Top 5 best bike tours in Rome

It is said that all roads lead to Rome, but there are also thousands of ways to see all that the Italian capital has to offer.

Few will be as comfortable and fun as doing it by bike. Given the large number of monuments in the Italian capital and the distance between them, getting around by bike is one of the best ways to visit the historical sites of the city and to optimize the time we use to do so.

In this sense, what I recommend the most is to take an organized bike tour of Rome. There are multiple options with different approaches and additions. Below in this post I tell you what they are and what they include the best types of bike tours and all the information you need to know to see the historic and beautiful city of Rome to pedals. Undoubtedly, one of the best tours you can do in the Italian capital.

The most typical bike tours in Rome are those that cover the most typical and touristic points of the city, including the best monuments.

The most common stops are the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona, the Trastevere district, the Vatican, among many others.

It is a very practical way to have a global vision of Rome and its monuments, besides being able to make a very complete tour in much less hours than it would take us to do it on foot. This kind of tours have local guides and usually electric bicycles to make the experience less tiring.

It takes about 4 hours to do these tours and the routes are circular, that is, they end at the same starting point.

Details of interest

• Price: From about 65 euros approx.
• Duration: 4-5 hours.
• Location: All over Rome
• Advantages of this option: A very complete and comfortable tour to get an overview of the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: It does not include the entrance fees to the monuments.

The Appian Way was once one of the most important roads of the Roman Empire. It linked the Italian capital with Capua, near Naples, and was so important that it was known as the Regina Viarum, the queen of roads.

The Appian Way is actually formed by two roads, the Ancient Way and the new one, which was built parallel to the original one in the 18th century.

The Appian Way begins in a park in the south of Rome and is suitable for walking and cycling. That is why there are many tours that organize these walks with stops at some tourist spots around the road, such as the Mausoleum of Romulus, the church of San Sebastian or the ruins of some Roman aqueducts or circuses, among others.

The tours along the Appian Way always provide you with the bike, usually electric for more comfort, helmet and all the necessary equipment, as well as a local guide. It is a great opportunity to enjoy the strongholds of the ancient Roman Empire in a setting surrounded by nature away from the hustle and bustle of Rome.

Details of interest

• Price: From 50€ approx.
• Duration: 4-5 hours.
• Location: Via Appia Antica
• Advantages of this option: A very beautiful and interesting tour away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: The beginning of the Appian Way is far from the center of Rome and the tours do not include transfer to that point.

Rome has a lot to discover outside of the most touristy areas. There are many neighborhoods, monuments and secrets that it hides and that do not fall within the usual tourist itineraries. To discover them there are bike tours that go through these neighborhoods away from the hustle and bustle and are a very interesting alternative if you already know the main attractions of Rome.

These tours take you through neighborhoods such as Trastevere, hills with the best views of the city such as Aventino Hill or gardens of extraordinary beauty such as those of Villa Borghese. If you want to know more about these secret places you can do it in this link.

In addition to providing you with the bike, these tours usually include a typical lunch or lunch stops, as well as drinks and all the equipment you need to explore the hidden side of Rome by bike accompanied by a local guide.

Details of interest

• Price: From 50€ approx.
• Duration: 4 or 5 hours.
• Location: Trastevere district, Aventino Hill...
• Advantages of this option: If you already know the most touristic places in Rome, it is a very interesting alternative to the typical tours.
• Disadvantages of this option: It is more recommended if you already know the most typical of Rome or if you have time to spare.

The best times to visit Rome are, in my opinion, at dusk and at night. When the sun goes down, the reddish colors give even more charm to the monuments of Rome and at night the illumination of the city transforms it completely.

Another advantage of strolling through the city at night is the tranquility of the city in contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of the day.

The nighttime bike tour route is similar to the normal one, with points such as the Colosseum or the Vatican that stand out for their illumination. The difference in admiring these and other monuments with the tranquility of the night is remarkable.

In addition to including the bikes, usually electric, and a guide, many night tours also offer snacks and drinks to enhance the experience. In this link I leave you more information about other night tours that you can do in Rome.

Interesting details

• Price: From 60€ approx.
• Duration: 3-4 hours.
• Location: Main monuments of Rome.
• Advantages of this option: The tour without traffic and with the night lighting greatly enhances the experience.
• Disadvantages of this option: Logically, you cannot access the monuments.

Just as there are night bike tours in Rome, they are also organized early in the morning, when the sunrise tinges the city of Rome with golden tones and looks spectacular. Besides the aesthetic, the other great advantage of these tours is the possibility of seeing the Italian capital before the masses of tourists invade the streets.

Another particularity of these bike tours is that they are usually complemented by a breakfast that includes a tasting of the famous Italian coffee. Otherwise, the dynamic is similar and the tour passes through the usual points such as the Colosseum or the magical Trevi Fountain. The bikes on these tours are electric for more comfort.

Details of interest

• Price: From 50€ approx.
• Duration: 3-4 hours approx.
• Location: Center and main monuments of Rome.
• Advantages of this option: Offers a unique postcard view of Rome and special extras such as breakfasts.
• Disadvantages of this option: You have to get up early.

The great advantage of bike tours is that they allow you to cover a lot of ground in a short time and in a very comfortable way. For this reason, they are ideal to see the vast majority of Rome's monuments in just a few hours.

Depending on the tour you choose, you will cover different areas of Rome. Most of them run through the historic center of the city, starting from the area of ancient Rome, where the Colosseum, the Roman Forum or the Arch of Titus are located.

The routes also run through the streets of the center, from the monument to Victor Emmanuel to Piazza Navona, passing by the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain. They also run along the other bank of the Tiber River where the Castello di Sant'Angelo and the Vatican City are located.

The alternative to this type of tour is through the south of Rome along the ancient Appian Way, where there are several catacombs, mausoleums and important churches. In any case, with the bike tours you will cover practically all of Rome, although this is an almost impossible task.

The bike tours have a number of peculiarities that make them unique, but you should take into account before embarking on the adventure. Here are some tips and points to consider before doing it:

• Most tours offer electric bikes so that it is not too tiring. But you should still have a minimum of physical stamina, as well as a minimum of experience riding a bike.
• Safety equipment such as helmets are always included in the tours. It is also important to always follow the guide's indications, as Rome is a somewhat chaotic city to move around and it is always best to listen to those who have experience.
• If you travel to Rome in summer you will find that it is a very hot city, so if you take a tour in this season always keep hydrated and take the necessary precautions. All tours usually include drinks, but it never hurts to carry extra water in your backpack.
• I recommend that if you are interested in doing a bike tour try doing it at dawn or at night, as it is much more pleasant to ride and seeing Rome without the usual hustle and bustle is quite an experience.

Rome is a huge city and there are dozens of places you will want to visit. If you want to know it in detail you will need at least 5 days of travel, but not always you have that time.

In those cases a bike tour is a highly recommended option. It allows us to cover much of the city in a short time and see several of its main monuments in a single morning.

Although these tours do not serve to enter and visit some points in detail, they do serve to have an overview of the city that will be very useful to move and visit the Italian capital.

It also gives us the opportunity to get to know other less frequented areas such as the Appian Way or tour Rome at dawn or dusk and even at night when the streets are cleared of tourists.