Tired of crowded, overvisited places? Me too. That’s why when I want to visit a different place in Rome, I prefer going somewhere that is not in the middle of the action, but is rather solitary and still with an old-looking aspect, as Porta s. Sebastiano is.

This used to be an ancient Roman entrance to the city, maybe one of the most important, as it was the gate on the Regina viarum (The queen of the streets) the Via Appia.

Nowadays, after many restorations, Porta s. Sebastiano is accessible again and it also hosts a nice museum too. In my opinion, it’s not the museum but the stunning view you can enjoy from the top of the towers that’s the reason to visit. From there, you can see the whole south part of Rome up to the mountains and the beautiful green of the Parco dell’Appia Antica in between.

But that’s not all. In fact, the Porta S. Sebastiano also offers you the possibility to walk for roughly 350 meters along the old city walls, walking on the same spots from which Romans used to watch over the borders of the city.

I especially love this place because is one of that spots where you are really immersed in the history of those times, breathing the same atmosphere of the past, almost feeling like a soldier of that time.

The imposing walls, the walkway, and the landscape. A mix of emotions waiting for you. That is Porta s. Sebastiano.