Rome's Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour
Description
**AirBnB Award Winning Tour** Discover the chilling true stories behind Rome’s most haunted sites on the city’s original and award-winning ghost tour. Led by expert storytellers, this after-dark walk through Rome’s eerie backstreets uncovers tales of murder, betrayal, and restless spirits. Hear the tragic story of Giordano Bruno, burned alive in Campo de’ Fiori, and the legend of Donna Olimpia, the powerful noblewoman whose ghost is said to haunt the Vatican's nightmares and the city streets. Visit a macabre church filled with skulls and secrets, and learn about poisoners, mystics, and popes who refused to stay dead.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our guide will meet you and begin the tour here with our first story - be prepared!
Learn the history of this renaissance palace and its surroundings, with some hidden tales not usually told
On Rome's dark backstreets, hear a tale of an 18th Century magician, who is it said still haunts the area today
Discover the tale of the woman who ruled Rome, her rise to power, and why it's said that she haunts the bridge to this day
Hear tales of a mysterious order of monks with a rather macabre task
Discover one of history's worst prisons, as well as the history of the most notorious Pope - and his family - as well as how he haunts the area now.
See the modern gelato shop that was once a very different business, run by one of history's most prolific poisoners.
Discover the story of Rome's most famous executioner, at his house.
At our last stop, we discover the history of Castel Sant'Angelo, from its origins as an Emperor's tomb to being the site of executions. Hear one of Rome's most tragic tales that happened right here.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We can often provide sign language interpreters if we are told in advance
Reviews(108)
What a fantastic way to end our visit to Rome. We had a lovely dinner in the Square before meeting up with the group and our wonderful guide, Alethea. Lots of interesting facts about the streets of Rome and all the crazy things that went on. You could tell straight away that Alethea was excited to share her knowledge and all the gruesome details.
Thank you so much. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Alethea. Rome is an excellent city for a final evening, especially once someone starts explaining all the madness that unfolded in its streets. We’re very glad Alethea’s enthusiasm, and the more gruesome details, made it such a strong ending to your visit.
We did the Dark Side of Rome tour and our guide (we think Ben) was witty and informative. We learned some local history that we would not have learned! Walking through the cobbled lanes scenic and Rome is even more beautiful in the moonlight. Midway through we stopped at a cafe and got Aperol spritzes for the walk. Would recommend!
Thank you, Ashley. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour. Rome is very good at looking beautiful in moonlight while quietly concealing centuries of bloodshed, scandal, and deeply questionable behaviour. We’re glad the stories, the walk, and the mid-tour spritz all made for a very decent evening.
We had such a great time on the tour. Ben was funny and engaging. He taught us so much. even my friend who was born and raised in Italy and a history enthusiast was surprised how much he learned.
Thank you so much. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Ben. We always like hearing that even a history enthusiast walked away having learnt something new. Rome has had a very long time to accumulate strange material, and it would be rude not to make use of it.
Marilena was excellent! She is an excellent story teller and passionate and knowledgeable. Thank you!
Thank you so much. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Marilena. A strong storyteller makes all the difference in a city with this much dark material to work through. We’re so pleased her knowledge and passion came through so clearly.
We had the best tour with Alethea! The pace was great, she's got such funny comments to add in too which kept us entertained. We try and do tours like this wherever we go and it's rare to get such a good guide and also a decent crowd that attends too. We lucked out with this one, I would definitely recommend.
Thank you so much. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Alethea. Good pace, sharp humour, and a crowd that behaves itself is an excellent combination. We’re very pleased this one stood out, and grateful for the recommendation.
Amazing guide (forgotten her name but from Canada!), very knowledgeable about Italian history and kept us entertained all evening. She checked in on our daughter regularly who is a wheelchair user and made sure she was ok, tour was very accessible for her, just a bit bumpy on a couple of back streets but we expected that. Learned lots about Rome that we wouldn't have usually & a greater appreciation for looking up! Highly recommend this tour & would do it again!
Thank you so much. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Alethea. We’re especially pleased the tour worked well for your daughter too. Rome’s back streets do have a habit of being picturesque and mildly inconvenient at the same time. Very glad the evening felt accessible, entertaining, and full of the sort of details people usually forget to look up and notice.
We always do a ghost tour on our vacations and enjoyed this one. Great story telling and history shared by our guide, Ben. Fun way to spend an evening in Rome
Thank you, Laurie. We’re glad you enjoyed the evening with Ben. A good Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour should offer strong storytelling, solid history, and just enough grim material to improve the night air. We appreciate the feedback, and we’re pleased it made for a fun evening in Rome.
It was very good, going in the evening meant great views. Our host, Mari was very knowledgeable, engaging and fun. Something a bit different and well worth it.
Thank you, Gursimran. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Mari. Rome does look particularly good in the evening, which is helpful, as it distracts from centuries of bloodshed and civic misbehaviour. We’re so glad you found it knowledgeable, engaging, and a bit different. That’s very much the idea.
Had a great time! Ariel was engaging and the stories were great. The tour ends at a beautifully scenic view.
Thank you, Emily. We’re delighted you enjoyed Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour with Arielle. A good guide, strong stories, and a final view of Rome looking far more innocent than it really is makes for a very decent evening. We’re so glad it landed well.
We always take a city ghost tour as a different way to experience the city and this was one of the better ones. The stories were really well delivered by our enthusiastic Irish guide were a good mix of gruesome historical fiction with a bit of myth. A couple of belters especially the last one. Not really a ghost tour per se and like a lot of these talk of hauntings is a bit tacked on and not substantial. Overall, a pleasant way to walk the city at night with a few well told tales!
Thank you, Marco. We’re glad you enjoyed the tour and the storytelling. Our Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour is meant to blend hauntings, legends, and darker history, so it does lean as much on Rome’s documented bad behaviour as on its ghostlier reputation. We appreciate the thoughtful feedback, and we’re pleased the tales, and the night walk, still landed well.
