Secret Rome Basilicas and hidden Underground Catacombs Tour
4.7
Secret Rome Basilicas and hidden Underground Catacombs Tour
By Gray Line - I Love Rome
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About
Ages 3-99, max of 30 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: German, Portuguese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
More
- Pickup (only in hotels listed in central Rome)
- Professional local guide
- Headset don't miss any single word
- All transfers in an air-conditioned coach bus
- Group max 30 partecipants
- Drop-off at S. Maria deglia Angeli e dei Martiri near Metro A stop Repubblica and Termini Station
- Entry/Admission - Catacombs of Saint Callixtus
What's not included- Optional gratuities
- Food and Drinks
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
- Via Carlo Alberto, 3, 00185 Roma RM, ItalyVia Carlo Alberto in front of Hotel Mecenate Palace Rome Please note: From April to October tour starts at 14:30 PM From November to March tour starts at 14:00 PM
Pickup details- Hotel pick up option: Be ready 45 minutes before departure in the hotel lobby (60 minutes for non-central hotels). For info regarding service feasibility/coverage verification, ask the reception or contact our booking office. If your hotel is not covered, please reach the meeting point on your own. Meeting point option: If your accommodation isn't within the pickup service area, please come directly to the tour's starting point. Please reach Via Carlo Alberto, 3 - in front of Hotel Mecenate Palace Rome
Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.Additional pickup optionsDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.- Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
End:- Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs, P.za della Repubblica, 00185 Roma RM, ItalyDrop-off in front of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri near Metro A line stop Piazza della Repubblica and Termini Station (metro A and B)
- Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5034P104- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Sleeveless shirts and shorts are not permitted inside churches
- Not recommended for travellers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travellers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Not recommended for individuals with claustropobhia
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5034P104
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- P.za della Repubblica, 00185 Roma RM, ItalyDrop-off in front of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri near Metro A line stop Piazza della Repubblica and Termini Station (metro A and B)
Top rated
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Karina_tyo0 contributionsAlways a nice option to know the cityI always hop on of these and do the entire route once, then chose places I want to go. Rome has the option of 1 ride which was great!Written 18 March 2025
- Seaside475882921340 contributionsIt was very memorable and educational , while still being fun and interestingKristina (# 12 your guide) was amazing. She described everything so well. She really showed us the entire colosseum and gave us a full history of Rome. I could not have asked for a better tour guideWritten 18 March 2025
- Climber646912145080 contributionsWhen in rome hopp onVery good experience , the stations sre well picked anf thr buses are coning evrry 15 minuets.good explanstions in the headphones , and rome , is the bestWritten 18 March 2025
- jaimesT3327WD0 contributionsThe best Choice!Excellent choice. No long wait of hard to understand Tour guide. Quick and able to choose what to take pictures at. No warted time. Commonwealth sense applicable.Written 17 March 2025
- 792patm7920 contributionsAlways a mustWe take the hop-on/hop-off tours whenever possible, as they're a great way to explore a city. We ride the full circuit the first time then decide where we want to stop the next time around.Written 16 March 2025
- deborahsJ3968OB0 contributionsTAKE ID WITH YOUWARNING!: HAVE ID WITH YOU WHEN GOING INSIDE COLESSEUM AND/OR ROMAN FORUM OTHERWISE YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER, I HAD A PREPAID VOUCHER VIA MY TRAVEL AGENT AND THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT PRINTED ON IT. I HAD MY ID LOCKED IN HOTEL ROOM SAFE. I WAS SO SAD TO MISS OUT ON TOUR AND GUIDE!Written 15 March 2025
- nelsonpU8903GH0 contributionsFun and learnt a lotLearnt so much was really good! They just need to add where Julius Ceaser got killed but seriously learnt a lot. Colosseum is not at all what I though of. Or the history of it, open my mind more to the engineering behind it and even how it’s clean incredibleWritten 15 March 2025
- Marisa J0 contributionsNot enough ColosseumFelt like more time could have been added while at The Colosseum. Wanted to see more. Had a hard time hearing our guide on the headphones radio system she used. She was fairly knowledgeable about everything we saw, but also seemed somewhat repetitive. She was very soft spoken, which made it even harder to hear her.Written 11 March 2025
