DURATION: UP TO 3.5-HOURS

On this group tour visit one of most intriguing and quietest of the Rome catacombs; the Catacomb of Santa Priscilla. One of Rome's first underground Christian cemeteries (dating back to 150 years before Christianity was legalized), this site has extraordinary ancient frescoes, eerie tunnels and the world's single oldest depiction of the Virgin Mary.

The Roman catacombs are pretty cool but on this tour you visit another site that could be even better – the Capuchin bone crypt, a cemetery literally built from bones! The chambers are decorated with the remains of some 4,000 friars. For kids, it’s a fascinating lesson in anatomy and for adults, a moving reminder of what we’ll all become. The message at the end of the crypt says it all: “What you are now, we once were. What we are now, you will be.” Strangely enough, the monks didn’t intend the site to be a morbid one – but you’ll learn all about that from your expert guide.

During the tour you will also visit the Basilica of San Clemente, which is much more than a church: It’s a voyage both below ground and back in time. Discover what remained a secret for hundreds of years: Beneath the current 12th-century basilica lies a 4th-century basilica and beneath that, a 1st-century Mithraic secret temple, apartments, and long-lost stream! Your guide will tell you about the strange rituals carried out in the cult temple and the story of the priest who almost lost his mind trying to find this buried stream.

Includes: English-speaking guide for 3.5-hours, Entrance to the Catacombs, the Capuchin Bone Crypt & Basilica San Clemente, Transportation between the sites during tour

Excludes: Gratuity, Transportation to/from the tours meeting point (transfers can be arranged for additional cost)

NOTE: 

• This is a scheduled small group tour, available on a request basis.

Tour pricing

Travel Inquiry