With our trip to Italy planned - and research underway for our upcoming game - we were on the lookout for cool activities to use on our game cards and that we could also do while on vacation. It didn't take long to find something that we were extremely excited to include as a bonus card in the game and visit in real life.
Ellouise and I have been to Rome several times so we decided it would be the perfect time to look for something unique to do on one of our extra days there. Having done most of the typical tourist activities we needed something a bit more extreme to satisfy our goals. When we stumbled across a company called Flying in the Sky doing research for The Blog Master Game - it was an instant MUST DO from both of us!
Both Ellouise and I have had the opportunity to go ziplining while visiting some of the most amazing locations in the world, so it definitely caught our attention when we found Flying in the SKY just outside of Rome. We had never really seen any mention of world class ziplining in Italy, so we had to find out more. Here are some of the highlights:
The zipline was inaugurated in September of 2014.
According to Flying in the SKY's website this line is the longest (2,225 meters) and fastest (peak speeds close to 160 km/h) in the world. While we believe this was probably accurate when it was first opened in 2014, according to our research the current Guinness World Record holder is Jebel Jais Flight (UAE), measuring a single unbroken span of 2,831.88 meters. Currently, Zip World Velocity 2 in North Wales is considered the fastest with top speeds in excess of 162 km/h.
The zipline starts in Rocca Massima, a small medieval village in the province of Latina. The beginning altitude is 730 meters above sea level.
The route soars above vast olive groves and local homes in the valley before finally ending at a charming little family run bar. Here you can wait for transport back to the starting point and enjoy an ice cold beverage. At this point you have descended to 380 meters above sea level.
My entire zipline run took approximately 1 minute and 40 seconds from the time I was released until hitting the landing platform. Be sure to check out the video of my run below!
Having been to Rome and familiar with their public transportation system it was a very easy train ride from Roma Termini to Cisterna di Latina station where Flying in the SKY had a driver pick us up. The train ride took about 35 minutes and cost around 3 Euro. The ride up to Rocca Massima from the train station was very nice with steep views of the countryside and pleasant conversation with the driver. Unfortunately, the day we went was overcast and scattered with light rain showers which detracted from the beautiful views.
Once we arrived the driver escorted us to the check-in area where we could pay and get our tickets for the flight. We also decided that I would rent a "GoPro" in order to capture the entire experience for our readers. The check-in only took about 10 minutes. During this time we collected our tickets, paid the balance due for the flight, got weighed for safety, and signed all waivers. All that was left was a mesmerizing 5 minute walk along the side of the mountain to the equipment room, getting geared up and then to the platform to begin our flight.
So the million dollar question: what was it like... I'll let you see for yourself!
Now that I have shown you the highlights of our day, what were the negatives?
We chose to go at the very beginning of their season, so they were still getting everything back up and running during the weekdays. Not a negative really, just a little more confusing.
We had sent several emails a couple months prior to our trip (during the winter) asking various questions about scheduling and transportation and had not received any response from them. However, in their defense (unknown to us) they were closed and these emails were during their off season. We found once we were in Italy, and a few days out from our scheduled flights, that messaging them directly via their WhatsApp number got almost immediate responses and great communication!
We found their website to be a little confusing when it came to renting a "GoPro" for our flight. It was not clear if we were renting the camera itself or if we were simply renting a mount to hold our own camera... Again, simple clarification once we were there and all was handled smoothly by Flying in the Sky. As a side note: I really would have preferred if their camera mount faced out towards the direction you were looking as opposed to directly at me. After all, I am sure many of you would enjoy watching the sights along the flight rather than watching my face for the video :)
Be sure to read through their website and plan appropriately for any costs you may occur in addition to the actual flight. For example: pickup from the train station is not included in the cost - that is an add-on option and will cost about $20 per person. You can choose to take the local bus from the station up to Rocca Massima and while it is much cheaper, be aware it can add hours to your day depending on your trains arrival time and your flight time. Obviously any snacks or drinks from the local little bars are not included. There are bars at both ends of the flight and hanging out in either one (or both) is a great place to chill and enjoy the panoramic views while waiting.
If you only have one day in Rome and want to sight see in Rome then this is not the activity for you. It will take most the day -- between transportation, scheduled flight times, and wait times -- there will be minimal time left to actually do anything in Rome. We left the hotel around 9:30, had 12:30 flight times, and returned to the hotel around 3:30. We were gone about 6 hours in total. With that said, we did schedule an evening food tour in Rome after our day trip to Flying in the Sky so we could enjoy some local flavors and had no issue with the timing (only the rain).
All in all, our final thoughts on our day spent Flying in the Sky are positive! We would certainly recommend that if you are into adrenaline based activities and have a day to spare this might be for you!
When you are playing The Blog Master Game and draw "Bonus-0046" you now know what Ziplining in Italy is all about!
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