Rome: San Clemente Underground and Basilica Small Group Tour
Description
A visit of the 12th century Basilica of San Clemente reveals a gleaming gold mosaic above the central apse. St. Clement's transformed over centuries from a private home that was the site of a secret Christian worship in the first century to an imposing basilica. What laid beneath the Basilica was unknown until 1860, when flooding led an Irish Dominican Roman Catholic priest and archaeologist into the levels beneath the basilica floor. Excavations are ongoing. Today, you can descend up to 100 feet underground over three levels. At the first level we will find a 4th century Basilica, long forgotten after the construction of the 12th century Basilica above. Underneath, find the remains of an ancient pagan Mitraic temple. Lower still, ruins of ancient Roman homes.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit of the Basilica of San Clemente in Laterano and the archeological site.
Part of the visit of the archeological site under the Basilica of S. Clemente.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended for guests with mobility issues as the tour itinerary requires climbing and descending steps and well as walking on uneven terrain.
- Check-in is 15 minutes prior to the booked start time. Tickets are time sensitive and we cannot accomodate late arrivals.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
Reviews(176)
It was educational and fantastic! GianLuca was the best guide-- intelligent, knowledgeable, and very funny. My cousin and I had our picture taken with him since we always wanted to remember him.
Dear Mario, Thank you for your fantastic review! We are thrilled to hear that you and your cousin had such an enjoyable and memorable experience with GianLuca. His intelligence, knowledge, and sense of humor are qualities that make his tours truly special, and we are delighted that he helped make your visit both educational and fun. We especially love hearing that you wanted to take a photo with him to remember the experience. That is a wonderful compliment and a testament to the connection he created with your group. We will be sure to share your kind words with GianLuca. Thank you for choosing EcoArt, and we hope to welcome you both back to Rome in the future! Warm regards, EcoArt Team
This was spectacular. Our guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and genuinely cared about the material. He was patient with question and his enthusiasm made this a very much enjoyable experience. He even helped us get a taxi in the end and waited for the taxi to arrive.
Dear James, Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had such a spectacular experience. It is especially rewarding to know that your guide's knowledge, enthusiasm, and genuine passion for the subject helped make the tour both enjoyable and memorable. We are also pleased to hear that he took the time to answer your questions and assist you after the tour by helping arrange a taxi. Going the extra mile for our guests is something we truly value, and we are glad this made a positive impression on your visit. Thank you for choosing EcoArt. We hope to welcome you again on a future trip to Rome! Warm regards, EcoArt Team
We had an amazing underground tour of the Basilica of San Clemente with Eddy! He was incredibly energetic, engaging, and knowledgeable throughout the entire experience. His enthusiasm for the history and archaeology of the site made the tour both educational and fun. He brought the layers of Roman history to life and did a great job explaining the significance of what we were seeing underground. We learned so much and left with an even greater appreciation for this incredible site. Highly recommend Eddy if you have the chance to tour with him!
Dear Guest, Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience exploring the underground levels of the Basilica of San Clemente with Eddy. His enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for history truly help bring this extraordinary site to life, and we are pleased that he made the experience both educational and engaging. We will be sure to share your kind words with him. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing EcoArt. Warmest regards, EcoArt Team
Our tour ended up being a private tour with Gianluca and he was excellent and very informative, my husband and I enjoyed the tour very much!
Dear Beth, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you and your husband enjoyed the tour with Gianluca and appreciated his knowledge and informative explanations throughout the experience. It is wonderful to know that the private tour made your visit even more special and enjoyable. Thank you again for choosing EcoArt, and we hope to welcome you back to Rome in the future!
We found the tour a little long many stairs but we're able to relax in the gardens which we did after before heading back to our hotel thankyou for the experience worth the trip
Thank you so much for your feedback! We completely understand that the Vatican Museums tour can feel quite long and physically demanding at times, especially with the many stairs and the size of the Museums. We are happy to hear that you were able to relax afterwards and enjoy the beautiful gardens before returning to your hotel. Thank you again for joining us and for your kind words — we are very glad you felt the experience was worth the trip! We hope to welcome you back to Rome in the future.
Luca was very knowledgeable and a great tour guide. He really gave an incredibly in-depth illustration of history of the church. Tour is definitely a hidden gem and me and my family highly recommend this tour.
Dear Michael, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed the tour with Luca. His passion and deep knowledge of the history of the Church truly make the experience special, and we are very happy that you considered the tour a hidden gem. We will be sure to share your kind words with Luca — he will greatly appreciate them. Thank you again for choosing EcoArt, and we hope to welcome you and your family back to Rome in the future!
This is a wonderful little known gem in Rome. A way to literally walk down through history. What an unexpected experience. Our guide was knowledgeable and gave great insight into the history of the church. So glad we booked this tour
Dear Kathleen, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear that you enjoyed discovering this hidden gem and had such a meaningful experience walking through layers of history. It’s great to know that your guide’s insights made the visit even more special. We’re very glad you chose to book this tour with us! Warmest regards, EcoArt Team
Very fun underground tour. Learning about the layers of history in one building was so cool. We had a young child with us and our guide was informative and friendly explaining in a way everyone could follow. Great side quest tour!
Dear Sally, Thank you for your lovely review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the underground tour and discovering the layers of history—it truly is a unique experience. It’s wonderful to know that your guide made the visit engaging and accessible for everyone, including the younger member of your group. We’re very happy you considered it a “great side quest” in your Roman adventure 😊 Warm regards, EcoArt Team
Great experience, very well explained and so interesting !!!
Dear client, Thank you very much for your kind words. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great experience and found the tour interesting and well explained. We hope to welcome you back to Rome in the future. Warm regards, EcoArt Team
Luca, our guide, was great! He is very knowledgeable on San Clemente and lead a very informative tour. I learned more from him than I would have just visiting without a guide. The structure is remarkable and it's hard to wrap your head around the history. Truly amazing. I highly recommend this tour!
Dear Lindsay, Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great experience and that Luca’s knowledge and passion made your visit to San Clemente so informative and engaging. It’s true—this remarkable site has a unique and complex history, and we’re glad Luca was able to bring it to life for you. We’re especially pleased to know that the guided experience added value to your visit and made it even more meaningful. Thank you for your kind recommendation—it truly means a lot to us. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again for another experience in the future. Warmest regards, EcoArt Team
