Secrets Beneath Rome: Capuchin Crypt and Catacombs Tour

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| Rome, Italy

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3 hours (approx.)

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Overview

Hidden deep beneath Rome lies a mysterious underground world of ancient catacombs and eerie bone crypts. Steel your nerves, and join us for a spellbinding journey into this haunting subterranean world on our Underground Rome tour! Discover the origins of Christianity in the labyrinthine tunnels of the Roman catacombs, where popes, saints and martyrs were laid to rest far from prying pagan eyes, and take a brief stroll on the evocative ancient Appian Way. Then prepare yourself for a shock as we descend into the spine-chilling Capuchin crypt across town. Here, in the eerie half-light of dusty chambers beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione, generations of Capuchin monks reflected on their mortality by creating macabre artworks from the bones of their deceased fellow friars. With minibus transportation included throughout, our Underground Rome tour is the perfect way to see a fascinating hidden side of the Eternal City in total comfort!

What's Included

All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle
All ticket and reservation fees
Expert English-speaking guide

Food and beverages
Transportation to and from the meeting and end points

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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Via delle Terme di Tito
00184 Roma RM, Italy

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

Via Vittorio Veneto
00187 Roma RM, Italy

What To Expect

Catacombe San Sebastiano

After meeting your guide and vehicle at a convenient location in central Rome, we’ll be heading out to the catacombs just outside the impressive ancient city walls to begin our journey into underground Rome. This extensive network of tunnels, passages and galleries were carved into the soft bedrock here nearly 2,000 years ago. Try not to be afraid of the dark as we descend into this mysterious land of the dead. To understand these silent memorials in all their complexity, we must understand that they are as much celebrations of a glorious birth rather than commemorations of a sad death. In the shapes and forms of the stunning wall-paintings, carvings and inscriptions that survive in these tunnels, we will gain a unique insight into the world of the late Roman empire and early Christianity. With the help of our expert guide, you will come to understand the philosophies and thoughts that animated these spaces millennia ago.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Museum and Crypt of Capuchins Friars

Across the city, in the crypt of the Capuchin monks beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione, we will encounter a very different underground Christian space. Over the course of some three centuries, the bodies of almost 4,000 Capuchin monks were interred in the church’s crypt - but the corpses weren’t placed in tombs and coffins. Far from it.Instead, as we explore the tiny rooms of the crypt, we are greeted with the bizarre sight of the friars’ bones arranged into patterns and artworks of dizzying complexity. Why? The crypt is a dramatic and macabre statement of one of the core beliefs of the Capuchin order: terrestrial life is transient, and death will inevitably come to us all, whoever we were in life. It’s indescribably eerie to be surrounded by the glaring and grinning skeletons of the monks in the atmospheric surroundings of the crypt - an unforgettable experience that you can’t miss when in Rome!

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Appian Way (Via Appia Antica)

It was forbidden to bury bodies within the city walls in ancient Rome, and so Rome’s catacombs are located along the principal roads that led out of the metropolis in antiquity. Foremost amongst these was the Appian Way, known to the ancient world as the ‘Queen of Roads.’ Still paved with its original flagstones, today the Appian Way is one of the most evocative monuments to the majesty of ancient Rome. On our tour we’ll have the chance to take a look at the now peaceful road as it meanders its way through the umbrella pines of the Roman countryside, flanked by tombs and monuments.Although it’s a wonderfully tranquil spot today, in antiquity the Appian Way was a hive of activity - discover how the fearsome legions of ancient Rome once marched along these stones to all corners of the empire, and learn why magnificent ancient funerary monuments still line the picturesque road today.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Please advise during the booking process if any clients have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Secrets Beneath Rome: Capuchin Crypt and Catacombs Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (CEST). Read more Apr 2025