Private Tour with guide & Luxury Car: Holy Churches of Rome
Description
On our Holy Church of Rome tour, your personal chauffeur & expert theologian will escort you in a premium luxury vehicle to 3 out of the 4 Papal Basilicas, as well as the Basilica of Santa Croce. These four churches are on the “must see” list if you’re visiting Rome! The Basilica of Mary Major, also known as Our Lady of Snows, is home to the crib of the baby Jesus, is the largest Church to Mary in Rome. Afterwards you will get to see St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome which has the seat of the bishop of Rome, and St. Paul’s outside the Walls. In the Basilica of the Holy Cross, you will see many relics of the Passion of Christ, including pieces of the crown of thorns and the actual cross of Jesus. It is a truly holy and reverent experience with one of our top theologians to accompany you on this tour!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your first stop is the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. A gift from Constantine I to his mother Helen, who built a small chapel to house the relics of the Holy Cross which she found in Jerusalem and transported to Rome. Later this small chapel, originally basilica Eleniana, became the great basilica it is today. This basilica is also one of the stops on the “7 Churches” route that pilgrims used to make on foot during Holy Week.
Next, stop by the cathedral of Rome and the seat of the Pope himself. The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran is the most important church in the world and the most ancient! It is one of the 4 papal basilicas in Rome, and it was the original residence of the popes up until the 14th century.
Next you'll see the basilica that is said to have been commissioned by the Blessed Virgin Mary herself! She appeared to both Pope Liberius and a Roman Patrician, Giovanni, telling them she wished a church to be built in her honor. On August 5th, the Blessed Mother sent a miraculous snowfall, which rested on the Esquiline hill and outlined the layout of the church! Thus she earned her named "Lady of the Snows", and the basilica is now home to the manger of the Christ child.
Your last stop will be St. Paul's Outside the Walls. Located on the outskirts of the ancient Aurelian wall, the burial place of St. Paul was originally a small memorial building called a Cella Memoriae. However, Constantine I commissioned a larger basilica to be built on top of the Cella Memoriae to honor St. Paul. It has been demolished and rebuilt several times, undergoing many restorations and expansions. It was the largest church in Rome until St. Peter’s was built.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(8)
I reach out to Europe Odsessey for multiple tours because thoroughly enjoyed them last year in Rome/ Vatican. We did holy churches without a luxury car- Michael was also very knowledgeable, professional, and kind shown us all the beautiful baroque churches while not everyone is a big fan of visiting churches, I genuinely appreciated all the effort he put into the tour experiences. All of the tours were wonderful, and I really appreciate how smoothly everything was organized. It truly felt like the best of Europe. Mirella was incredibly informative and knowledgeable about the arts in Florence. She easily brought me to places that I was curious about- Kaws exhibit, wine in the hole, and the santa maria novella perfume. And Irene in Paris was fantastic as well; she took us to some beautiful churches(Miraculous medal) also went above and beyond for an additional stop at roland garros- and shared so much insight. Rick Steves was right—I’m so glad we chose this company again for our tours! Thank you for making everything easy and enriching for my dad and my uncle. making everything so accomodating for us. Highly recommend this tour group. Each tour guide - Michael, Mirella and Irene all went above and beyond and was very accomodating and flexible. We learb a great deal in each tour. Thank you again! Book them if you need a tour!
Dear Alli, Thank you so much for this incredible and heartfelt review! We are truly honored that you chose to travel with us again and that your experiences in Rome, Florence, and Paris were so memorable. It’s wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed your time with Michael, Mirella, and Irene — they will be absolutely thrilled to receive your kind words. Thank you for your trust, your enthusiasm, and your lovely recommendation. We very much hope to welcome you back again for another European adventure! Warm regards
What an amazing time! European Odyssey went out of their way to schedule our church tour at a good time - such amazing communication! They accommodated our schedule and worked around local events. Our guide, Justin, was so knowledgeable about each church and explained so much. What a learning experience! If you are interested in learning about Church history beyond the Vatican (though their tour there is amazing too!), you will love this tour. He answered our (many!) questions throughout the time.
We’re so happy to hear you had such a wonderful experience! Our team always strives to make scheduling and communication as smooth as possible, and Justin will be delighted to know his knowledge made your tour so engaging. Thank you for exploring with European Odyssey!
This tour was so amazing and moving. Our guide Justin was so knowledgeable about everything we saw! For the Christian faithful it is particularly special but it would be a wonderful historical tour for anyone! 1000 stars!
We’re so happy to hear how moving your experience was! Justin loves sharing his passion for history and faith—thanks for the 1000 stars, and we hope to guide you on another unforgettable journey one day! Warm regards, The Europe Odyssey Team
Our driver was punctual at 8:30 and picked us up in a nice Mercedes. We met our guide at the first church. Justin was very knowledgeable and never rushed us. Both the driver and guide were exceptional.
This tour exceeded my expectations! Justin was an incredibly knowledgeable, patient + kind guide. Whether you’re religious, have an appreciation for church history or just want to experience a few of the significant churches in Rome, I highly recommend this tour.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that the tour exceeded your expectations. Justin’s knowledge and passion for Rome’s holy churches truly make this experience special, and we’re so pleased you found it memorable. Whether guests join us for a religious journey or simply to appreciate Rome’s rich history, we strive to offer meaningful and enriching tours. Thank you for recommending us! Warm regards from The Europe Odyssey Team
Private & exclusive group and our guide Justin's prompt input allows ample time at each basiilica for prayer, reflection and further Q&A.
Great tour James was wonderful and made all the difference in the experience. Would not have been the same four without him
Rahul and his team have the finest and most bespoke tour offering I have experienced in Europe. He is always available and curates the perfect experience you looking for. They personalize tours according to your needs Vs a cookie cutter approach. In our recent trip he arranged us a private car service with a car, english speaking driver, city specific tour guides and hard to find museum tickets like the Last Supper. His entire team and vendors were top quality and some of the finest experts in their respective fields.
Thanks a lot. A pleasure to Cater to you from Switzerland to Como to Tuscany & Beyond Thanks for trusting in us several times over the years.
