Tours/Rome/Viator
Viator · group up to 24 pax

Ghosts Legends and Mysteries of Rome Walking Tour

4.9(174)Rome1 hour
VIATOR4.7(20)TRIPADVISOR4.9(154)

Description

Explore a different side of the Eternal City on this Rome ghost tour at night, blending dark history, macabre legends, and true crime stories. Led by an expert local guide, you’ll stroll through atmospheric streets while learning about haunted locations, ruthless popes, assassinations, and secret poison plots that shaped Rome’s past. Discover the sinister history of Castel Sant’Angelo, once a fortress and prison, and uncover the shocking truth about Giulia Tofana, whose poison empire changed the lives of countless Romans. Perfect for visitors seeking unique things to do in Rome, this evening walking tour combines history with suspense, dark humor, and dramatic storytelling — all in the refreshing night air of the historic city center. For adults & teens (12+ only) It's a tip-based tour. The guides work on the ‘Pay-What-You-Want’ tour model which means they work for your tips alone. At the end of the experience you can give your guide what you think the tour was worth.

Tour Options

Ghost Tour En Español
  • Tour en español: Descubre el lado oscuro de Roma con un guía que mezcla hechos, leyendas y humor. Escucha historias más macabras de Roma.
Ghosts Legends and Mysteries of Rome Walking Tour

Itinerary

15 min

Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, originally built as Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum, later served as a fortress, papal residence, and prison. Its striking cylindrical structure and rooftop statue of the Archangel Michael make it one of Rome's most iconic landmarks along the Tiber River.

Pass by

Ponte Sant'Angelo looms over the Tiber like a bridge between worlds, its ten angelic statues carved by Bernini and his students standing sentinel, each bearing symbols of Christ's suffering. By night, shadows shroud the angels’ faces, their expressions both solemn and haunting, as if guarding secrets of the souls that once crossed into the fortress beyond—Castel Sant'Angelo, a place of refuge, power, and whispered mysteries.

10 min

The house of the kindest executioner in Rome.

5 min

The Haunted Arch, and the place of prayer for the most controversial exorcist in Rome.

5 min

The house of the 16th-century artistic genius Benvenuto Cellini, who, unfortunately, was more notorious as a rapist and murderer.

10 min

The haunted house of the witch Giulia Tofana, and the stories of the holy inquisition.

5 min

Corte Savella, the only prison in Rome authorized to execute convicts inside its walls - the place where Beatrice Cenci was tortured before her execution.

5 min

Via Giulia is a picturesque, historic street in Rome, designed by Bramante in the early 16th century for Pope Julius II, and lined with Renaissance palaces, ivy-covered facades, and hidden courtyards. Known for its quiet elegance, it embodies the charm of old Rome and was once a central artery of the city’s aristocratic life.

10 min

Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte is a chilling Baroque church in Rome, built by a secretive confraternity dedicated to retrieving and burying abandoned corpses. Its shadowed interior brims with skulls, bones, and eerie symbols of death, evoking an atmosphere where the line between the living and the dead feels unsettlingly thin.

5 min

Fontana del Mascherone is an eerie Baroque fountain on Via Giulia in Rome, featuring a massive stone mask that mysteriously spouts water from its grimacing mouth. This is a crime scene where John Paul Getty III was kidnapped.

10 min

Campo de' Fiori is a lively, historic square in Rome, renowned for its bustling morning market filled with vibrant produce, flowers, and local goods. By night, the piazza transforms, surrounded by bars and restaurants, while the shadow of Giordano Bruno’s statue serves as a reminder of the square’s darker past as a site of executions during the Inquisition.

Highlights

Urban legends and ghost stories
Walking tour
Licensed tour guide
Haunted places

What's included

Included
Urban legends and ghost stories
Walking tour
Licensed tour guide
Haunted places
Not included
Tips. It's a tip-based tour. The guides work for your tips alone.

Traveller Ratings

4.9
174 reviews
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164
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Important Information

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • The tour includes CSA topics, graphic information. Not recommended for children under 12 years old.

Reviews(174)

D
Danica_G
June 13, 2026
Interesting.

The tour was very entertaining and enjoyable; I recommend guide Andrea, she does very well and explained everything wonderfully.

9
906vanet
June 5, 2026
I would not do it again

I wasn’t engaged and the stories weren’t that great

F
Fearless46504207288
May 25, 2026
Brilliant funny and shocking

Simone was an excellent guide who told the history and legends of Rome in an engaging way. The themes related to one another and were contextualised by the contrasting morals and values of historic and contemporary times. Brilliant and funny as well as shocking . Brought Rome to life for us.

K
Kathryn_M
May 24, 2026
Great way to spend the evening

Really interesting, fun tour, definitely recommended. Iris was a fabulous story teller in all things grim and gory! She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic, the perfect tour guide.

Operator response

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour with Iris and her storytelling style. Her passion for Rome’s darker and more mysterious history truly makes the experience unforgettable. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to see you again soon on another tour!

3
322madsl
May 24, 2026
Exciting tour

The tour was great, fine anecdotes and grizzly details. Iris was a delight as a tour guide, animated and bubbly with a wealth of knowledge. Best recommendations from me.

Operator response

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the stories, grisly details, and the atmosphere of the tour with Iris. Her energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge truly make the experience unforgettable. Thank you for the recommendation, and we hope to see you again soon in Rome!

S
shirojohnmera
May 18, 2026
BEST GHOST TOUR

5/5 A must experience in Rome! In every country i go! I always go on ghost tour! But this one is the best ive had! Very engaging! We are thrilled on what to expect next! Our guide is the best! Like in evey corner! We ask him he answer all the questions! He even capture 1 shadow during our tour! I really love this tour.also I came solo! I end the tour with so many friends! Who are into ghost stories too.

S
sarahgH4445ZW
May 15, 2026
Excellent tour

Excellent tour, informative, friendly guide, atmospheric, much though I like travelling on my own it made a good change to join a group, and share some laughs.

C
Culture60331327342
May 4, 2026
Walking tour in the evening through rome

Nice original walking tour, certainly not free you are often made aware that they work on a tip basis. the stories were fun, definitely do once.

Operator response

Bedankt voor je review! 😊 We zijn blij dat je genoten hebt van de originele verhalen en de sfeer van de avondtour. Onze tours werken inderdaad op basis van tips, zodat iedereen vrij kan deelnemen en zelf de waarde van de ervaring kan bepalen. Hopelijk zien we je terug voor een nieuwe ontdekkingstocht door Rome! 🇮🇹

R
rafaelbM4361PV
May 3, 2026
An unmissable experience

The tour was very entertaining, Tamara the guide generates a commitment and very good participation with the group. The stories are very entertaining is an incredible experience that you can not miss if you visit Rome.

T
tinatM4887WW
May 2, 2026
Spooky stories from Rome

the trip was amazing, and stories were spooky and very interesting, Tamara was such a friendly person and it was a pleasure to have her as a guide, Rome was a fantastic experience

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