Visiting Villa dei Quintili and the Appia Antica Archaeological Park: the Rome hotel to start from

Among the lesser-known yet most astonishing treasures of Rome is an imperial residence so vast that in the Middle Ages it was nicknamed "Roma Vecchia" (Old Rome): Villa dei Quintili, the largest suburban villa of the Roman countryside, set at the fifth mile of the ancient Appian Way. Guests of Hotel Meeting Roma, a hotel just off the Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road and close to Ciampino airport, can reach it in a few minutes by car: a visit that combines archaeology, nature and silence, far from the queues of the city centre.

The history of Villa dei Quintili: from the consuls to Emperor Commodus

The villa takes its name from the brothers Sextus Quintilius Condianus and Sextus Quintilius Valerius Maximus, consuls in 151 AD, cultivated and immensely wealthy members of the senatorial aristocracy. Their fortune sealed their fate: in 182-183 AD Emperor Commodus, envious of the splendour of the residence, had them executed on charges of conspiracy and confiscated the estate, turning it into his own country villa. From then on the complex remained imperial property and continued to be enlarged until the 4th century.

The site was only systematically excavated in the 19th century, and many of its marbles and statues went on to enrich the collections of the Vatican Museums and the Louvre. Publicly owned since 1985, the area now belongs to the Appia Antica Archaeological Park, the institute of the Italian Ministry of Culture that protects the whole stretch of the "Queen of Roads" between the Aurelian Walls and the Castelli Romani.

What to see in the Archaeological Park: baths, nymphaeum and hippodrome

The visit begins at the entrance on Via Appia Nuova 1092, where a small antiquarium displays statues, portraits and architectural fragments found on site. A path then leads to the heart of the villa: the grand bath complex, with the calidarium and its wide south-facing windows and the frigidarium, whose walls still rise over ten metres and were once clad in polychrome marble.

From the residential core, with its reception halls overlooking the countryside, you walk down to the monumental nymphaeum, which served as a scenic entrance from the ancient Appian Way, and to the long open space of the hippodrome, where the family's horses were trained. Wandering among arches and cisterns, with the aqueducts in the background and sheep grazing among the ruins, you understand why Grand Tour travellers considered this the most romantic landscape in Rome.

The ticket also includes the nearby complex of Santa Maria Nova, a medieval farmhouse built on a Roman bath and now an exhibition space, and the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella: three sites linked by the pedestrian route of the Appia Antica.

A hotel in south Rome to explore the Appian Way at your own pace

The advantage of choosing a hotel in Rome outside the centre, yet minutes from the archaeological sites, lies in the time you save. Hotel Meeting Roma is located at Via Pier Vittorio Aldini 38/A, at the Ciampino exit of the GRA ring road: Villa dei Quintili is about 5 km away, a ten-minute drive along Via Appia Nuova, with free private parking on your return. If you are travelling without a car, reception arranges the hotel shuttle to Ciampino railway station and to metro line A, from where bus 664 and the Park's lines reach the villa entrance.

Our hotel is also designed for those who combine work and discovery: single, double, twin and triple rooms with free Wi-Fi, breakfast included, a bar and an in-house restaurant for dinner after a day in the open air. And the centre of Rome is just 12 minutes by train from Ciampino station.

Practical tips for your visit

The villa is entirely open-air and the visitor route is over two kilometres long: comfortable shoes, water and a hat in the summer months are essential. The best times are early morning or late afternoon, when the low light brings out the red brickwork of the baths. We recommend checking opening days and hours on the official website of the Appia Antica Archaeological Park before setting off and, on Sundays, combining the visit with a walk along the Appian Way, closed to traffic.

In short

Villa dei Quintili is one of the most authentic archaeological experiences in Rome: an immense imperial villa, monumental baths and a landscape unchanged for two thousand years. Staying at Hotel Meeting Roma, a hotel ten minutes from the Archaeological Park and a few minutes from Ciampino airport, means visiting it unhurried, parking without worries and returning to a comfortable room at honest prices.

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