The path of the Water Giants

Experience an unforgettable, immersive journey through nature and history, and walk on trails that run along the four great Roman aqueducts: Anio Vetus, Anio Novus, Acqua Claudia and Marcia. These giant masterpieces will make you feel small, but you will also grasp what human creativeness can achieve. It is hard to believe, but a systematic and in-depth study of such grandiose works started only between the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s. Get ready for a real adventure as you walk along the loop trail that joins the Sant’Antonio, the Mola and the San Pietro bridges among streams, aquatic plants, waterfalls, medieval towers, old maintenance roads and frequent steep stretches in thick woods.

The greatest expert of Roman aqueducts, the Englishman Thomas Ashby, wrote that the so-called Ponte della Mola was “the best example of the practice described by Frontinus”, which took into account the possibility of crossing valleys by means of bridges. For an alternative way of looking at this aqueduct, imagine that it was a brilliant ploy at the time of the emperor Hadrian (2nd century AD) to shorten the original underground route of the Anio Vetus (3rd century BC) by about 2 km! The name “della Mola” is more recent. Not far away you will find the remains of the large Brancaccio mill, which bears witness to the agricultural tradition of this beautiful area. We recommend a guided trip to learn even more about the history of such unique spots!