill that offered an excellent view of the Roman Forum. Breathe in, it's fantastic!

Our tour guide immersed us in the history of Rome, and it quickly became clear that we had met a competent enthusiast who knew how to inspire us with this city.

We continued with some short stops towards the Pantheon. Mostly on narrow streets with cobblestones, we also had to cross multi-lane main roads every now and then. This was done quite adventurously following the following pattern: First an announcement not to leave any gaps. The guide extended her arm and drove into the traffic. The cars actually stopped, but so close that only a strip of paper could fit between the bike and the car. Everyone followed the cyclists - whoever left a gap had "lost". So we stopped about 6-8 lanes and actually all cars stopped as well. That was actually very attentive, if all of them hadn't honked without exception. This procedure was repeated every now and then.

Since driving a vehicle in the city center of Rome requires a permit, the traffic was actually limited to the main roads. However, you had to share the small alleys with wandering tourists.

When we arrived at the Pantheon, we took a half-hour break, which we used for a visit. The queue was manageable, and the flow of tourists was directed swiftly. We already knew in advance that we were not traveling individually and that our stay was more of a brief visit to Rome. Nevertheless, we still had time for an ice cream from allegedly the best ice cream parlor in Rome.

Our tour guide then took us to the terrace del Gianicolo, from where we had an impressive view of the city with its seven hills.

Next, we reached St. Peter's Basilica with St. Peter's Square, which, for someone who sees it for the first time, will simply knock them out. Again, we listened to the stories of our tour guide. In addition to the architecture and its history, we gained insight into how she experienced the papal elections as a Roman and in what extraordinary atmosphere the city finds itself during this time.

The queue in front of St. Peter's Basilica seemed to allow for a visit, so we skipped lunch and got in line. Unexpectedly fast, but with some detours (bike helmets were not allowed inside and had to be handed in), we reached the interior of the cathedral. The size was overwhelming, and if you didn't recognize it yourself, the markings of other cathedrals, whose dimensions are marked on the ground, made it clear. After a too short tour, we left the building through the catacombs to the outside. A short photo stop at the Swiss Guard and let the square work its magic - let's continue.

Many stops awaited us. Castel Sant'Angelo, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Monumento Vittorio Emanuele, and crossing Piazza del Popolo and Capitol Square with our bikes.

Our tour finally ended at the Colosseum, not without listening to the interesting explanations of our tour guide.

Tired and exhausted, we started the journey back.

Conclusion: One day in Rome is, of course, too short. We would have liked to linger longer at each of the sights and would have liked to take a closer look. For a single day visit and as "Rome newcomers," this exploration tour was the perfect opportunity to get an overview. We saw the most important things. It would not have been feasible on foot, and a sightseeing bus would not have taken us close enough. The bike proved to be an ideal vehicle for our conditions.

Cost for the tour with AIDA: approximately €80. The magic of the city: priceless. A longer stay is a must!