- 3BoysFam0 contributionsPink bus "I Love Roma" best one to useWe did the "I Love Roma" pink Hop On Hop Off bus our last day in Rome. ♦️The pink bus company is the best one to use! It worked out great as we were tired of walking long distances by our last day. We rode to stop 6 & walked to the meeting point for our tour of the Pantheon. We ate lunch after the tour then hopped back on the bus & ride the entire route. We sat on the right side of the bus (facing the driver) & were able to take great pictures of so many sites. We got off @ Stop 1-Roma Termini & our hotel was 2 blocks from there. We felt like it was a good value for our money & cheaper than taking a taxi to the Pantheon & around the city!Written 11 March 2025
- 28sn0 contributionsGreat tourGreat tour, saw the museums, incredible art. Our tour guide was brilliant, knowledgeable and put some fun into the tour. Thank you Fabio. If I was fo given a negative but not the tours fault, the crowds are a lot. Be weary of that.Written 10 March 2025
- henrynetac0 contributionsGreat train rideIt was great vacation to Venice we had an amazing group tour. Antonella our tour guide was very professional and more exciting about telling the history of the city of Venice and at the same time it was the Carnival in Venice were people were wearing all kinds of customs. Very crowded with tourist she make sure we are aware of the surrounding and careful of our belongings. Definitely recommend.Written 10 March 2025
- Q4068LVlynnm0 contributionsAverageStops were way too long at certain points, such as Termini. 20 mins and no one got on or off. The barcode on their leaflets for stop 6 brings you to a different stop on Google maps.. apparently that was the old stop and they haven't updated their leaflets. Headphones worked for 30 mins and then could only hear out of one.Written 10 March 2025
- Becca5360 contributionsWonderful!Excellent tour with our wonderful guide Zara! We loved every minute of this 3 hour tour. Very informative and fun tour. Perfect small group tour.Written 9 March 2025
- benjamindI9086VY0 contributionsIt was greatIt was Great it was awesome it was cool it was historical it was Ancient Rome it was Italy it was colosseum it was Roman forum it was palpatineWritten 9 March 2025
- indrak6240 contributionsAmazingPaola is a great guide who makes us enjoy the experience. She jas a lot of knowledge a out what she explains which make a thorough experience.Written 8 March 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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4.7
11 reviews
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Mumsy3
4 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
The catacombs were amazing and our guide was so informative and spoke perfect English. I would highly recommend this tour if you have already seen the major attractions. The Basilicas were breath taking and the church were St Helen took the wood from Jerusalem is another must see. There was so much packed into this tour it was well worth the experience.
Written 13 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Guest,
thank you for taking the time to write such a nice review, We are glad that you enjoyed our tour, visiting the most important Basilicas of the Catholic world and the unforgettable Catacombs :)
Thanks and regards,
the Gray Line I Love Rome Team
Written 15 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marleen_Belgium
Ghent, Belgium6 contributions
Sept 2019
I'm extremely happy I decided to book this tour. It was the most relaxing afternoon of my 5 days-trip to Rome, away from the crowd, some green, some time to recover. The catacombs are very interesting to see, there is a small introduction by the local guide and the underground visit itself lasts about half an hour. I was overwhelmed by the Holy Stairs and the 2 Basilicas we visited afterwards, our guide pointed out the most interesting things to see. Last but not least, I really would like to recommend and thank our excellent guide Marcello V. His English was superb, he was always smiling and very kind and helpful. He gave clear instructions where to meet at what time, pointed out how much time we had to visit the toilets or to pop in the souvenir shop at the catacombs. A very big thanks and a big compliment to Marcello V!
Written 28 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Marleen, so happy to see that you also took this tour in the heart of Rome, visiting the most important Basilicas in town and the secret underground catacombs of San Callisto on the Appian Way, the world's biggest Christian catacombs where over half a million people were buried between the first and the end of the fifth century after Christ. We're glad you enjoyed your afternoon in a relaxed manner and had the chance to meet your guide Marcello whose excellent performance apparently made a difference and added value to your fascinating discovery of an underground world not everyone gets to see. Kind regards, the Gray Line I Love Rome Team
Written 30 September 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maddie T
4 contributions
It was an awesome experience full of history and the guide (John) was super knowledgeable, and made it fun! I would highly recommend to anyone, and would do it again, as long as John was my tour guide!!
Written 16 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for booking our Roman Basilicas and underground catacombs with a local guide! So glad you liked it and John did a great job!
Best regards,
Gray Line Rome
Written 30 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Crystal G.
