Appia Day 2026 - Nata per unire (Appia Day – Born to unite)

The Appia Day 2026 - Nata per unire (Appia Day – Born to unite) returns this year with autumn, the widespread event that annually animates the Ancient Appian Way, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from Rome to Brindisi.

The 2026 edition celebrates a special anniversary: ​​the tenth anniversary of the Appia Day, which since 2016 has brought together institutions, associations, territories, and communities around the Regina Viarum.

For two days, the Appian Way is transformed into a large public space for meeting and participation: visits and special openings, archaeology, walks, bike rides, runs, environmental and sporting activities, meetings, shows, historical reenactments, and workshops will make up a unique national program along the ancient road.

Since 2016, the Appia Day, born from an idea by VeloLove, has accompanied a new vision of the Appian Way: not just an archaeological heritage to be protected, but a living cultural and environmental infrastructure, to be explored, traversed, and restored to the people. The UNESCO recognition of 2024 marked a historic turning point, acknowledging the universal value of the Regina Viarum and reinforcing the need for a shared vision among the territories crossed by the road. The tenth anniversary therefore comes at a strategic moment, in which national and local institutions are called upon to build new forms of coordination and governance.

Since 2016, the Appia Day, born from an idea by VeloLove, has accompanied a new vision of the Appian Way: not just an archaeological heritage to be protected, but a living cultural and environmental infrastructure, to be explored, traversed, and restored to the people. The UNESCO recognition of 2024 marked a historic turning point, acknowledging the universal value of the Regina Viarum and reinforcing the need for a shared vision among the territories crossed by the road. The tenth anniversary therefore comes at a strategic moment, in which national and local institutions are called upon to build new forms of coordination and governance.

The initiatives dedicated to sustainable mobility also make the Appia Day a major Mobility Action within European Mobility Week, the European campaign promoting more sustainable urban mobility models. The commitment to climate action is also particularly significant, with two events recognized as Climate Actions by the European Climate Pact, coordinated by Memi Crimi, ambassador of the European Climate Pact. The Climate Walk, organized with the Department of Environmental Biology at Sapienza University of Rome, will lead citizens, teachers, and researchers along the Appian Way to observe firsthand the effects of climate change on urban ecosystems. The event is scheduled for Sunday, October 4th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Villa di Massenzio. This will be complemented by a workshop dedicated to plastics and microplastics with piùblu ETS, also recognized as one of the Climate Actions of the European Climate Pact.

On Saturday, October 3rd, at 11:00 a.m., the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella hosts a discussion on the future of the Appian Way, featuring institutions, experts, and civil society leaders. The discussion focuses specifically on the role the Appian Way can play in the city of tomorrow, not only as an archaeological and cultural heritage site, but also as an environmental and sustainable mobility infrastructure, capable of connecting the archaeological heart of Rome with parks, neighborhoods, and the metropolitan area. Speakers include: Sabrina Alfonsi, Councilor for Agriculture, Environment, and Waste Management for Rome; Eugenio Patanè, Councilor for Mobility for Rome; Luigi Scaroina, Director of the Appian Way Archaeological Park; Anna Donati, Rome Mobility Services; Alma Rossi, Coordinator of the Appian Way Table; Alberto Fiorillo, founder of VeloLove and creator of the GRAB system; and Giuseppe Roma, Vice President of the Touring Club Italiano. At the heart of the discussion is the search for a balance between protection, accessibility, and sustainable use, to make the Appian Way a true green and cultural infrastructure serving the city and the surrounding areas.

Starting at 3:00 PM, the Villa dei Quintili hosts a large-scale group experience by Yogastenix, in collaboration with Move On and the Appian Way Archaeological Park. This is the first time such a project has taken place at an archaeological site in Rome. On Saturday and Sunday, the Castrum Caetani becomes a Roman encampment with reenactments and installations by Legio Secunda Parthica.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Capitoline Superintendency for Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura, is offering special openings and guided tours to discover some of Rome's sites of particular historical and archaeological interest, including the Tomb of the Scipios, Sant'Urbano alla Caffarella, and the Casina del Cardinal Bessarione.

Among the new features of the Appia Day 2026 is the collaboration with City Adventure, which is dedicating a special City Game to the Regina Viarum: an interactive journey to discover the Appian Way through play, through challenges and stops that intertwine history, territory, and discovery. A new and engaging way to experience heritage, accessible via the City Adventure app by selecting "Rome Discovery → Appia Day".

Sunday, October 4th is ArcheoGRAB day, exceptionally led by archaeologist Francesco Laddaga, president of the Municipio VII. The bike ride covers approximately 20 kilometers and includes seven stages, from the Colosseum to the heart of the Appian Way Park, and the area of ​​the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella. ArcheoGrab is in collaboration with FiabRoma Ruotalibera and SalvaiciclistiRoma.

Alongside the bike ride, there are ArcheoRun, involving Run Clubs, and dozens of archaeological walks organized by the Touring Club, Coopculture, Legambiente, and Fai Lazio, among others.

The archaeological sites are free on Saturday and Sunday, and visitors can listen to narrations given by volunteers dedicated to Appia Day. A guided tour of the Catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano is available at a reduced price.

At 12:30 pm, the Castrum Caetani, the heart of Appia Day, will host an institutional meeting with representatives of Rome Capital and the Metropolitan City. The meeting reaffirms the shared commitment to the environment, accessibility, sustainable mobility, and the cultural promotion of the Regina Viarum. At 2:00 pm, a historic Appia Day event takes place with the Musica Popolare di Testaccio Orchestra and historical dances performed by NINUPHAR.

On the afternoon of Sunday, October 4th, the Appia Day also becomes an opportunity to rediscover some pages of the capital's educational history with La Via Maestra, an initiative promoted by the Appia Antica Archaeological Park in collaboration with the Paolo Bulgari Foundation and MuSEd – Museum of School and Education of Roma Tre University. An educational walk from the Villa of Maxentius to Capo di Bove, animated by words, stories, and speeches, retraces the stories of teachers, teachers, and educators who transformed school into a tool for emancipation and social inclusion.

Among the new features of the Roman program, thanks to the collaboration with the Appian Way Archaeological Park and the University of Ferrara, along with the contribution of Touring Club Italiano volunteers, the complex at Via Appia Antica 55 is open to visitors on October 3rd and 4th, with guided tours of the ongoing archaeological excavations. The property, recently acquired by the Ministry of Culture, is undergoing significant restoration and enhancement.

Sustainable mobility remains central to the event: Lime, the technical partner, is supporting it with an initiative dedicated to sustainable travel, providing over 150 free bicycles at the Casina Bocca Paduli-Circo Massimo Metro stop; AS Roma Ciclismo, in collaboration with Decathlon, is offering activities related to cycling, sports, and community; Automobile Club Roma is focusing on safety and sustainable mobility, and Doctor Bike is offering bicycle assistance along the Archeo GRAB route. To promote accessibility, METUR is providing 10 free golf carts to facilitate the transportation of people with reduced mobility and vulnerable users.

The program is rounded out with guided tours, special openings, historical reenactments, music, shows, family activities, workshops, sports initiatives, and much more.

In Rome, the Appia Day Info Point at Casina Vignola Boccapaduli and the heart of Appia Day are open in the area of ​​the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella.

This year's artistic and communications direction is entrusted to Renato Scattarella, an author and communications expert who has been designing campaigns, projects, and events that connect local communities and participation for years.

All events, updates, and participation details are available at www.appiaday.org

Photo: official poster of the event