Experience Rome In A New And Unique Way With This Underrated Activity On The Water

To experience Rome is to walk along the cobblestone streets, see the Trevi Fountain, and slurp spaghetti in front of the Colosseum. Others strap on their helmets and hop on a Vespa to find their way around town. However, just when you thought these motorbikes were the main form of transportation (thanks to "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" and "Emily in Paris"), you'll find tourists using another method to soak in the sights of "The Eternal City" — by rafting on the water. Rome's famous rivers, the Tiber River and the Aniene River, provide a new experience for travelers wanting to see the historic area from a new perspective. The journey lasts about two hours, so if you're looking for things to do in Rome in one day, this easily can be added to your list.

Take a morning tour and enjoy the Roman sun, or take an afternoon ride and see the sunset behind St. Angelo's Castle. Depending on the river you paddle across, view monuments like the Dome of St. Peter or travel under the Nomentano Bridge. The company, Roma Rafting, also gets you involved in the Italian culture by feeding you pizza on the raft. According to the many five-star reviews on TripAdvisor, the meal at the end of the journey seems to be a highlight for most. Not only is it a unique way to roam Italy's capital, but it's also a way to immerse yourself in a significant part of the city's history.

The Tiber River is a destination you can't miss on your romantic Rome getaway. Instead of strolling along the sidewalk or taking a cruise down the current, there's nothing like bonding with your loved one over a thrilling adventure. Water rafting down one of the most prominent bodies of water in Rome will make your trip one for the history books. One of the dreamiest aspects of Rome is that everywhere you look, you're surrounded by buildings, monuments, and bridges that date back centuries. The Tiber River is the second-longest river in Italy. It also posed as a way for trading imports and is known to be one of the most significant water supply sources for Rome. As you learn the history, you'll paddle by enchanting Italian architecture and float by marvelous sights, like Ponte Sant'Angelo, dating back to the second century A.D.

Roma Rafting also takes you to the Aniene River, a tributary of the Tiber River. This body of water was used to supply aqueducts in Rome, and it was a main channel to trade travertine in the city. Along the Aniene River, you'll weather some exciting rapids, adding a little stimulation to your scenic excursion. This waterway also provides a more lush landscape as opposed to the Tiber River's main channel of scenic architecture, peeling back another layer to "The Eternal City." 

Just as travelers want to paddle along the Tiber, so do the locals. There's a whole seven-day festival dedicated to touring the waterway in a group setting. During the International Tiber Descent, people canoe, kayak, paddleboard, or raft down the river, starting from Umbria, making their way down into Lazio, and ending in Rome. Some people even cycle their way down the itinerary. Participants dress up in costume for the festival and decorate their helmets like Roman Gladiators to get in the spirit. The event passed its 45th year in 2024, and athletes continuously find new ways to travel down the route. One adventurer even took a unicorn tube along the way, as seen on the event's Instagram page.

If water sports don't intrigue you, you can still see on land what many will see from the river. Instead of traveling under the Ponte Sant'Angelo bridge, you can walk across it and wave from above to those paddling below. Only so many people can fit per water vessel, so catch them while you can, as there's not too much foot traffic compared to the rest of Rome's iconic sites. If you want to continue to beat the crowds, you can see awe-inspiring destinations ashore, such as Rome's Appian Way. While you continue to travel off the beaten path — or over rushing waters — there are plenty of perspectives to view this incredible city, no matter what route you choose to take.