7 contributions
Dec 2021
We were really excited about the catacombs tour, unfortunately the experience didn't quite live up to the hype.
We met up with our Gray Line tour guide and we headed straight to the Catacombs entrance outside the city centre. Then another guide walked us through the Catacombs for about 45 minutes. They were very interesting, and we definitely enjoyed it, but felt like it was a little lackluster overall. We thought we'd be seeing it for three hours, so that was a little surprising.
Then we headed to two beautiful cathedrals. They were gorgeous, but amounted to the majority of our tour.
Overall, we wish we had more of a Catacombs-specific tour vs this one. We enjoyed ourselves but could've skipped this tour. However, our tour guide, Ben, was extremely knowledgable and friendly, speaking in both English for us and Spanish for other guests, definitely a great guide!
We met up with our Gray Line tour guide and we headed straight to the Catacombs entrance outside the city centre. Then another guide walked us through the Catacombs for about 45 minutes. They were very interesting, and we definitely enjoyed it, but felt like it was a little lackluster overall. We thought we'd be seeing it for three hours, so that was a little surprising.
Then we headed to two beautiful cathedrals. They were gorgeous, but amounted to the majority of our tour.
Overall, we wish we had more of a Catacombs-specific tour vs this one. We enjoyed ourselves but could've skipped this tour. However, our tour guide, Ben, was extremely knowledgable and friendly, speaking in both English for us and Spanish for other guests, definitely a great guide!
Written 24 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Guest,
thank you for your review, we are sorry that you had different expectations about this tour. This tour is one of our best sellers and we try to improve more and more each year, so we are grateful for your sincere feedback, it will help us understand which aspects we can still work on.
We hope you will give us another chance in the future, we'd like to see you among our guests again.
Thanks and regards,
the Gray Line I Love Rome Team
Written 26 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mike S
Kingston, Canada35 contributions
Sept 2018
The tour itself was great. Booking advertisement needs help. Told us we were not a hotel they would pick up at..we walked 45 minutes to office...and then the meeting spot for other guests was 5 minutes from our hotel...and next day our hotel staff told us tour rep was there to pick us up....also Holy Steps are closed for a year..disappointed…..but overall worth the price...
Written 29 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Delia R
Wanstead, UK7 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
Great way to understand more about Rome’s Christian history, and see beyond the city walls. The catacombs are incredible…
Written 13 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carmen R
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Family
We went with Fabio L. as our guide, he was brilliant the whole time. We've enjoyed the tour and explanations and will repeat surely!
Written 23 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Couples
fabio, our tour guide, was amazing, he gave us so much info and was really easy to listen to. we had a great time!!
Written 9 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Jess, thank you very much for exploring the Roman Catacombs with us! We're glad Fabio conducted a great and interesting tour!
Best regards,
Gray Line Rome
Feedbacks Team
Written 11 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maria Gabriela Campos
2 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
We had a great experience. Alessandro was the best. Showed us the real Rome and the history behind it.
Written 24 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Gabriela, we appreciate your vote and your enthusiasm so thanks for taking the time to review us! The Roman Catacombs are amazing and we're glad you spent some quality time with Alessandro, your professional local guide.
Best regards,
Gray Line Rome
Feedbacks Team
Written 27 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Meander15877325106
1 contribution
Jan 2024 • Couples
Group 73 by Letizia
Letizia was a fantastic guide: knowledgeable, kind and fun. He involves you in his passionate knowledge of Rome and its wonderful basilicas. A thousand thanks
Letizia was a fantastic guide: knowledgeable, kind and fun. He involves you in his passionate knowledge of Rome and its wonderful basilicas. A thousand thanks

Written 5 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grazie infinite per aver condiviso la tua esperienza con noi! Siamo estremamente felici di sapere che Letizia ti abbia accompagnato durante il Tour delle basiliche di Roma segrete e delle Catacombe sotterranee nascoste in modo così positivo. È meraviglioso sapere che hai apprezzato la sua preparazione, gentilezza e il suo tocco di allegria. Letizia è davvero appassionata della storia di Roma e delle sue magnifiche basiliche, e siamo lieti che abbia condiviso questa passione con te.
Ti ringraziamo ancora per averci scelto e speriamo di avere presto l'opportunità di accoglierti nuovamente per altre avventure alla scoperta di Roma.
Gray Line Rome
Written 7 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Does this tour stop at the Holy Stairs? Thank you.
Written 27 September 2023
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.