Walking Tour at Catacombs as the Coolest Underground
Description
Go underground into Rome’s Catacombs -SKIP THE LINE - TICKETS INCLUDED - ENGLISH MOTHER TONGUE GUIDES, MASTER STORYTELLERS - COOL REFRESHING TEMPERATURES 16°c / 59°f Year-round - SMALL GROUP, LESS CROWDS, HIDDEN GEMS Step beneath Rome and explore the Catacombs of San Domitilla with engaging, English mother-tongue guides who are humorous, warm, and unforgettable storytellers. Perfect for all ages, this small-group tour brings early Christian history to life through vivid stories, symbols, and secrets hidden underground. Enjoy the natural cool temperature of 16°C / 59°F, a refreshing escape from Rome’s heat. You’ll walk ancient burial tunnels, see some of the oldest Christian frescoes in the world, and understand how early Christians lived, worshipped, and honored their dead. After the visit, explore nearby highlights like the Appian Way and its peaceful countryside. Educational, entertaining, and truly memorable—this is underground Rome at its best.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Garden Introduction - Upon Meeting your English Mother-Tongue guide , we will take you underground to enjoy the cool temperatures of 16°c. You will witness some of the oldest frescoes and depictions of Christianity in the world. You will learn the complete genesis of Christianity and the transition from ancient pagan Rome into holy Roman Catholic Rome and all the burial rites and rituals. Learn about the daily lives of both ancient Christian and pagans and how Christian persecutions affected
After the garden Introduction - First Enter the only semi-underground Basilica in Rome, dedicated to the martyrs Nereus and Achilleus, and to Saint Petronilla, daughter of Saint Peter. This church was built at a time when Christianity was illegal. Learn the secret signs and symbols of the early Christians and how they avoided detection from persecutions. Where and How they worshipped in secret. Hear the stories behind the people and power players of ancient Rome. Learn of their fates and how they affected society as we know it today.
Enter the 17 Kilometers of underground tunnels where around 150,000 burials across four underground levels. Who were the gravediggers? How did they lay the foundation for many tunneling techniques used today? You will witness the oldest fresco in the world depicting "The Last Supper" and Apostles "Peter and Paul". Discover the "Aquiferium" where bodies were ritually cleansed before burial. Along with the "Refigerium" where commemorative meals and memorial gathering for the dead. You will enter the "Cubiculum" of the Fossors the gravediggers union tomb itself. Read the ancient tombstones and get the story first hand of the people who lived and died in ancient Rome.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Baby Carriers are allowed (Front/Back Carriers) Strollers may be left in upstairs office
Reviews(310)
BEEST EXPERIENCE EVER! Mike is so knowledgeable and funny! Definitely doing another tour with him!
Mike was amazing! Great knowledge, fantastic humor, the catacombs were awesome. Would do any other tour with him no question about it!
Mike was goated and gave a good tour.
Peter was very knowledgable & easy to understand. Great sense of humor too. He gave us so much great information about the history of the catacommbs & the area. The tour was fascinating. Highly recommended!
Peter was better than we imagined, the tour seemed pricy but once we met Peter it was clear why. A wealth of information and the charisma to match.
The tour was interesting and the Guide was a wealth of knowledge which made the experience better
We had a fantastic time and would highly recommend this tour. John was our guide and he was brilliant — incredibly knowledgeable, engaging and somehow managed to pitch the tour perfectly for everyone, from younger children to older adults. Plenty of good humour thrown in too, which is impressive when your subject matter is essentially 2,000-year-old tombs! 😄 The catacombs themselves are fascinating. Seeing the artefacts and learning how these enormous underground burial sites were created around 2,000 years ago is genuinely eye-opening. You also learn loads about the religious history behind them, without it ever feeling like a history lecture. Possibly the biggest unexpected bonus was the temperature — it was beautifully cool underground and an absolute lifesaver compared with the 38°C heat outside. We booked for the middle of the day, which turned out to be a genius move: fascinating history and free air-conditioning! 😂 A really interesting, memorable experience and definitely one of the highlights of our time in Rome.
We really enjoyed this visit to the catacombs. It was a very interesting and we learned a lot about the history of the place. Our guide, Maria, was excellent: friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to understand. We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Rome!
Alain was a great guide. He was knowledgeable about the catacombs l, early Christianity, and Rome. He sense of humor is quirky and made even my teen sons groan. Pro tip: bring a sweater. It does get chilly.
I found this tour very interesting! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
