Crypts, Bones & Catacombs: An Underground Tour of Rome

Visit the best, least-visited Roman Catacombs

There are miles of ancient Christian Catacombs under Rome, but most companies visit the same one. We go the extra distance to take you to one of the less-visited and most peaceful. For a unique experience, we cater for small groups ensuring you can hear your guide at all times - so you can forget headsets, they don’t work underground anyway!

Witness Rome's strangest sight - a crypt lined with the bones of 4,000 monks

In addition to the Roman Catacombs, we visit the Capuchin Bone Crypt - a cemetery literally built from bones! The chambers are decorated with the remains of some 4,000 friars. For kids, it’s a fascinating lesson in anatomy and for adults, a moving reminder of what we’ll all become. The message at the end of crypt says it all: “What you are now, we once were. What we are now, you will be.” However, the monks didn’t intend the site to be a morbid one – but you’ll learn all about that from your expert guide when you visit one of Rome’s most memorable sights.

Step back in time at the Case Romane

Your final stop is the Case Romane del Celio*, an underground excavation of the 3rd-century villa of a wealthy patrician family who had the walls frescoed by some of the finest artists of the day. These lavish decorations have survived with astounding clarity and color, meaning you can still see the decorative figures, tricks of perspective, ceiling moldings and floor tiles.

With comfortable, air-conditioned transport throughout, you won’t have to worry about coordinating metros, buses and private transport from one site to the next. Our guides are handpicked not just for their knowledge, but also their enthusiasm and engagement, so they’ll be happy to answer any questions you can throw at them.

Take a walk with us as we peel back the many layers of Rome, uncovering the secret stories of Christian persecution, strange religious practices and the multi-layered history of Rome.

*Important note: From March 1st 2020 the visit to Case Romane del Celio will be replaced with a walk along the Appian Way to the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, and a visit to the Roman Aqueducts. Please contact us if you have any further queries about this tour.