Hidden Rome: Catacombs and Underground Tour with Transport

Highlights

• Expert Guide & Transport Included
• Five Historic Catacombs
• Ancient Art & History

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1

   Catacombe Di Domitilla

   1h 30min

   Step into the hidden world beneath Rome and explore the Catacombs of San Domitilla, one of the oldest and most extensive underground burial sites. Starting from our Show Me Italy office at Via dei Serpenti 114, embark on a guided tour through a part of the vast 180-mile network of tunnels, where early Christians sought refuge and laid their loved ones to rest. Your expert guide will share captivating stories of religious persecution, burial rituals, and the rise of Christianity in Rome. Marvel at ancient tombs, early Christian artwork, and beautifully preserved frescoes that offer a glimpse into the past. The 2-hour tour includes transport and is available as a small-group or private experience. Enjoy round-trip transfers from our central office, with drop-off near Cavour Metro station. Tours are available in English, Spanish, and French. Unlike crowded landmarks, this immersive tour lets you discover a lesser-known, yet profoundly significant, part of Rome’s history.

2. 2

   Catacombe di San Callisto

   1h

   Travelers will enter the Catacombe di San Callisto and descend deep underground into a vast labyrinth of narrow corridors carved into volcanic rock. Inside, they will walk through ancient passageways lined with original burial niches (loculi) where early Christians laid their dead nearly 2,000 years ago. During the guided visit, travelers will explore underground galleries and chambers used exclusively for Christian burials between the 2nd and 4th centuries. They will see tombs of early martyrs and popes, learning how these sacred spaces were organized and why the catacombs played such an important role in early Christian Rome.

3. 3

   Catacombe San Sebastiano

   1h

   you will descend into the Catacombe di San Sebastiano and explore a network of underground corridors carved into the ancient rock beneath the Appian Way. Inside the catacombs, visitors will walk through narrow passageways lined with early Christian burial niches, gaining insight into funerary traditions from the 2nd to 4th centuries. During the guided visit, travelers will see family tombs, arcosolia (arched burial chambers), and communal burial areas once used by early Christians. The guide will explain the meanings of Christian symbols, inscriptions, and graffiti left by pilgrims who came to venerate the martyrs buried here.

4. 4

   Catacombe SS. Marcellino e Pietro - Mausoleo di S. Elena

   1h

   Catacombe dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro, one of the most richly decorated underground burial complexes in Rome. Inside the catacombs, visitors will walk through ancient corridors lined with burial niches and family tombs, dating back to the 3rd and 4th centuries. you will explore important underground chambers connected to the cult of Saints Marcellino and Pietro, learning about their martyrdom and why this site became a major Christian cemetery. The experience also includes a visit to the nearby Mausoleo di Sant’Elena, an impressive circular structure built for Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine. Inside the mausoleum, travelers will discover its unique architecture and historical significance linked to the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire.

5. 5

   Catacombe di Priscilla

   1h

   Catacombe di Priscilla, one of Rome’s oldest and most important Christian burial sites, often called the “Queen of the Catacombs.” Inside, visitors will walk through a maze of ancient underground corridors carved into the soft tufa stone, lined with original burial niches used between the 2nd and 4th centuries. you will explore beautifully decorated burial chambers and cubicula, featuring some of the earliest known examples of Christian art. Highlights include frescoes depicting biblical scenes and symbolic images, as well as the famous early representations of the Virgin Mary and Child and the Good Shepherd, among the oldest of their kind in Rome. The guide will explain the meaning of the paintings, inscriptions, and symbols, shedding light on early Christian beliefs, burial rituals, and daily life during times of persecution.

Before you go

Location