Catacombs Private Tour in Rome

• A private guided tour of the Capuchin Crypts

• Guided tour of the Christian Catacombs of Domitilla

• A friendly English-speaking guide

• Luxury climate-controlled transportation

Important! Because the sites on this tour are religious, knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women. We know that Rome is hot in summer - a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way, you can cover your knees and shoulders when needed.

Door-to-Door Private Transportation

To make this private tour in Rome even better, we pick you up and drop you off! Using a luxury climate-controlled vehicle, these private transfer services are included for accommodations located in Rome’s city center. Not sure if you're staying central? No worries, just contact our Travel Experts by email or online chat to be sure. For pick-up or drop-off at accommodations located outside the city center, an extra fee will apply.

Capuchin Crypts

This ancient crypt or ossuary contains the skeletal remains of approximately 3,700 individuals believed to be Capuchin friars buried by their order. The bodies were buried between the years 1500 and 1870, when the Roman Catholic Church permitted burial inside and underneath churches. Five chapels comprise The Capuchin Crypts; the Crypt of the Resurrection, Crypt of the Skulls, Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones, Crypt of the Pelvises and Crypt of the Three Skeletons. Dimly lit by small fluorescent lamps and natural light seeping through cracks, this crypt is a macabre work of art with walls elaborately decorated by skeletal remains. Some of the skeletons are still intact and draped in Franciscan habits, while individual bones from other skeletons form elaborate ornamental designs. The Catholic Order insists that the display is meant to be a silent reminder of our own mortality and the fleeting passage of life on Earth.

The Domitilla Catacombs

The Christian Catacombs of Domitilla form an elaborate underground maze of tunnels and offer a rare glimpse into early practices of Christianity in Ancient Rome. The Domitilla Catacombs offer Rome’s most spine-chilling catacomb tour experience. Located approximately 15 minutes outside of Rome and hidden deep underground, the catacombs were created during the second century as a response to the shortage of burial space in Rome’s city center. These Roman Catacombs contain the remains of approximately 150,000 bodies hidden from plain view.

Aside from their more macabre aspects, your private tour guide will also show you some of the Domitilla Catacombs’ most important artifacts, including a second-century fresco of The Last Supper. As an added bonus, you’ll get a much-needed break from Rome’s scorching sun when visiting this site during the summer months.

The Appian Way and Aurelian Walls

Emperor Aurelian built a defensive wall around Rome during the third century in order to protect the city from invading barbarians. You’ll see the Aurelian Walls up close in our private, climate-controlled vehicle. In addition, you’ll walk a small stretch of the Ancient Appian Way, one of the most important Ancient Roman roads leading all the way to Puglia in Southern Italy. The Ancient Appian Way was where 10,000 slaves were crucified during the revolt of Spartacus. Our private tour guide will bring the history of this ancient Roman road to life with expertise and detailed storytelling.