Rome Catacombs & Capuchin Crypt Tour with Transfers

The Capuchin Crypt on Via Veneto

The Capuchin Crypt lies beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione, a few steps from Piazza Barberini. Between the 17th and 18th centuries the Capuchin friars arranged the bones of around 3,700 of their brothers into arches, rosettes and chandeliers across six small chapels, including the Crypt of the Skulls and the Crypt of the Three Skeletons. A plaque reminds visitors that what they are now, the friars once were.

Is the Capuchin Crypt worth visiting? For most travellers it is one of the most memorable half hours in Rome: strange, moving and quiet rather than frightening. The visit starts in the Capuchin Museum, where panels explain the order's history and a St Francis in Meditation attributed to Caravaggio hangs. Photography is not allowed in the crypt, and shoulders and knees must be covered.

The Catacombs of Rome and the Early Christians

Roman law forbade burials inside the city walls, so from the 2nd century early Christian communities dug underground cemeteries in the soft volcanic tuff outside Rome. Galleries run for kilometres on several levels, lined with loculi, the shelf-like graves cut into the walls, and small family chambers painted with early symbols such as the fish, the anchor and the Good Shepherd.

A Rome catacombs tour is always guided, because the passages are a maze and many areas are closed to the public. Our visit lasts about 45 minutes underground, where the air stays cool all year, so a light layer helps in summer. The coach takes you straight there, which is the easiest answer to how to get to the catacombs, since they sit outside the historic centre and are poorly served by public transport.

The Basilica of San Martino ai Monti

San Martino ai Monti stands on the Esquiline Hill in the Monti district, close to Santa Maria Maggiore. It grew from a titulus, one of the private houses where Rome's early Christians gathered to worship, and was rebuilt by popes in the 6th and 9th centuries before a Baroque makeover in the 17th century gave it its painted landscapes by Gaspard Dughet.

Few visitors find this church on their own, which is why it is often called one of Rome's hidden gems. Below the nave, the guide leads you into the remains of the Roman building, where brick walls and faded frescoes show how the city grew layer by layer. This stop is part of the full afternoon option only; on Sundays church visits can be limited by services.

Rome Underground: How This Tour Fits Your Visit

Rome is built on top of itself, and the best way to understand that is to go below street level. This tour connects three very different places, a Baroque friary crypt, an ancient burial ground and a basilica over a Roman house, in one afternoon, with the coach saving you the long journey out to the catacombs and back.

The afternoon start makes it easy to combine with a morning at the Colosseum or the Vatican Museums. Choose the full afternoon tour if you want all three sites, or the After Hours tour for a shorter evening visit to the crypt and catacombs when the daytime crowds have gone. Both finish in central Rome, near Piazza Barberini.