moderate
1.5–2 hours
Participants should be comfortable walking and navigating uneven, narrow spaces
Descend into Rome’s underground world with Touriks’ private tour of the Catacombs and St. Clement’s Basilica. Discover secret tunnels, ancient frescoes, and the city’s hidden history beneath the streets. A must-visit for history lovers seeking a personal, immersive experience in Italy’s capital.
159€ • 3hrs • The best of Rome's Underground
Embark on a captivating journey beneath Rome, exploring the hidden wonders of St. Clement’s Basilica and the ancient Roman Catacombs. With a private guide, delve 16 meters underground to discover secret cults, stunning frescoes, and the best-preserved Mithraic temple, all while unraveling the city’s rich history and mystique.
Go 16m underground in a dark world of secret cults and ancient wall paintings with a private guided tour.
Explore 2 contrasting underground sights with an expert guide. Discover a hidden gem 14m below St. Clement’s Basilica and descend into the twisty tunnels of the Roman Catacombs.
Meet your guide in front of St. Clement's Basilica and venture deep underground below its foundations into a mystical world of ancient cults and legends. Journey through several layers of history and earth, down 14 meters below ground. Experience 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 stream 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.
Then journey outside the city walls to one of the largest and most ancient Catacombs of Rome, 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 relive 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.
Meet at the TouriksPoint at Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 132, 15 meters from the Basilica of St. Clement. Please arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled start time.
The underground chambers can be uneven and damp, so reliable footwear is essential.
Some areas are poorly lit, so extra light helps you see the detailed frescoes and inscriptions.
Private tours are popular; securing your spot early ensures availability for personalized guidance.
Please refrain from touching or damaging the delicate artwork and relics deep within the chambers.
The catacombs served as burial sites for early Christians and peasants, often hidden to avoid persecution during Roman times, dating from the 2nd century AD onward.
Touriks ensures minimal impact by guiding visitors carefully and maintaining the site’s integrity, helping preserve these historic underground chambers for future generations.
Provides stability and traction on uneven, often wet surfaces underground.
Helps illuminate dark corners and enhances your viewing of frescoes and inscriptions.
Underground temperatures stay constant, but dressing in layers ensures comfort on surface before and after.
all specific
Capture the intricate details of ancient frescoes and underground structures.