The Tomb of Cecilia Metella is one of the great landmarks of the Appian Way, a massive 1st-century BC mausoleum that was later folded into a medieval fortress. Its round stone tower still dominates this stretch of the ancient road.
The appeal is partly the monument itself and partly the setting. Visit it as part of a longer walk or bike ride along Via Appia Antica, where Roman tombs, paving stones, and countryside sit unusually close to modern Rome.