Small-Group Tour of Roman Catacombs & St. Clement's Undergrounds
Description
Explore a surprising lesser-known gem in the city center before jumping outside the city walls to the mazy Roman Catacombs. Go deep underground in a dark world of secret cults and ancient wall paintings with a small-group guided tour. Visit 2 contrasting underground sights with an expert guide. Discover the place of a hidden cult 14 meters below St. Clement’s Basilica and descend into the twisty tunnels of the Catacombs of Domitilla.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide at the meeting point and then venture deep underground the Basilica of San Clemente, below its foundations into a mystical world of ancient cults and legends. Journey through several layers of history and earth, down to 14 meters below ground. Live the excitement of gradually exploring the later structures built on top of it on your way up to the surface. Go back in time down to the deepest point and discover the best-preserved Mithraic temple of the city. Find out about the pagan faith of Ancient Romans before Christianity and be intrigued by its sectarian and esoteric flavour. Touch the waters of an underground river before going higher into the remains of the 4th Century Basilica, built on top of the martyr’s house and below the actual one. Walk along its imposing walls and be fascinated by the ancient frescoes while learning about the scenes and the lives of the martyrs they portray.
Get onboard a comfortable air-conditioned minivan and travel along the Ancient Appian Way to the largest Catacombs in Rome. The round trip takes approx. 30 minutes.
Visit the otherworldly crypts of Domitilla. Descend 16 meters below the surface and explore the accessible part of its vast labyrinth of underground burial chambers and galleries. Be captivated by the ancient wall-paintings of mythological and biblical figures and revive the shift of faith from paganism to Christianity. Feel the power of prohibited belief and learn about early martyrs and persecutions. Complete your underworld experience in the 4th-century subterranean basilica.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- An appropriate dress-code is required in order to enter the churches: knees and shoulders should be covered
- This tour is subject to weather conditions and/or liturgic-calendar events. If canceled you will be given the option of an alternative date or a full refund
- This tour will have a maximum of 10 participants
- You will need to be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the starting time
- Not recommended for people with claustrophobia
Reviews(31)
This is a very neat tour but you are not allowed to take photos or videos. This is not the excursion to see skulls or bones.
Thank you, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour.
The storytelling style of this tour is perfect for the sites. We learned a lot and were amazed by the discoveries.
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Catacombs guided tour!
Our guide was excellent made the tour so interesting. The catacombs were fascinating and st Clements was so beautiful.
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us!
There were three of us as a family, and so the tour felt very personal. The tour was very competent, informative and entertaining. Highly recommended!
Vielen Dank für Ihr Feedback! Wir freuen uns sehr zu hören, dass es Ihnen gefallen hat und freuen uns, Sie in Zukunft wieder begrüßen zu dürfen! :)
While the catacombs were cool, the best part is the undergrounds. It's amazing to be standing in/on a building so old and in such good condition. Worth your hard earned money.
Thank you so much. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Catacombs guided tour!
This is a fantastic tour of a true catacomb and detailed tour of San Clemente. The guide, Daniel, was probably the best tour guide I have experienced over the years of using Viator
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Catacombs + St. Clement's Basilica guided tour with Daniel! We will definitely pass the message :)
We enjoyed the tour. The church was our favorite spot. We saw up close the different layers of time under the church and how they built one on top of the other on top of the other. Plus the temperature was very cool on a hot day.
Thank you for your feedback, we are really glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour of the Catacombs and St. Clement's! It is definitely a gem.
Good experience and Interesting information. Small group experience was appreciated. Ample time at locations and reliable start and end times.
Our guide was outstanding. Knowledgeable and friendly. Layers and layers of history to explore. We would highly recommend this tour.
Erneste, the tour guide, was excellent, and guided us around the two sites expertly. He knew his subject inside and out, and was able to communicate clearly and engagingly and answer the questions that everyone in the group asked. Both sites were fascinating, and gave a real insight into the way that people lived, worshipped and honoured their dead, and the way that each site had developed over time. The minibus transfer between the sites was smooth, and the vehicle was clean, comfortable and well-maintained. The radio equipment worked really well, enabling all of our small group to hear the guide clearly. I would have given this tour five stars, but I'm reducing that to four because the day before the tour we were contacted by the local tour operator to say that "unfortunately, we are currently facing some issues with our tour guide" and requesting that we changed the time of the tour from morning to afternoon. The communication throughout the changes was good, and luckily, we were able to be flexible, but as they couldn't provide what we originally booked I don't feel I can give the full five stars.
