Going to Rome? Read about its best one here.
Among the first sights is the Church of Domine Quo Vadis? (Via Appia Antica 51), so named because this is where St. Peter, fleeing persecution from Emperor Nero, reputedly had a vision of Jesus and asked “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus, as the story goes, replied, “To Rome, to be crucified again.” A cast of what some people believe are Jesus’ footprints is kept inside the church; the original cast is down the street in the Church of San Sebastian, above the narrow catacombs that once held the remains of early Christians martyrs (Via Appia Antica 136; 5 euros).