What You'll do in this tour
Did you know that under the modern city of Rome there are another 7 levels of ancient cities? Just a few blocks from the Colosseum is the best place to see this “lasagna” effect of Roman history in action. A church piled atop a pagan temple and that on top of a house. This tour will allow you to explore some of the most popular underground areas of Rome. The 5 hour guided tour includes transportation with a comfortable Mercedes van as well as a driver so that you won’t have to worry about public transport. This allows you to optimize your valuable time while moving from one site to the other. The walking tour is led by expert English speaking Walking Guide whom will help create a personalized experience for you and your private party while taking into account your specific interests. Because it is private, we can take a break where you need it and move along at your pace. This incredible service enables you to tour with a native guide showing you the real face of the underground city and the sites that they are so passionate about. The tours are available in English or Italian, and are delivered with an insight and style that keeps our tours entertaining, fun, and informative.In this VIP service we feel it is best to have 2 people working for you because we know how much you value your time.
Tour Description
The tour will start in the lobby of your hotel where you will be greeted by your Walking Guide as well as your driver and our first stop will be at the Basilica of San Clemente. Nowhere else better illustrates the different stages of Rome’s turbulent past than this amazing multi-layered church. The ground-level is a 12th-century basilica that sits atop a 4th-century church which stands over a 2nd-century pagan temple and that sits on top of a 1st-century Roman home. After the Basilica of San Clemente, we will head over the church of San Crisogono which was built in the late Middle Ages. Hidden in its undergrounds there are well visible traces, with various frescoes, of the original basilica of the 5th century. We will descend 20 feet under the street level to discover the old walls and structures, the frescoes from the 5th to the 12th century as well as many inscriptions and sarcophagi in a unique journey through history. You will also explore this amazing underground archeological site with the expertise of our guide.
After a small break for a cappuccino we will head out on the Old Appian Way to discover ancient burial grounds. The Catacombs, another ancient and sacred site tinged with mystery. A guided journey of 45 minutes will take you through just a small section of the subterranean scavi. You will discover an entire network of both elaborate and simple tombs lining the thousands of miles of corridors and tunnels in which first the pagans, then Christians buried their dead. This is truly a fascinating place narrating many of the ancient Roman customs and traditions.
The final place on our underground adventure will be the Crypt of the Cappuccini monks which sits beneath the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione. This very important site is located on the famous street that we know as Via Veneto which is just a few minutes away on foot from the US Embassy. The Crypt contains the skeletal remains of 3,700 people buried by the Cappuccini monks. There are six rooms total in the Crypt, five of which feature unique displays of human bones. Each room has a theme and the bones are believed to have been taken from the bodies of friars whom had died between the years 1528 and 1870.
At the completion of the tour, you will have a firm understanding of the “lasagna concept” that is Rome and how each layer became the basis of a new era. All of this helps you to see the history of this great city, it’s secrets and where it’s customs and rich traditions were born. The tour will end with the drop off back to your hotel or anywhere else you desire in the downtown area if you prefer to have lunch on your own afterwards.
Additional Information To Note:
- Admission tickets to any site, headsets, lunches and gratuities are not included in the price of the tour as shown when selecting the tour. Some of the tickets require a pre-booking some others can be purchased on the day of the tour directly at the entrance. Ticket prices are referenced below for your convenience
- This tour is done with a driver and a walking guide.
- Church of San Crisogono 5,00€ Adults 3,00€ Children (under 18)
- Basilica of San Clemente 15,00€ Adults free Children under 16 - Pre-booked by Miles&Miles and included in the final price
- Catacombs 10,00€ Adults 7,00€ children under 18 Purchased on site
- Crypt of Cappuccini Monks 10,00€ Adults & Children Purchased on site
This tour is NOT available on Sunday
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