Roma Appia Run

A race through the history of Rome

The Roma Appia Run is one of the most iconic and beloved running events on the Capital's calendar. Organized in Rome, Lazio, and closely tied to the Appia Antica Archaeological Park, every spring it transforms the Regina Viarum into a sporting stage that weaves together competition, nature, and millennial heritage. Running the Appia Run means traversing twenty-five centuries of Roman history in a single morning.

A world-unique course

The Roma Appia Run is considered the only race in the world to be held on five different surfaces: city asphalt, cobblestones (sampietrini), original Roman basalt paving on the Via Appia Antica, the dirt trails of Caffarella Park, and finally, the track at the Baths of Caracalla stadium. It is an itinerary that acts as an open-air museum, where every kilometer tells a fragment of ancient Rome.

The main route starts from the city's monumental heart, along the Colosseum - Via Appia Antica axis, leading participants past the Catacombs of San Callisto to the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, before returning to the finish line. The Via Appia, officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers a backdrop that no other running race can boast.

Races and participants

The event offers various distances designed for both competitive athletes and amateur enthusiasts, with both long and short versions available in competitive and non-competitive formats. Alongside adult races, ample space is dedicated to children with the Fulmine dell'Appia, a series of events for kids and teenagers. Each edition attracts thousands of runners from all over Italy, with attendance figures nearing ten thousand.

Sport, environment, and culture

• Passage along the Via Appia Antica, the Roman Regina Viarum
• Crossing the green Caffarella Park
• Views of the Catacombs of San Callisto and Appian monuments
• Spectacular finish on the Nando Martellini Stadium track
• Free entry to Archaeological Park sites for participants

Thanks to the collaboration with the Appia Antica Archaeological Park, athletes with a race bib can access several archaeological sites for free, turning the race day into a complete cultural experience. The Roma Appia Run thus represents a model of a sporting event capable of enhancing the historical and landscape heritage of Rome and Lazio.