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Tiber River Sightseeing CruisesBattelli di Roma Boats on the TevereThe Tiber (Tevere in italian) is Rome's answer to the Thames, the Seine, or the Hudson--or maybe those rivers are the answer to the Tiber, which was already an important commercial waterway more than 2,000 years ago, during the Roman Republic and the early years of the Roman Empire.
ABOVE: The Cornelia, a sightseeing boat that carries 102 passengers, cruises along the Tevere on a warm day in early September.
Battelli di Roma offers three basic itineraries:
In addition, Battelli di Roma sometimes runs cruises to the ruins at Ostia Antica (2 hours away by boat), as does Gite sul Tevere, which also has a cruise to the ancient Roman Port of Trajan. For Battelli di Roma cruise timetables, fares, and boarding advice for disabled travelers, visit www.battellidiroma.it. To view photos and a video of the company's tour boats, go to page 2 of this article. Next page: More Battelli di Roma photos
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In its heyday, the Tiber (Italy's third-longest river) was
navigable for a distance of 100 km or 60 miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the
port of Ostia. Over the centuries, the shallow river became clogged with silt,
and port activities moved to the seacoast. The Tiber nevertheless remains
deep enough in Rome (a 3.5 to 5.5 meters, or 12 to 18 feet) to accommodate
sightseeing boats--most notably the fleet of Battelli di Roma,
which offers cruises on the river year-round.