" Travelling along the ancient Appia route means immerse yourself in the millennial history; its fame has saved most of the characterizing and adorning monuments from destruction over time, so that nowadays it arises as a unique inheritance, running coast to coast through the Italian peninsula" (L. QUILICI)

" In antiquity, the Appia route was at the same time the most important road to Southern Italy and the main link for all trades connecting Rome to Africa, Greece and the Near East; this happens for the eight centuries when Rome was the centre of the world and those regions where the richest and wealthiest of the Mediterranean area. For these reasons, the route track and the secondary roads were always cared by Authorities, among which imperators, until the late and Imperial period. It was then called "nobilis, celeberrima, regina viarum", an unequalled model of all roads heading from Rome to the more distant regions of the known world. Since it was built, the Appia route represented an outstanding technological and engineering achievement realizing a rational design even at the cost of extreme efforts, over the natural adversities that hindered its construction. The route travels the central and southern regions of the Italian peninsula, from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic coast, by crossing the Ancient Latium, the Sannio and Puglia regions and ending eventually at the Brindisium harbour." (L. QUILICI)

"I had several opportunities to talk about the Appia route between Fondi and Itri, where the Monti Aurunci Natural Park realized an archaeological park which portrays a model of interaction, not only at the national level.

"I had several opportunities to talk about the Appia route between Fond and Itri, where the Monti Aurunci Natural Park realized an archaeological park which portrays a model of interaction, not only at the national level. Summarising, this tract is among the most spectacular of the entire road track, since it overcomes the arduous pass through the Aurunci mountains by flanking steep carbonate ridges, precipices and narrow gorges which also constituted a valid natural and military defence for the Kingdom of Naples, until the Gaeta siege by the Italian troops in 1860-1861. The Appia route faced a rough mountain environment at the Aurunci pass and preserves today remnants of the original track such as milestones, bridges, slope cuts, terraces, fountains, sanctuaries, resting areas, villas and mausoleums. Indeed, the modern state street n° 7 Appia climbs the northern side of Sant'Andrea valley whereas the ancient route flanks the opposite, western edge and it was abandoned since the end of the XIX century. This also contributes to preserve the original flagstones and structure of the road which evidences how, even in steep and rough mountain areas, the main intention of architects and engineers was to assure a comfortable and pleasant journey.

The road track climbs the St. Andrea gorge with straight tracts and narrow hairpin turns, being carved into carbonate ridges, where even today 4 to 6 meters-high slope cuts are clearly visible, and is sustained on the opposite side - facing the Sant'Andrea gorge - by outstanding 7 meters-high and hundreds of meters-long retaining walls. The different construction techniques witness the main restoration operas occurred since the antiquity, in IV cen. BC, to the late Empire. The road paving is mantled by volcanic stones, presents a width of 4,2 meters and is protected by two sidewalks being 1.1 and 2.2 meters wide [...]. The St. Andrea gorge is overlooked by the remnants of a sanctuary devoted to Apollo, which is nowadays hidden by the St. Andrea stronghold, built above the temple during the Napoleonic Age. [...]. Different parts of the road track are documented along the St. Andrea Valley which experienced important restoration operas in different times, not only during the antiquity but also in the medieval and modern times. At present, this part of the Appia route crossing the territory of the Monti Aurunci Natural Park has become an extraordinary evidence of the evolving techniques for road construction and maintenance trough the ages, since the Appio Claudio epoch until the end of XIX cen. AD. After the Late Antiquity, the most significant restoration were realized by Paráfan de Ribera, the duke of Alcalà and Viceroy of Naples on the behalf of Philipp II King of Spain , in 1563-68, and by Ferdinando IV of the Bourbon dynasty in 1767-1778" (L. QUIICI).