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Program details
Don’t miss this unique chance to discover the real dark heart of Rome by visiting an ancient part of the city and burial grounds layers beneath the modern busy streets, and joining us in a nighttime adventure that leaves no stone unturned, telling you the little-known history fraught with murders, executions, and hauntings.
Our Crypts and Catacombs Tour takes you deeper into the strange history of Rome, to the core of this ancient city. We visit three unforgettable sites with one thing in common – these are the most unusual and outlandish places in the Eternal City.
We start our Crypts and Catacombs Rome Tour at the ancient Roman Catacombs. Dating all the way back to the 2nd century AD, this extensive network of tunnels snaking beneath the city was once both a burial ground and a hiding place for the first Christians in Rome. Established in the days when Nero was famed for torturing Christians, the tunnels became a place for refuge as much as for burials and celebrations.
The next stop is the Basilica San Clemente, another site that few visitors ever see. Your guide will begin with the tale of a priest who thought he heard running water inside the basilica. Several years and a sledgehammer later, he and his brothers had mined through the floor of the 14th century basilica, a 5th century church, and a 4th century cult temple. Underneath it all, they finally found an original 1st century Roman street and the ancient aqueduct that had tormented the priest. You will trace this route with your guide through spaces that have been opened now to reveal these incredible layers of history.
We end this part of our tour on a high note, with a visit to the Capuchin Crypt – known locally as the ‘Bone Chapel’. It was here that the Capuchin monks have used the bones of 4.000 of their brothers to decorate the walls and ceilings. Witness a real skull and crossbones, vertebrae chandeliers and full skeletons in their robes before drawing your own conclusion – is it art or morbidity? Either way it is something you will never forget.
Enjoy some free time to have dinner at a local restaurant or to go for a stroll in the historical center of Rome, experiencing the city at its most enchanting time or admiring an unforgettable sunset. As darkness sets in over Rome, a different city comes to light – a city of legends and mystery, where thousands of years of history left a story behind every stone. Having survived the middle Ages and the Inquisition, the stories Rome has to tell are far from the average bedtime tale. With our expert English-speaking story tellers, you will traverse the Tiber and wander across piazzas, listening to unknown stories of murders, executions, and betrayals. You will see the house of the most notorious (and empathetic) murderer ever to work in the Eternal City and visit the bridge that, according to the legend, is haunted by the ghost of the female Pope.
Meeting/pick-up point: Crypts and Catacombs: In the center of Piazza Barberini, by the large Triton (Tritone) fountain. Piazza Barberini is located at the metro stop “Barberini” on metro line A (red line). Dark Heart of Rome: On the steps of the church San Andrea della Valle.
Start/opening time: Crypts and Catacombs: at 2.30pm. Dark Heart of Rome: at 8.15pm.
Languages: English.
Others: All transfers in an air-conditioned coach ( Only for Crypts & Catacombs Tour). Included: Tickets for the Catacombs of Rome, Basilica San Clemente and The Capuchin ‘Bone Chape
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